On the Conch Campaign Trail
On the Conch Campaign Trail Our campaign team has been working diligently with conch fishermen to keep abreast of issues that are impacting their fishery. Not a lot is known about conch populations, yet it has become a fast-growing fishery due to high prices paid for conch destined for foreign markets. As a result of these factors and as a precautionary measure, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) decided to implement an increase in the minimum size of conch allowed to be brought to shore...
House Bill on Fisheries Law Still Needs Work
Knowing that every part of Cape Cod’s small-boat fishing community is acutely affected by national fisheries policy, the Fishermen’s Alliance feels it is important to present a unified stance on the recently-passed H.R. 1335, (Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska). We believe this is a flawed reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA)—the primary law governing our nation’s fisheries...
Commercial Fishermen think MSA Bill needs work
STATEMENT: Commercial Fishermen across the U.S. think House bill to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Act needs work (Washington, D.C., May 27, 2015) The House of Representatives is poised to vote next week on H.R. 1335 (Young, R-AK), one of two bills introduced in the House to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), our nation’s primary fishery management law...
National Permit Bank Workshop
On April 26-28, the Cape Cod Fisheries Trust hosted the first National Permit Banking Workshop in Boston. Close to 70 attendees from 26 fishing communities, foundations, and other organizations participated in lively discussions, brainstorming sessions, and networking. It was a unique and important opportunity for fishermen and practitioners from Alaska to California and from the Gulf of Mexico to New England to get together and talk about their shared experiences and challenges...
2015 Marine Safety Information Bulletin
Please click on the link (below) to find the latest commercial fishing industry safety and equipment requirements and when they go into effect. Download the 2015 Marine Safety Information Bulletin. The attached summary of important new safety gear regulations is being provided on behalf of the Coast Guard Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety coordinator in Boston, MA...
How do I cook skate?
Trying out a new recipe can be difficult, even daunting for the most experienced chef. One of the things we work toward at the Fishermen's Alliance is to educate and encourage people to try a new seafood species in their every day meals. We have partnered up with well-known chefs to bring you some options for preparing the seafood caught straight from the Cape Cod waters...
Lean year looms for groundfish fishery
By Patrick Whittle Catch limits set to take effect this week will take a bite out of an industry that dates back to America’s Colonial past: New England cod. The stricter quota on cod taken from the Gulf of Maine – a 75 percent cut from the current year – will also affect the catch of other similar fish, meaning New England fishermen and seafood dealers expect a year of meager supply and high prices for several popular fish...
The Last Longliners
By Lisa Cavanaugh Long lining is labor intensive, but it’s a sustainable way of fishing, with little by-catch. Despite the depleted population of cod and haddock, these two Cape Cod fishermen still choose to use long lines with baited hooks to make a living. Ninety miles offshore in the Gulf of Maine—in the dead of winter—can be a cold and lonely spot...
Habitat, access in hot fisheries debate
By Doug Fraser It could have been worse. That was the consensus among Cape Cod participants in the New England Fishery Management Council’s hotly debated meeting this week in Mystic, Connecticut where the discussion centered on what areas to protect as fish habitat, one of the most fundamental elements in bringing stocks like cod and flounder back from historically low levels...
Fishermen's Alliance to invest in Regional Shellfish Hatchery
Story and photos by Tim Wood DENNIS --- When John Pappalardo brought the idea of investing in Aquaculture Research Corporation, the region’s largest supplier of seed shellfish, to the board of the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, the initial response was “We don’t do shellfish.” Pappalardo, the non-profit group’s CEO, responded by reminding board members that when fin fishing is slow, or fishermen get sidelined by closures, they traditionally turn to shellfishing to supplement their incomes...
Meet one of our supporters
Pictured above is Barb Matteson and Steve Clayton as they get ready to bid in the Live Auction at Hookers Ball. Learn more about Barb and her relationship with the Fishermen's Alliance through the following Q&A. Q: You’ve been a long-time supporter of the Alliance. Why? A: I believe Cape Cod would not be the same without our fishermen...
Fishermen's Alliance invests in ARC
The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance is working with Senator Dan Wolf on one of the region's most significant public-private partnerships that will protect 39 acres of land in Dennis and ensure a thriving future for one of the country’s most important shellfish hatcheries, the Aquacultural Research Corporation. The Hatchery and Conservation Project at Chase Garden Creek will involve state and county support, as well as proposed support from the towns of Dennis and Yarmouth...
