Saving Seafood

Fishermen Say Possible Meat Shortage Unlikely To Benefit Fishing Industry

April 30, 2020 — For decades, the New England fishing industry has been on its heels. But now, there may a shortage of meat soon after several of the nation’s largest processing plants have been slowed due to COVID-19.

So, does a shortage of meat translate to a “windfall” for local fishermen? Roger Berkowitz, the owner of Legal Seafoods, said there are so many different factors that play into it. “If meat plants have been impacted, maybe we should stimulate the fishing industry to get more of this product out of the water,” he said, adding that because of federal regulations restricting catch amounts, the fish are there, but retailer markets are shut down.

“Ninety-five percent of the pollock, also haddock, has not been taken,” he said. “So in terms of regulation, we can utilize this.” haddock.” 

Read the full story at WBZ 4

Coronavirus lockdown turns seafood into boat-to-table service

April 27, 2020 — U.S. seafood is floundering under coronavirus pressure due to the disruption in China trade and low market demand, according to New Hampshire Community Seafood General Manager Andrea Tomlinson.

For fishermen to continue distributing their product, Tomlinson told FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo that New Hampshire fisheries are allowing customers to purchase fresh catches right off the dock while following all safety precautions.

“What we’re primarily doing is promoting lobstermen who are selling directly from their boat,” Tomlinson said. “But what we’re talking about is… a product that’s really only touched one gloved hand, which would be the hand of the sternman… And then it’s going directly to the consumer. So, you know, when you think about the amount of hands that a typical piece of food has traveled through, the risk here as far as safety is minimal.”

Read the full story at Fox Business

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Seacoast fishermen start their 7th season of reaching out to foodies

April 12, 2019 — Fishermen on the Seacoast are catering to customers who want to trace where their seafood is coming from.

“Localvores and foodies really want to know where their food is coming from. They want to know, ‘What is the origin of this seafood?’” Andrea Tomlinson said.

Tomlinson, manager of New Hampshire Community Seafood in Portsmouth, said traceability of seafood is a value-added product because it is estimated that 30 to 70 percent of what is sold in a retail environment is mislabeled either intentionally or accidentally.

Read the full story at the New Hampshire Union Leader

Foodstuffs: A ‘Dock to Dish’ Effort Meant to Support New Hampshire Fishermen

May 5, 2017 — Commercial ground fishermen on the east coast are struggling–so much so that there’s concern about whether they, and not the fish they catch, are an endangered species. An organization called New Hampshire Community Seafood is launching an effort to get more Granite Staters interested in eating local seafood, with the hope that it’ll provide a boost to fishermen. For our series Foodstuffs, NHPR’s Peter Biello reports.

On a quiet and foggy morning, commercial lobster fishermen Lou Nardello pulls his boat into a dock in Seabrook. The 60-year-old first began fishing 35 years ago. After a long break, he recently returned to this line of work.

“I guess you can’t get the ocean out of your system. It just stays there,” Nardello says. “You get older and realize it’s time to do what you want to do.”

What Nardello wants is to put a “full compliment of traps” out in the ocean and pull in a profitable catch. He says right now lobster prices are good.

“Nobody’s really catching much and everyone’s just getting going, so prices are pretty high,” he says.

But it’s tough for Nardello to know exactly how much he’ll make throughout the year. Prices will fluctuate as more lobsters hit the docks. To get fishermen like Nardello the best possible price, New Hampshire Community Seafood is hoping to stimulate demand in local seafood by getting more folks to join their Community Supported Fishery, or CSF. This CSF delivers seafood to its members the way a farm share doles out local tomatoes and spinach.

Read and listen to the full story at New Hampshire Public Radio