Saving Seafood

MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center 5th Anniversary Celebration This Weekend

June 21, 2021 — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:

This weekend, we are celebrating the Center’s five-year anniversary and the official grand opening of More than a Job with an event on June 26th from 10am-4pm! The celebration at 38 Bethel Street will include demonstrations of industry skills, kids’ activities, and live music by the Rum Soaked Crooks. A speaking program will begin at noon with remarks delivered by elected officials and a keynote address delivered by Brian Boyles, Executive Director of Mass Humanities. Click here for a full schedule. This event is free and open to the public!

This event will also feature a free vaccine clinic for the COVID-19 vaccine in partnership with Fishing Partnership and Greater New Bedford Community Health Center. Vaccine offered: Johnson & Johnson for adults; Pfizer for kids 12-17. Free $20 Dunkin Donuts cards to first time vaccinators both for child AND adult!

Funding for More than a Job: Work and Community in New Bedford’s Fishing Industry is provided by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and significant support from Bristol County Savings Bank. Major in-kind support for this exhibit was provided by Fairhaven Shipyard and Blue Fleet Welding.

Also on view, We Came to Fish, We Came to Work: Stories of Immigration is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Creative Commonwealth Initiative, and the Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, and New Bedford Cultural Councils.

Contact programs@fishingheritagecenter.org with any questions.

MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center Launches New Exhibit

June 2, 2021 — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:

New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is excited to announce the opening of its new, permanent exhibit, More than a Job: Work and Community in New Bedford’s Commercial Fishing Industry.

The Center will celebrate the grand opening of the new exhibit as well as its 5th Anniversary on Saturday, June 26 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. with a free public event. The celebration at 38 Bethel Street will include demonstrations of industry skills, kids’ activities, and live music by the Rum Soaked Crooks. A speaking program will begin at noon with remarks delivered by Congressman Bill Keating, State Representative Tony Cabral, and Brian Boyles, Executive Director of Mass Humanities.

“The nation’s most valuable port has long deserved an institution dedicated to telling its story,” said Executive Director Laura Orleans. “The Fishing Heritage Center fills that void, and our new exhibit offers visitors the sort of immersive experience usually reserved for larger museums,”

More Than a Job provides visitors with an introduction to the New Bedford fishing industry. Visitors can explore the changing nature of work and community through displays that present labor history, immigration, and sustainability. They can also experience a working deck, which includes a scallop dredge, galley table and bunks. Guests can view historic and contemporary images and footage, and listen to more than sixty audio clips sharing the many voices of the fishing community:

“My husband, he didn’t tell me this, but he fell overboard while they were out to sea. They brought up the net, and he was in it. . . Now those kind of things our husbands didn’t tell us, because they didn’t want us to be upset over it.” -Barbara Calnan, fisherman’s wife

This quote is one from among the bounty of audio excerpts presented in More Than a Job, mined from the Center’s extensive collection of audio recordings to create five listening stations and an interactive touch screen.

In 2004, the Working Waterfront Festival began documenting the history and experiences of the fishing community through interviews and facilitated discussions with industry members. When the Fishing Heritage Center opened its doors in 2016, this rich collection became the foundation for the Center’s archive. Since then, the Center has doubled the size of its digital collection, engaging in several significant projects.

Funding for More than a Job: Work and Community in New Bedford’s Commercial Fishing Industry is provided by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and significant support from Bristol County Savings Bank. Major in-kind support for this exhibit was provided by Fairhaven Shipyard and Blue Fleet Welding.

About New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Over the past five years, the Fishing Heritage Center has welcomed thousands of visitors, hosted hundreds of local students, recorded dozens of oral history interviews, created numerous exhibits, and hosted a wide variety of educational programs. See the Center’s website for updates on this event, www.fishingheritagecenter.org.

Located in the nation’s most valuable fishing port, New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is dedicated to preserving and presenting the story of the commercial fishing industry past, present, and future through exhibits, programs, and archives. The Center is open Thursday-Sunday, 10:00am-4:00pm. Admission is free through June 30. Beginning July 1, admission is $5; $4 for seniors and students; and free for members and children under 12. To schedule a small group tour of the new exhibit or to learn more about the exhibit, contact programs@fishingheritagecenter.org or call (508) 993-8894.

MASSACHUSETTS: Upcoming New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center Program Postponed

May 21, 2021 — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:

Due to circumstances beyond our control, our Virtual Dock-u-mentaries program that was scheduled for tonight, Friday, May 21st has been postponed. We apologize for this last minute change. Please stay tuned for an updated date for this program. Thank you for your understanding!

Please contact programs@fishingheritagecenter.org with any questions.

MASSACHUSETTS: More Than a Job: New Bedford’s work and community

April 28, 2021 — As parts of our communities begin to reopen, the fishing industry is a reminder that essential services never stopped running in the year since businesses and even public services in the United States began to shutter their doors.

The crown jewel of Massachusetts’ fishing industry, New Bedford’s history is inexorably tied to its working waterfront. This month, the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center will reopen to the public with a new exhibit — More than a Job: Work and Community in New Bedford’s Fishing Industry.

“Fishing industry workers often describe what they do as ‘more than a job,’” said Laura Orleans, the center’s executive director. “We are excited to share our new permanent exhibit with the public, giving visitors a chance to hear directly from the fishing community by sharing dozens of audio clips from oral histories conducted over the past two decades. We are grateful to many in the industry for supporting the project and for sharing their stories, skills, time, and knowledge.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

MASSACHUSETTS: ‘More than a job’: New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center reopens Thursday with new exhibit

April 15, 2021 — Just a few minutes from the city’s waterfront sits a collection of films, photos, audio recordings and artifacts that tell the story of an industry not often seen firsthand by the general public: the fishing industry.

After closing in December, the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center reopens this Thursday with its new exhibit, “More than a Job: Work and Community in New Bedford’s Commercial Fishing Industry.” The center describes it as an “introduction” to New Bedford’s preeminent industry.

“The nation’s most valuable port has long deserved an institution dedicated to telling its story,” said Laura Orleans, executive director of the center. “The Fishing Heritage Center fills that void.”

The exhibit explores the industry in New Bedford beginning in the 1900s by considering sustainability, labor unions, diversity, family, community and the “American dream.” It illustrates what the industry does and represents through the voices and stories of those in it, Orleans said.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

MASSACHUSETTS: A New Exhibit About New Bedford and Fishing

April 12, 2021 — Restrictions are slowly being lifted and more COVID-19 vaccine is becoming available, and the people running the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center are hopeful they’ll be welcoming more visitors this spring and summer to their 38 Bethel Street location.

When those visitors arrive, they can enjoy a new exhibit about New Bedford and its fishing industry.

The Center’s Executive Director, Laura Orleans joins Townsquare Sunday to discuss the new exhibit, entitled “More Than A Job: Work and Community in New Bedford’s Commercial Fishing Industry.”

The exhibit attempts to explain the culture of New Bedford and its connection to one of the world’s most dangerous professions.

Read the full story at WBSM

MASSACHUSETTS: Women in the Workplace, Women on Deck: Fisherpoets Virtual Round Robin Thursday, April 8th, 7:00pm

April 7, 2021 — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

Tune in to the Center’s Facebook page for a virtual event featuring female fisherpoets from around the country! These women will share stories, poems, and music related to their experiences in the fishing industry and community. This event will be led by Moe Bowstern and will feature Tele Aadsen, Meezie Hermansen, Kat Murphy, Alana Kansaku-Sarmientos, Billie Delaney, and Melanie Brown plus others to be announced! For more information on the performers, click here.

This event will take place on the Fishing Heritage Center’s Facebook page as a Facebook Live event. You can watch by visiting the Center’s Facebook page at 7:00pm EDT on Thursday, April 8th.

Women in the Workplace, Women on Deck is supported by a Bridge Street Scholarship from Mass Humanities. This program is part of Women’s Work, the Center’s series about women’s roles in commercial fishing, which is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Women’s Fisheries Network, Mass Cultural Council, and the New Bedford, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, Westport, Marion, and Mattapoisett Cultural Councils. The program takes place on April’s AHA! Night and is free and open to the public.

MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center to Reopen and Launch New Exhibit

April 5, 2021 — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:

New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center will reopen to the public and launch its new exhibit, More than a Job: Work and Community in New Bedford’s Fishing Industry, on Thursday, April 15th.

More than a Job: Work and Community in New Bedford’s Fishing Industry will provide visitors with an introduction to the workings of the fishing industry as well as explore themes including labor history, immigration, sustainability, and the changing nature of work and community. This exhibit will feature a replica working deck, scallop dredge, galley table, bunks, historic and contemporary images and footage, and more than sixty audio clips sharing the many voices of the fishing community.

Funding for More than a Job: Work and Community in New Bedford’s Fishing Industry is provided by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and significant support from Bristol County Savings Bank. Major in-kind support for this exhibit was provided by Fairhaven Shipyard and Blue Fleet Welding.

Located in the nation’s most valuable fishing port, New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is dedicated to preserving and presenting the story of the commercial fishing industry past, present, and future through exhibits, programs, and archives. Beginning April 15th, the Center is open Thursday-Sunday, 10:00am-4:00pm. Admission is free. To schedule a small group tour of the new exhibit or to learn more about the exhibit, contact
programs@fishingheritagecenter.org or call (508) 993-8894.

MASSACHUSETTS: Virtual Dock-u-mentary Discussion from New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

April 2, 2021 — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:

New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center’s Dock-u-mentaries film series continues with a virtual discussion of the film, The Long Coast.

The event will take place over ZOOM at 7:00pm on Friday, April 16th and will feature a discussion with Robyn Metcalfe, the Executive Producer of The Long Coast. To join the ZOOM Meeting, use the link, bit.ly/AprilDock.

Visitors are asked to watch the film on their own as we will not be screening the film during the Zoom meeting. Register at the following link to receive access to watch the film, bit.ly/WatchLongCoast. Register by April 15th to receive access before the discussion on April 16th. Once you receive the link, you will have 48 hours to watch the film.

In a series of lyrical portraits, The Long Coast illuminates the stories of Maine’s seafolk, those whose lives and livelihoods are inextricably connected to the ocean. This atmospheric film shows the beauty, intimacy, and uncertainty that coastal dwellers face in rooting their lives in the ocean, particularly as human actions — from overfishing, to aquaculture, to warming seas — confront Maine and its people with profound change. Learn more at thelongcoast.me.

Please contact Hannah at programs@fishingheritagecenter.org with any questions.

Dock-u-mentaries are presented by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center and New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. Thank you to Zapalac Advisors for funding this event.

MASSACHUSETTS: Virtual Fisherpoets Round Robin from New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

March 30, 2021 — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:

New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center will host a virtual event, Women in the Workplace, Women on Deck: A Fisherpoets Round Robin, on Thursday, April 8th at 7:00pm. This event will be live-streamed to the Center’s Facebook page. These fisherpoets will share stories, poems, and music related to their experiences in the fishing industry and community. This event will be led by Moe Bowstern and will feature Tele Aadsen, Meezie Hermansen, Alana Kansaku-Sarmiento, Meghan Gervais, Billie Delaney, and Melanie Brown plus others to be announced. For more details on this event including performer bios, please visit the Center’s online calendar at fishingheritagecenter.org/programs/calendar.

This event takes place on the Fishing Heritage Center’s Facebook page as a Facebook Live event. Watch by visiting the Center’s Facebook page at 7:00pm EDT on Thursday, March 8th, facebook.com/NBFishingHeritageCenter.

Women in the Workplace, Women on Deck: A Fisherpoets Round Robin is supported by a Bridge Street Scholarship from Mass Humanities. This program is part of Women’s Work, the Center’s series about women’s roles in commercial fishing which is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Women’s Fisheries Network, Mass Cultural Council, and the New Bedford, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, Westport, and Mattapoisett Cultural Councils.

The program takes place on April’s AHA! Night and is free and open to the public.