J.J. Bartlett Archives - Saving Seafood

MASSACHUSETTS: Fishing community celebration & health fair Saturday in New Bedford

February 6, 2020 — A non-profit organization dedicated to the health, safety and economic security of commercial fishermen is planning a free, day-long special event to celebrate, support and serve New Bedford-area fishing families.

Fishing Partnership Support Services will host a New Bedford Fishing Community Celebration & Health Fair on Saturday, Feb. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Kilburn Mill, 127 W. Rodney French Blvd., a press release from the organization stated.

“We will be celebrating fishermen and all that they mean to the great city of New Bedford and to the entire Southcoast in terms of heritage, culture, community spirit and economic impact,” J.J. Bartlett, president of Fishing Partnership Support Services, stated in the release.

“Commercial fishing is a multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry in Massachusetts, accounting overall for more than 90,000 jobs. Nowhere is fishing larger than here: New Bedford is the top value port in the country. We often hear people celebrate this economic prosperity as a statistic; we want to focus attention on the fishermen and families behind the statistics.”

The event will have programs and activities on healthy living, pediatric nutrition, enrolling in health coverage plans, massage, mindfulness, the hands-on healing art of Reiki, vaccinations, substance abuse education, Narcan training, and more.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Fishing Community Celebration & Health Fair Set for Feb. 8 in New Bedford

January 21, 2020 — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Community Celebration & Health Fair:

A non-profit organization dedicated to the health, safety and economic security of commercial fishermen is planning a free, day-long special event to celebrate, support and serve New Bedford-area fishing families.

Fishing Partnership Support Services will host a New Bedford Fishing Community Celebration & Health Fair on Saturday, Feb. 8, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at Kilburn Mill, 127 W. Rodney French Blvd.

Said J.J. Bartlett, president of Fishing Partnership Support Services, “We will be celebrating fishermen and all that they mean to the great city of New Bedford and to the entire Southcoast in terms of heritage, culture, community spirit and economic impact.

The Feb. 8 event will have programs and activities on healthy living, pediatric nutrition, enrolling in health coverage plans, massage, mindfulness, the hands-on healing art of Reiki, vaccinations, substance abuse education, Narcan training, and more.

For children, there will be costumed characters, a reading corner, games, dancing, a photo booth, coloring and other activities.

The first 25 persons through the door will receive a $25 Visa gift card, with a one-per-family limit. A free raffle will be conducted every 30 minutes from 11:00 o’clock on.

The buffet lunch will feature foods from multiple, various cultures, reflecting the diversity of the New Bedford community. Coffee, tea, water and soft drinks will be available all day.

Twelve local non-profits that collaborate with Fishing Partnership Support Services will have representatives on hand to present information and answer questions on their objectives and services. See list of participating organizations at end.

Also providing support for the event is the Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership, an organization of commercial fishermen’s associations from all gear and geographic sectors of the Massachusetts fishing industry.

The New Bedford Fishing Community Celebration & Health Fair, Bartlett emphasized, is “for fishermen and their families – the partners, children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews of fishermen.”

He said, “We’re providing a reason for fishing families to come together on a Saturday in winter and have fun, share stories and experiences, and partake of some delicious food in a relaxed setting. Togetherness, we believe, can be a powerful antidote to the stresses and strains that every fishing family is subjected to.”

Workplace injury and mortality studies consistently show that commercial fishing is among the most dangerous occupations in the U.S. and the world. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, for example, recently reported that, in 2018, fishermen suffered on-the-job fatal injuries at a rate exceeded only by loggers.

The history of New Bedford well illustrates this tragic reality. Hundreds of New Bedford fishermen have perished at sea through the years, with the latest fatalities occurring on Nov. 24 when three men died in the sinking of the “Leonardo” off Martha’s Vineyard.

“As independent workers and small business owners, fishermen don’t have a human resources department,” Bartlett said, “which is why Fishing Partnership Support Services has developed into the fishing community’s human resources provider. We help fishermen take care of things like health care coverage, safety training, immunizations and financial planning so that they can get back to doing what they do best, fishing.”

Fishing Partnership Support Services moved its longtime local office in 2019 to the historic heart of New Bedford. “We’re now on Bethel Street in the same building as the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center and just down the street from the Seaman’s Bethel,” Bartlett noted. “Everyone should feel free to drop by and talk with one of our community health navigators anytime they’re in that area.”

More information on the New Bedford Fishing Community Celebration & Health Fair and Fishing Partnership Support Services may be found at: fishingpartnership.org

Sen. Tarr: $100 Million State Tax Credit Plan for Designated Ports Launched by Lawmakers

April 30, 2018 — The following was released by the Office Massachusetts of Senator Bruce Tarr:

State lawmakers have filed a $100 million tax credit legislative plan designed to stimulate economic growth and private investments in ten Designated Port Areas (DPAs) which support important commercial marine-based industries. A bipartisan group of legislators representing coastal communities including Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), Representative Nick Collins (D- Boston), Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D- Gloucester) and Senator Mark C. Montigny (D- New Bedford) initially sponsored the bill.

They say waterfront properties and uses in DPAs must comply with strict state Coastal Zone Management use restrictions, which can limit access to capital and stall or stop revitalization and growth. In 1978 these port areas were specifically designated for industrial uses such as marine terminals, commercial fishing facilities, boat repair and construction, marine research and transportation of goods which cannot be located inland due to their water-dependent needs.

“Commercial fishing and marine industries are among the oldest in our state, and they continue to plan an important role in our economy. We need to make sure the facilities they depend on remain available and in working condition,” said bill author Senator Tarr. “This bill will empower the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development to use targeted state tax credits, of up to $100 million dollars each year, to support working harbors, working families, and business facilities –all of which are indispensable.”

“There is no chance for our maritime industries to survive without state assistance for shore side infrastructure. Boats need places to dock to unload harvests and cargos. Undoubtedly, the Commonwealth has a vested and real interest in maintaining and modernizing these properties in the wake of rising sea levels and wear and tear over time. This much needed economic relief will hopefully encourage investment and development in Gloucester and the Commonwealth’s designated port areas,” Representative Ferrante said.

“Boston is emblematic of the rich history of maritime industries and waterfront activity in Massachusetts,” said Representative Nick Collins. “This legislation will serve as an economic catalyst to the diverse industries that occupy DPA land in Boston and coastal communities across the Commonwealth, creating and sustaining good-paying jobs.”

The bill, an act Establishing the Massachusetts Maritime Commercial Development Tax Credit, will spur investments in capital projects in DPAs through saleable tax credits and mitigate some constraints which have hampered the ability of municipal officials and commercial property owners to both promote and protect environmentally sound port development initiatives. The tax credit could spur an important lifeline to capital that might otherwise not be available.

“As the nation’s top fishing port and center of the emerging offshore wind industry, New Bedford-Fairhaven’s waterfront is ripe with job-creating development opportunities,” said longtime port development leader and current Assistant Majority Leader Montigny. “This legislation provides a significant incentive to help ensure further economic development in historic ports like New Bedford comes to fruition.”

According to a 2015 UMass Dartmouth report, the Massachusetts maritime economy stimulates $17.3 billion in economic output which supports 136,000 jobs including $6.8 billion in wages across six core sectors; living resources, marine construction, offshore minerals, ship and boat building and repair, coastal tourism and recreation, and marine transportation and technology.

Results of a survey of marine-related industry leaders showed the two most critical policy areas that would help shore up the industry were reducing costs through tax assistance initiatives and protecting our ocean resources.

Consistent with the state’s recent efforts to address climate related issues such as flooding, erosion, and sea level rise, the bill will increase access to capital for development projects including those which incorporate coastal resilience measures.

“Fishermen depend upon a variety of on-shore facilities to supply and maintain their boats, and to process what they catch. Local fishermen need local infrastructure that’s high in quality and dependability,” said J.J. Bartlett, President of Fishing Partnership Support Services, which promotes the health, safety and economic security of commercial fishermen and their family members.

Bartlett said the legislation “represents a break-through in the struggle to preserve and modernize the infrastructure in every working port. It’s a big deal — big for the harvesters of seafood in Massachusetts, who number roughly 7,000, and big for the 100,000 or so workers on land who work with and support the fishing fleet, such as in seafood processing, handling and sales. This bill is critically important to the future of the state’s multi-billion-dollar-a-year seafood industry.”

“I am excited about the economic development potential for our Designated Port Areas to get a much needed tax credit for new developments. This is an important opportunity to build up our working waterfront and keep America’s oldest fishing port going, providing jobs and the world’s best Gloucester Fresh seafood to market. I am thankful for the hard work of not only our team, but the hard work and leadership of Senator Tarr, Representative Ferrante, and friends from Massachusetts Fishing Partnership and colleagues from Boston and New Bedford,” said Sefatia Romeo Theken, Mayor of Gloucester.

The state’s ten Designated Port Areas are located in:

Gloucester Inner Harbor

Salem Harbor

Lynn

Mystic River

Chelsea Creek

East Boston

South Boston

Weymouth Fore River

New Bedford-Fairhaven

Mount Hope Bay

Rockport Premiere Set for Film on ‘Relentless Destruction’ of Ground Fishing Industry

November 13, 2017 — The following was released by Fishing Partnership Support Services:

A documentary film dealing with the devastating impacts of federal regulations on the lives of New England ground fishermen will have its world premiere on the weekend before Thanksgiving on Cape Ann.

“Dead in the Water,” produced and directed by Rockport native and professional filmmaker David Wittkower, will be screened for the first time in public at the Rockport High School Auditorium on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 3:00 p.m.

The film was shot in different coastal towns and it features scenes and interviews with area fishermen, their spouses and other family members; advocates for fishermen; elected officials; and community activists.

“Dead in the Water” was two-and- a-half years in the making.

“This film opens the doors for the world to see how difficult and dangerous the life of a fisherman is,” said John Bell, a former three-term mayor of Gloucester (2002-08). “On top of that, the impact of misguided federal regulations on fishermen has never been presented as powerfully as it is in ‘Dead in the Water.’ This film packs a real punch. It stays with you long after you’ve seen it.”

Wittkower, a graduate of the American Film Institute who’s been living and working in Los Angeles since 1981, describes “Dead in the Water” as an examination of “the relentless destruction of the New England ground fishing industry through government regulations, bad science, and the growing, but
mistaken, belief that everything has been overfished and there aren’t any fish left in the oceans.”

The idea for the film came from a casual conversation he had on a sidewalk in Gloucester three years ago. “I was back in Rockport on a visit and I drove into Gloucester and noticed there were very few fishing boats in the harbor,” Wittkower said. “I asked someone, ‘Where’s the fleet?’ and he said, ‘What fleet? The fleet’s been dwindling for years, and this is what’s left.’ ”

He started asking more questions about the plight of the town’s fishermen and was soon directed to Angela Sanfilippo, the longtime president of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association. Sanfilippo encouraged him when he raised the possibility of telling the story of the vanishing fleet of ground fishing boats and their crews on film. “I could see that David was sincerely interested in this topic,” said Sanfilippo, “and I quickly figured out he had the skills and track record to make a serious documentary on it, a film that could generate a lot of interest, here and elsewhere.”

The Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association decided to help and support Wittkower as much as possible. “The first time I saw the rough cut of ‘Dead in the Water,’ I knew we had done the right thing,” said Sanfilippo. “This is something special.”

One of the many friends and professional colleagues of Sanfilippo who appears in “Dead in the Water” is J.J. Bartlett, president of Fishing Partnership Support Services. He notes that physicians who have studied the physical and emotional effects upon ground fishermen of the changes in the industry “have concluded that 87 percent of them are suffering from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).”

Bartlett said, “When you watch ‘Dead in the Water,’ you’ll understand why that’s so. And you’ll leave the theater wanting to tell your friends, ‘You have to see this film.’ “Following the premiere in Rockport on Nov. 18, Wittkower is planning a tour where he will show the film in multiple locations and to a variety of audiences. That tour will begin in Massachusetts, with subsequent showings likely in Boston and New Bedford, and will extend to Maine and other coastal
states. Simultaneously, he will be trying for a nationwide showing by getting the film on HBO, Netflix or Amazon.

“Dead in the Water” is Wittkower’s fifteenth documentary film. He has won many awards for his work, including one from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum for a film he did on Lane Frost, a famous rodeo bull rider who was accidentally killed at a riding event. He’s hoping now that “something better than an award” will come from his latest project. Said Wittkower, “I’m hoping to increase public support for U.S. fishermen. I want to help keep fishing jobs in this country. If ‘Dead in the Water’ can do that, I won’t need any more awards.”

The film was recently accepted into the Depth of Field International Film Festival competition under three categories: Documentary, Direction and Cinematography.

Rockport High School is located at 24 Jerdens Lane. Tickets to the premiere cost $20 apiece and may be purchased at the door or in advance by calling 978-282- 4847 or going to the Gloucester office of the Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership at 2 Blackburn Center. A portion of all of the proceeds from showing the film on Nov. 18 will go to the Fishermen and Families Fund at the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association.

A safety training exercise that every fisherman “needs to know”

October 16, 2017 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Bob Scammon lived out the words of the medical training. Michael Oliveira experienced the man overboard training in reality.

Scammon, a commercial fishing captain for more than three decades, tried to help a man on board suffering from a heart attack aboard one of his vessels years ago. Oliveira woke up to the news that someone on board the Miss Shauna had fallen overboard in July.

In both situations, the crew dealt with death at sea.

“All that mayday stuff, that is very, very important how to do it,” Oliveira said. “Everything that we’ve learned today is definitely to our benefit. I do think every fisherman, everybody that’s a seaman, needs to know this stuff.”

The Fishing Partnership, a nonprofit organization geared toward improving the health and safety of fishermen, provided a safety training day at UMass Dartmouth SMAST on Friday. Safety experts offered tips and training on medical emergencies, man overboard, getting into a lifesuit and using it in the water, fire safety, damage control, life raft information and flare use.

“Fishing is the most dangerous job in the country,” J.J. Bartlett, president of the Fishing Partnership, said. “And New England’s waters are the deadliest in the country. Without programs like this fishermen wouldn’t have access to lifesaving safety training.”

Read the full story at the New-Bedford Standard Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Honors planned for Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association president

August 9, 2017 — Angela Sanfilippo, president of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association, will be the guest of honor at the Sea to Supper Celebration at 6 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Mile Marker One Restaurant & Bar, 75 Essex St., in the Cape Ann Marina Resort.

The Sea to Supper Celebration will feature local, fresh seafood specially prepared for the occasion by Todd Snopkowski of Snapchef, wines, oral tributes and displays on Cape Ann fishermen and more.

Tickets cost $75, and may be obtained by calling 978-821-1590 or visiting http://bit.ly/2v0HBdj.

Proceeds benefit nonprofit Fishing Partnership Support Services, which Sanfilippo helped found in the late ’90s, and on whose board of directors she has served ever since. Fishing Partnership Support Services helps commercial fishermen and their families through a variety of free services — from safety trainings, to health coverage enrollment assistance, to disaster relief support.

While honoring Sanfilippo, the Sea to Supper Celebration will also highlight the contributions commercial fishermen have made to coastal communities and to the health of seafood consumers, according to J.J. Bartlett, president of Fishing Partnership Support Services.

Read the full story at Wicked Local

MASSACHUSETTS: Group plans to promote commercial fishing

March 27, 2017 — In many ways, the upcoming year for the Fishing Partnership Support Services organization will be a journey back to its roots in Gloucester, where it all began in 1997.

The Gloucester-based fishing stakeholder, which provides a bevy of financial, medical, safety and other support services to fishermen and fishing families, is planning a yearlong marketing campaign to promote the economic, cultural and health benefits provided U.S. consumers by the commercial fishing industry.

J.J. Bartlett, FPSS executive director, laid out the pillars of the campaign in a quick presentation Thursday night to the Gloucester Fisheries Commission at City Hall.

Bartlett told commission members FPSS envisions the campaign as a vehicle for closing the gap between fishermen and consumers buying their fish, as well as a platform for uniting the industry in the face of the ever-growing appetite for sustainability and accountability.

“The connection between the people that do the work and the people that eat the fish has been lost,” Bartlett said.

The campaign will stretch fully across the state using social media, traditional marketing tools and events, he said.

“It’s really going to be a 12- to 18-month process, starting this spring,” Bartlett said.

He said the schedule includes a large event in Gloucester sometime in August, followed by another in Boston in September.

“We’re going to keep pushing until we change the conversations about what fishermen do and how they’re recognized,” Bartlett said. “Uniting the industry will get us 90 percent of the way there.”

Bartlett also offered some chilling statistics to reinforce the rigors of commercial fishing and the high physical costs that often come from a career on the water.

They include:

Northeast groundfishermen are 37 times more likely to die on the job than police officers. New England waters, according to Bartlett, are the nation’s deadliest.

Former mariner Luis Catala teaches fishermen safety on the water

April 5, 2016 — Being a commercial fisherman is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and the ocean off New England is the deadliest in the country. The fatality rate in its groundfishing and scalloping fisheries surpasses even Alaska’s “Deadliest Catch” crab fishery.

“People often don’t realize that, and even if they do, they might not understand the scope,” said J.J. Bartlett, the president and CEO of a nonprofit group called Fishing Partnership Support Services. “An example that I use is that if public schoolteachers in Massachusetts died at the same rate as our Northeast ground fisherman, over 400 schoolteachers would die on the job every year.”

The nonprofit group has trained nearly 3,000 fishermen since it started safety training for fishermen in 2005. It offers about 10 sessions a year across New England, recruiting instructors from various companies and organizations involved in fishing safety and equipment.

The sesssions cover a wide variety of safety lessons and skills, including plugging leaks, putting out fires, wearing inflatable immersion suits and shooting flares.

“You don’t want to be doing this stuff for the first time when you’re out on the water,” said safety instructor Luis Catala at a training in Hyannis in October. “This is a great chance for them to practice and learn.”

Read the full story at The Cape Cod Times