November 16, 2018 — Aquaculture is on the rise in Massachusetts. For many entering the business, shellfish farming seems like a more secure option than the marine fisheries. But climate change looms as a long-term threat over the industry.
Paul Wittenstein always wanted to be a commercial fisherman.
Growing up in Harwich, he worked summer jobs at fish markets and on chartered fishing boats. In college, he started out studying fisheries technology, but it was a bad time for the industry. “All the while I was in school, I was watching the fishing industry struggling,” he said. “I watched the cod disappear. I watched small boats battling big boats. At the same time, I saw this tiny little shellfish industry start to take hold.”