News
Community Supported Fisheries
Community Supported Fisheries( CSFs) is a method of direct marketing where CSF members give the fishing community financial support in advance of a fishing season, and in turn the fishermen provide a weekly share of seafood during the fishing season. A CSF provides freshly caught local seafood to individuals and families while providing fishermen with a better price. CSFs are based on the community supported agriculture (CSA) model. CSFs aim to reconnect people with the ocean and build a relationship between the fishermen and the consumers. CSF’s are a great way to introduce consumers to species of fish that they may not typically be exposed to, and subsequently opens up markets for these lesser- known local fish.
CFA Board Members Angela Sanfillippo, Mike McCorckle and Pietro Parravano have been instrumental in starting CSFs on the east and west coast. In fact, founded by the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association in 2008, Cape Ann Fresh Catch was the first CSF in the country. The Cape Ann Fresh Catch delivers fresh caught Gloucester seafood to the Boston metropolitan area.
The Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara is in the planning process of starting a CSF. The CSF is in addition to the successful off the boat Fishermen’s Market, which is held on Saturdays at the Santa Barbara Harbor. Direct marketing could be very important economically to fishermen in this area, as they continue to lose access to their traditional fishing grounds.
Half Moon Bay Fishermen’s Association CSF is a partnership between the fishermen and Google, which has corporate offices in nearby Silicon Valley. Currently the CSF is only open to Google employees, but the Half Moon Bay Fishermen’s Association hopes to be able to expand to other community members as well.
A new website, LocalCatch.org has started to link community members to existing CSFs. The website is a resource for consumers, advocates, and fishermen interested in or already involved with community supported fisheries. The Local Catch Network network increases the visibility of CSFs and provides assistance to fishermen that need support envisioning, designing, and implementing locally relevant businesses.
CFA Asks Officials to Address the Health Needs of Gulf Coast Citizens
On May 24, 2011 the Commercial Fishermen of America signed onto a letter to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) asking for immediate action to address the needs of the people of the Gulf coast who are suffering health problems due to the impacts of the BP oil disaster.
During the disaster, the amounts of crude oil discharged and toxic dispersants released were unprecedented- between April 20 and July 15, 2010, an estimated 1.84 million gallons of Corexit 9500 and 9527 was applied to the BP crude oil. There is no understanding of what the effect of this toxic cocktail has on the health of those living on the Gulf coast region. Though the oil discharged for 87 days, communities are still reporting continued dispersant spraying and watching oil continue to wash up.
The letter was signed by over 151 organizations and was generated by the Louisiana BayouKeepers.
CFA Leads Tour of Ballard’s Working Waterfront and Halibut Fishery
As part of the international Seafood Summit (Link) CFA organized a tour of Ballard, Washington’s working waterfront and halibut fishery. The Seafood Summit is an annual gathering of representatives from the seafood and conservation communities. The goal of the Seafood Summit is to make the seafood marketplace environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. Therefore, it is critical that fishermen are present at the event and that attendees gain a better understanding of the fishing industry. CFA provided tour had the opportunity to explore the docks and speak with local fishermen. The culture of the fishing community was on display as the history of the halibut fishery, dynamics of international management and socioeconomics were presented by local management officials.
CFA’s Board Members consult with the Prince of Wales International Sustainability Unit
CFA board member Jeremy Brown was invited as a Fisheries Ambassador at a recent meeting in England with the Prince of Wales and his International Sustainability Unit. Jeremy met with Unit staff and the Prince to go over issues, concerns and ideas for the future of the world’s oceans. Other countries represented in the delegation included Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Canada, UK, Scotland, South Africa and Australia. He also participated in a follow up meeting in Seattle.
Board member Dale Kelley was also invited to the Seattle meeting, but was unable to attend due to the fishing season. Instead, she met with the Prince’s Sustainability Unit in Juneau, Alaska, and helped provide an area tour, which included the Douglas Island Pink and Chum Hatchery.
The Prince of Wales established the International Sustainability Unit to facilitate consensus on how to resolve some of the key environmental challenges facing the world - such as food security, ecosystem resilience and the depletion of Natural Capital. For more information on the International Sustainability Unit please see: https://www.pcfisu.org/.
CFA Member Groups ask for Solutions for Columbia River Salmon
Over 1,200 businesses, including CFA member groups such as the Alaska Trollers Association and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, wrote to the Obama Administration and Members of Congress to request a plan that adequately recovers abundant salmon and steelhead populations, puts thousands of people to work, saves taxpayer dollars, and helps build a clean and affordable energy future. The letter s aid it’s time for people to collaborate on finding ways to help salmon and steelhead threatened with extinction by hydroelectric dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers. Salmon are a mainstay of economies and jobs for the entire west coast.
The request follows U.S. District Judge James Redden’s ruling on August 2, 2011 finding the administration’s current salmon plan illegal. He asked the Obama administration to come up with a better plan for fish recovery by 2014. Redden requested a plan that, “considers whether more aggressive action, such as dam removal and/or additional flow augmentation and reservoir modifications are necessary.”
Dale Kelley, CFA board member and Executive Director of the Alaska Trollers Association, spearheaded the effort to mobilize Alaskan signatories for the letter and helped Save our Wild Salmon with letter drafting and an opinion piece. CFA board members Pietro Parravano and Jeremy Brown were also individual signees on the letter. Besides fishermen, the letter signees included recreational fishing businesses, outdoor retailers and equipment makers, food, farm, restaurant and tourism businesses, and clean energy businesses. For more information on Columbia River salmon restoration, visit www.wildsalmon.org.
New Legislation Introduced on Offshore Aquaculture
Congressman Don Young (R-AK) introduced H.R. 574, which would prohibit the permitting of commercial finfish farming in the EEZ until a federal law is passed to specifically allow it. Young filed the bill after CFA Board Member Dale Kelley pointed to a recent incident of NOAA issuing a permit for aquaculture operations in the EEZ off Hawaii, in addition to NMFS and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council laying the groundwork for offshore aquaculture in that region.
Since the inception of the offshore aquaculture issue, Kelley has worked with a variety of organizations, individuals, and legislators from around the country. She has also been involved in the evolution of federal aquaculture legislation. The latest bill H.R. 2373, was filed filed this summer by Congresswoman Lois Capps. The commercial fishing industry does not generally support offshore aquaculture, but given the pressure that’s been applied from the highest levels of government, some fishing reps have agreed to work on legislation in an attempt to ensure the highest level protection for fish and habitat should a bill pass.
