Saving Seafood

MASSACHUSETTS: Film on Gloucester’s fleet hooks local boost

September 9, 2016 — It’s now been more than three years since David Wittkower, struck by the spiraling decay of the Gloucester groundfishing fleet, decided to make a film chronicling its decline from the robust fleet he remembered as a kid growing up in Rockport.

The making of Wittkower’s film “Dead in the Water,” as with nearly every film project ever devised, has been an arduous slog through an endless array of creative decisions and more earthly problems — chief among them how to raise enough money to create the film the Los Angeles-based director first envisioned.

Now, with the assistance of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association and generous benefactors throughout Cape Ann, Wittkower is closing in on having enough capital to finish the film and assemble a working print, possibly by as early as Thanksgiving.

To do that, though, he still needs— what else? — more money.

“The fundraising by the Fishermen’s Wives Association has been an incredible benefit, affording me the chance to work on making the film 24/7 instead of having to run around trying to raise money,” Wittkower said. “The fundraising has been very, very important.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Selling ‘Gloucester Fresh’ to middle America

September 6, 2016 — More than 1,500 miles separates Gloucester from Bentonville, Arkansas. But if Barry Furuseth has his way, he’ll connect the two geographical dots with an unceasing supply of fresh seafood from America’s oldest seaport.

Furuseth, the owner of Blu Fresh Fish Marketplace in Bentonville, has become one of the staunchest acolytes of fresh Gloucester seafood and the city’s rich fishing heritage, incorporating both onto his restaurant menu and into the cases of his seafood market.

“I want to showcase the American fishermen and I want showcase ‘Gloucester Fresh’,” Furuseth said Friday afternoon, invoking the name of the city’s overarching seafood marketing brand. “I want to show people that this is where their seafood is coming from, from these cold, clear, fresh waters. And to do that, we will market and sell ‘Gloucester Fresh’ seafood.”

The Minnesota native, now transplanted to the Arkansas city that boasts the headquarters of giants Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club, was standing in the stern of lobsterman Mark Ring’s FV Stanley Thomas as it made its way across Gloucester’s Inner Harbor to Capt. Joe & Sons Inc. in East Gloucester, passing some of the early arrivals for the weekend’s Gloucester Schooner Festival along the way.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Battle over Cashes Ledge continues between fishermen, environmentalists

August 29, 2016 — Despite the Obama administration’s declaration that Cashes Ledge has been taken off the table as a possible location for a marine national monument, the divisive issue of the monuments continues to percolate nationally between fishermen and conservationists.

From Hawaii to New England, the lines are clearly drawn.

Conservation groups have sustained a steady lobbying campaign to convince President Obama to employ the Antiquities Act to create new marine national monuments in the waters around Cashes Ledge, about 80 miles off Gloucester, and the seamounts off southern New England and Monterey, California.

On Friday, Obama ended a contentious process in the Pacific Ocean when he expanded an existing marine national monument area in the northwest Hawaiian Islands to create the largest protected area on Earth — 582,578 square miles.

Fishing stakeholders and fishing communities have countered with their own public campaign that sharply criticizes the collateral impact of closing more areas to commercial and recreational fishing, as well as the method of using the Antiquities Act as an end-run around the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act.

“The Antiquities Act does not require transparency or a robust analysis of the science,” the Gloucester-based Northeast Seafood Coalition said in a statement. “It does not require any socioeconomic considerations be taken into account. No process is required other than an executive action by the president of the United States.”

The coalition and others, including several members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation and Gov. Charlie Baker, have tried to drive home the point that the current system of federal ocean management requires fishing businesses and communities to follow the established and intricate regulatory procedures established under Magnuson-Stevens.

To allow the creation of marine national monuments by what amounts to presidential fiat, they say, is unfair to those who have operated under the established rules and makes a mockery of Magnuson-Stevens.

“The New England Fishery Management Council is in charge of carrying out this requirement in our region,” the NSC said. “Last year, the council approved Omnibus Habitat Amendment 2 and is presently working on an Omnibus Deep Coral Amendment. These areas include the very areas now proposed and under consideration for a national monument.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Community gathers for Fishermen’s Memorial Service, honoring those lost at sea

August 29, 2016 — With the long line of American flags rippling above the crescent of Stacy Boulevard and the postcard of its harbor serving as the backdrop, Gloucester on Saturday once again wrapped its arms around those who went out to sea and never returned.

The number of Gloucester fishermen who have perished harvesting seafood from the cauldron of the North Atlantic Ocean now reaches into the thousands — the most recent loss that of David “Heavy D” Sutherland last December during a rescue attempt after his boat, the Orin C, went down about 12 miles off Thacher Island.

On Saturday evening, America’s oldest fishing community gathered to pay homage and remembrance to those who never returned to their hailing port from their last trip, with about 400 fishing friends and family circling the iconic Gloucester Fishermen’s Memorial for the annual Fishermen’s Memorial Service.

Speaker after speaker, from master-of-ceremonies Barry Pett to Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken and on to keynote speaker Linda Greenlaw, framed some remarks in the language of loss and remembrance.

But the indelible thread that ran through the service was that of the city’s perpetual resilience and its unwavering grip on the traditions and sense of community that sustain it through good times and bad, through bounty and crisis.

“I grew to love this place,” said Greenlaw, who rose to prominence first through her depiction in both the book and cinematic rendition of “The Perfect Storm” and later as an author. “It’s one of the very few remaining true fishing ports on the entire Eastern Seaboard.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Gloucester Schooner Festival: Next Weekend!

August 26, 2016 — The following was released by Maritime Gloucester:

This year’s Gloucester Schooner Festival will set a record for number of schooners participating. Twenty five schooners will descend on Cape Ann to participate in the 32nd annual Festival.

In the large schooner category, Columbia returns to defend her  title as fastest schooner in the fleet, while Adventure, Roseway, Lettie Howard, American Eagle and Liberty Clipper will attempt to dethrone last year’s champion. Adventure is particularly excited about this year’s race as it seeks to celebrate its 90th birthday with a win on Sunday.

We welcome five schooners that have not been here before, or have not been here in some time. These vessels include Ishmael, Principles and Tree of Life in the mid-sized schooner category, and Ishtar and Malabar II in the small schooner category. A complete list of participating schooners is included with this press release.

“This is my favorite weekend of the year,” says Tom Ellis, long-time schooner captain and one of the patriarchs of the local schooner community.

The celebrations begin Friday evening. The City will be hosting a Block Party on Main Street and Maritime Gloucester, host of the Schooner Festival, will host its annual Gala, Evening Under the Spars at Gloucester’s new Beauport Hotel (sold out).

Festivities on Saturday start at 10:00 am on Harbor Loop under the First Ipswich Pavilion Tent at Maritime Gloucester. Maritime Heritage day celebrates our fishing and schooner heritage with an array of organizations offering interactive exhibits as well as local vendors and artists who will be in attendance. Heritage day is fun for all ages and is a great way to kick off Schooner Festival Weekend. Maritime Gloucester’s museum will be open free of charge throughout the day. Schooners will be located around the Harbor and information about the schooners and their locations will be available at Heritage Day. For example, the Schooner Adventure will be located at the State Fish Pier and will be open for deck tours.

Additional Saturday activities include a lobster bake at the Gloucester House Restaurant followed by the Boat “Parade of Lights” which kicks off at 7:30pm and Fireworks over Gloucester Harbor around 9:15pm

Sunday’s Parade of Sail Kicks off at 10:30 am, proceeding from Gloucester’s Inner Harbor past Stacy Boulevard to the starting area of the Mayor’s Race on Eastern Point. Key viewing areas include the Boulevard and Stage Fort Park. The Mayor’s Race starts at 1:00pm. The race is a remembrance of the rekindling of the schooner race of the 1920’s off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia between the Canadian Schooner Delawanna and the U.S. Schooner Esperanto.  A press boat is available for a limited number of photographers.

Lead sponsors of the Festival include: First Ipswich Bank, the City of Gloucester, Market Basket and Institution for Savings. For a full list of sponsors, go to the Schooner Festival website. The Festival raises much needed funds from the community by offering a raffle in addition to corporate underwriting support. Please purchase raffle tickets at Maritime Gloucester or during Maritime Heritage Day.

MASSACHUSETTS: ‘Perfect Storm’ captain to speak at Fisherman’s Memorial Service

August 25, 2016 — Twenty years ago, then-Mayor Bruce Toby went to Lucia Amero and asked her to research the annual Fisherman’s Memorial Service that pays homage to the city’s fishermen lost at sea.

Two decades later, the Fisherman’s Memorial Service remains a vibrant celebration of the sacrifices made by fishermen and the families that comprise the fishing community here in America’s Oldest Seaport and on Saturday evening will feature Capt. Linda Greenlaw as guest speaker.

“We just thought, with this being the 20th year of our doing the Fisherman’s Memorial Service and it also being the 25th anniversary of the Perfect Storm, that it was a perfect opportunity to include Linda in the program because she’s someone who has been a fisherman and knows about the dangers and the losses that go with that,” said Amero, a member of the Fisherman’s Memorial Service committee.

The service is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., when the procession — including a cadre of drummers, the American flag (carried by Ed Parks), committee members and the general public carrying oars inscribed with the name of boats lost at sea — leaves American Legion Square.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Gloucester fishermen achieve sustainability certification for Acadian Redfish, Haddock and Pollock

August 19, 2016 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

GLOUCESTER, Mass. — To prove that their Acadian redfish, haddock and pollock fisheries meet rigorous sustainability requirements, Gloucester-based Sustainable Groundfish Association, Inc. (SGA) has achieved certification to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Fisheries Standard. This science-based standard is the world’s most credible and recognized standard for environmentally sustainable wild-caught seafood.

Kristian Kristensen of Cape Ann Seafood Exchange, a member of SGA, said: “MSC certification allows consumers to buy New England redfish, haddock and pollock with the confidence that the fisheries will continue to be operated and managed in a sustainable manner. We are committed to preserving a way of life for commercial fishermen and their families while minimizing ecosystem impact to insure these fisheries are sustainable for generations to come.”

Acadian redfish, haddock and pollock are all lesser known fish species that New England fishermen have turned to as economically viable and sustainable alternatives. The total combined commercial harvest for these fish, which are caught in the waters of the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, was valued at more than $21 million in 2013. The redfish and pollock fisheries currently harvest less than half of their annual quotas.

Brian Perkins, MSC regional director – Americas, said: “The MSC’s vision is for oceans to be teeming with life for future generations. We are extremely pleased to see the US Acadian redfish, haddock and pollock fishery succeed in the MSC process and we hope to be their partner in creating and maintaining new markets.”

New England benefits from a concentration of certified sustainable fisheries. However, consumer awareness of the abundant sustainable seafood offerings from area sellers remains low. To address this, the MSC recently launched a campaign to educate New England consumers about identifying sustainable seafood products. MSC will take its “Good Catch!” campaign and promo video directly to consumers this month with events at Whole Foods and Big Y grocery stores, which feature MSC at their fresh fish counters, in greater Boston, Springfield and Great Barrington, as well as at Green Fest and the Quincy Farmers Market.

The independent assessment of the Acadian redfish, haddock and pollock fisheries was conducted by SAI Global Assurance Services, an accredited third-party conformity assessment body. SAI Global Assurance Services assembled a team of fishery science and policy experts to evaluate the fishery according to the three principles of the MSC Fisheries Standard: the health of the stock; the impact of fishing on the marine environment; and the management of the fishery. The MSC process is open to stakeholders and all results are peer reviewed.

MASSACHUSETTS: Dinner aims to promote Gloucester’s catch

August 18, 2016 — GLOUCESTER, Mass. — The seafood bounty that springs from the Atlantic Ocean waters around Gloucester will be the centerpiece of the “Sea to Supper” community dinner to benefit the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association.

The dinner, with a menu created by Relish Catering and Events of Manchester, is scheduled to run from 6 to 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 25 in the waterfront pavilion tent at the Mile Market One restaurant at Cape Ann’s Marina Resort off Essex Avenue. It will highlight some of the underutilized and plentiful seafood species landed in Gloucester, such as whiting, dabs, redfish and butterfish.

The event is designed beyond solely a culinary experience, according to the organizers that include Fishing Partnership Support Services, the city of Gloucester, Mile Marker One and the Gloucester Arts and Culture Initiative. There will be discussions on how to create markets for the underutilized species and methods for reintegrating them into the commercial fishing industry’s local landings.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

Rep. Moulton: Sweden’s lobster science flawed

August 15, 2016 — Sweden’s response to a highly critical analysis of its rationale for banning the export of American lobsters into the European Union still falls far short of a credible scientific standard, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton said Friday.

“The science they are citing is flawed,” Moulton said following a congressional briefing by NOAA Fisheries on the international contretemps. “They’ve done nothing to back up their data. And if they can’t back up their data, then there’s something else going on.”

In March, Sweden petitioned the remainder of the European Union to list American lobsters as an invasive species, claiming the increased presence of the American crustaceans in Swedish waters during the past three decades is imperiling its indigenous lobsters.

If successful, the invasive species listing would lead to a ban on U.S. and Canadian live lobster exports to Sweden and the rest of the 28-member European Union. The U.S. exports about $150 million worth of live lobsters to the EU each year — the vast majority landed in Maine and Massachusetts, where Gloucester is the top port — and Canada exports about $75 million.

The Swedish risk assessment, which cites the adverse potential of disease and cross-breeding between the indigenous lobsters and their American cousins across the pond, was like a starting pistol, spurring both U.S. and Canadian governmental agencies, trade officials and lobster stakeholders into action.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

More work to be done for Seafood Hall of Famer

August 11, 2016 — Angela Sanfilippo, who comes from seven generations of commercial fishermen and is a tireless advocate for fishermen in Gloucester and throughout Massachusetts, says fishing is “in her blood.”

“I grew up near the water, in a little village in Sicily [Italy]. Fishing was the whole town’s [livelihood],” Sanfilippo said.

Sanfilippo, 66, has come a long way since then. At the Boston Seafood Festival on 7 August, the Boston Fisheries Foundation announced that it was inducting Sanfilippo into the Boston Seafood Hall of Fame because of her work as a “tireless protector of the oceans and the fishing communities” in Gloucester and other areas.

Sanfilippo has served as president of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association (GFWA) for 39 years, and is also executive director of the Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership and director of Support Services for the Fishing Partnership Support Services Organization. She also serves as a board member for several commercial fishing organizations.

One of Sanfilippo’s many accomplishments was getting Stellwagen Bank to be declared a Marine Sanctuary.

“She taught that marine sanctuaries can still be an active fishing area, within a specific rule set, as opposed to being a museum where you can look but not touch,” said Richard Stavis, CEO of Stavis Seafoods in Boston. “It really opened people’s eyes to the value of a marine sanctuary.”

Sanfilippo also worked tirelessly to stop oil drilling on Georges Bank, as well as ocean dumping and sand and gravel mining on Stellwagen Bank.

Read the full story at Seafood Source