New Bedford, Mass., — August 2, 2013 — In September 2013, the Working Waterfront Festival will mark its’ tenth anniversary. To celebrate, we are presenting Portholes, a series of free, monthly programs designed to engage residents and members of the commercial fishing industry in conversations about critical issues facing the working waterfront. Each month’s programming centers around a theme. Programming during the month of August considers safety at sea. Partial funding for the Portholes Project is provided by Mass Humanities. The New Bedford Whaling Museum and Hercules SLR are sponsors of our August programs.
Commercial fishing is the country’s most dangerous occupation. Fishermen are 37 times more likely to die on the job than policemen. And on top of that, New England’s waters are the most dangerous in the country. The loss of the F/V Northern Edge (a New Bedford scalloper) in 2004 prompted a renewed focus on safety at sea. To date, more than 1,500 fishermen have participated in safety training programs.
Thursday, August 8 (AHA NIGHT)
Life Raft Deployment and Safety Program, New Bedford Whaling Museum 6:45 PM, FREE
Join us for an evening focused on Safety at Sea. Watch safety trainers deploy a life raft on the Whaling Museum Plaza and then join us in the theater to hear stories of close calls, watch a survival suit race, and learn about efforts to keep our fishermen safe. Presented by the Working Waterfront Festival and safety trainers Rodney Avila and Ted Williams from Hercules SLR.
Friday August 16 – Film Screening: After the Storm, National Park Theater, 7:00 PM, FREE
For centuries fishermen have braved the waters of the northeast Atlantic to make their catch, some never to return home. In 2004, the scallop vessel Northern Edge sank, taking with it five of the six men on board. The loss of the Northern Edge spurred a response on every front. Fishermen, politicians, and lawmakers alike took a new look at the safety of those who brave the Atlantic waters for a living. In one of the most regulated industries in the country, however, an imbalance between conservation law and safe practice has emerged. But as loss of life continued in years since 2004, the industry is left wondering: Can conservation efforts and fishermen's safety co-exist? After the Storm: Lessons from the Northern Edge, a film by JD Marlow and Amanda Bergeron considers this dilemma.
The Working Waterfront Festival is a project of the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern MA, a non-profit organization. The FREE festival, a family friendly, educational celebration of New England’s commercial fishing industry, features live maritime and ethnic music, fishermen’s contests, fresh seafood, vessel tours, author readings, cooking demonstrations, kid’s activities and more. It all takes place in New Bedford, MA, America’s #1 fishing port, on the last full weekend of September. Navigate to us at www.workingwaterfrontfestival.org.
See a flyer for the event here