January 5, 2018 (Saving Seafood) — The challenges facing American fishermen, ranging from declining quotas to disputed science to fleet consolidation, are highlighted in a new Netflix documentary series premiering today.
The new series, Rotten, “travels deep into the heart of the food supply chain to reveal unsavory truths and expose hidden forces that shape what we eat.” The series’ sixth and final episode, “Cod is Dead,” focuses on the domestic seafood industry, and the business and regulatory climate that has made it increasingly difficult for fishermen to make a living. Special focus is given to the ongoing fallout from the Carlos Rafael seafood fraud case and the continuing impact of the controversial catch share management system.
The episode interviews fishermen, scientists, environmentalists, and other stakeholders, with special emphasis placed on industry members in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The full list of interviewees is:
- Steve Welch – Commercial Fishing Captain
- Richard Canastra – Co-Owner, The Whaling City Seafood Display Auction
- Peter Baker – Director, U.S. Ocean Conservation-Northeast, The Pew Charitable Trust
- Ian Saunders – New Bedford Dock Worker
- Dr. Jonathan Hare – Science and Research Director, Northeast Fisheries Science Center
- Seth Macinko – Professor of Marine Affairs, University of Rhode Island
- Aaron Williams – Commercial Fishing Captain
- Scott Lang – Former Mayor of New Bedford/Lawyer
- Jake Kritzer – Director of Fishery Diagnostics and Design, Environmental Defense Fund
- Tor Bendikson – Vice President, Reidar’s Trawl Gear & Marine Supply
- Arthur Bogason – Chairmen, Icelandic National Association of Small Boat Owners
- Ragnar Arnason – Professor of Economics, University of Iceland
- Charles Smith – U.S. Coast Guard
- Tom Williams – Commercial Fishing Vessel Owner
Rotten is available now on Netflix