Local Seafood Promotion
"There's plenty of fish in the sea, it's just not the fish you're used to eating".
One of the few positives to emerge from the pandemic, and even climate change, is the emphasis on and increase in the power of local food and community connections. When supply chains broke down during the pandemic there was still a steady supply of delicious seafood being harvested by fishermen and shellfishermen across the Cape. That harvest continues and along with the myriad health and economic benefits eating local seafood provides, it also reduces our carbon footprint and builds resilient coastal communities.
You can help support local fishermen by purchasing seafood directly from permited fishermen at the dock or from local fish markets and restaurants that are doing curbside pick up or local delivery. Watch this video from Division of Marine Fisheries to understand the importance of your seafood purchase and how direct sales to the public work.
CAPE COD FISHERMEN & SEAFOOD BUSINESSES OFFERING DELIVERY AND/OR PICK UP
(list will be updated regularly, listed by region then alphabetically)
Chatham/Harwich
Chatham Harvesters Cooperative (form to reserve day-boat sea scallops from F/V Joanne A III, pickup at 90 Bridge Street, Chatham)
Chatham Lobster (order via their "when we can" online form, dockside pick up of lobsters at Ryder's Cove, Chatham)
Chatham Pier Fish Market (order online, pickup or local delivery)
Chatham Shellfish Company (online orders, ship or pick up at Oyster River)
Isabel & Lilee Scallops (order online and pick up at one of the local farmers markets listed on their website)
Mac's Chatham Market/Chatham Fish & Lobster (local delivery Harwich to Provincetown or pick up)
Midnight Our Scallops (check their Facebook for days/time, order by texting 508-737-6189, dockside pick up Wychmere Harbor, Harwich Port)
White Cap Scallops (text 508-241-2181 dockside pick up at Ryder's Cove, Chatham)
Mid-Cape
Barnstable Shellfish Farmers Market order online Sun-Wed, pick up Sat 10am-12pm
Barnstable Seafarms (call 508-566-7686, Saturday deliveries of shellfish)
Big Rock Oysters (see facebook for menu, curbside pick up in Dennis or delivery within 10 miles)
Cape Fish & Lobster (call 508-771-1122 to place order for pick up Hyannis)
Cotuit Oyster Company (Pick Up, Raw Bar To Go)
Isabel & Lilee Scallops (order online and pick up at one of the local farmers markets listed on their website)
Outer Cape
Cape Tip Seafoods (call 508-487-0259, Provincetown pick up or local delivery)
Isabel & Lilee Scallops (order online and pick up at one of the local farmers markets listed on their website)
Hatch's Fish Market (pick up, Wellfleet)
Holbrook Oyster (pick up or shipping, Eastham)
Mac's Eastham Market (pick up or shipping)
Mac's Provincetown Market (pick up or shipping)
Mac's Wellfleet Market (pick up or shipping)
Nauset Fish Market (Orleans)
Salt Seafood (pick up at local farmers markets)
The Scallop Truck (local pick-up)
Wellfleet Shellfishermen's Farmer's Market (online pre-order, pick up Eastham or Wellfleet)
Wellfleet Shellfish Company (online orders, ships anywhere)
Upper Cape
Falmouth Fish Market (pick up or shipping)
Lobsters Live (online orders)
The Clam Man (shipping or pick up at Falmouth market)
Victoria Grace Lobsters (call Jeff at 774-266-0887, pick up Town Neck Beach)
Salty Lou's Lobsters (text 617-710-6322, pick up in Sandwich)
Off-Cod Seafood Businesses Offering Delivery and/or Pick Up
Island Creek Oyster (online orders, ships anywhere)
New England Fishmongers (local delivery, Boston to Portland)
Red's Best(online orders or pick up Boston)
Rocky Neck Fish (Milton or Hingham)
The Fishermen's Pantry (shop located in Falmouth or order online- Alaskan fish delivered in eastern MA)
Cape-Wide
Cape Cod Local Seafood (Facebook group organizing direct sales for pick up at the boat- you have to join the group- lobster, cod, haddock, scup, squid, scallops, etc.)
Mass Grown Exchange directory of local seafood and farmed produce available for direct sales
You can also help the national fishing community by buying any American-caught seafood when you go to the grocery store or fish market!
COOKING LOCAL SEAFOOD AT HOME
Not sure how to cook seafood at home? Check out our new RECIPE BOOK.
Our recipe page also has short videos featuring local fishermen and their catch, along with a watch and learn cooking demonstration.
Need more help? There are lots of online recipes and cooking courses. Milk Street Cooking School has a free fish course. Eating with the Ecosystem is sharing recipes at Local Seafoodies.
Be sure to share with your friends to encourage them to cook seafood at home!
PIER TO PLATE
In 2017 the Fishermen's Alliance launched Pier to Plate, a program that aimed to create consumer demand for skate and dogfish on Cape Cod. Local small-boat fishermen sustainably catch “under-loved” dogfish and skate in abundance right off our shores, but 99 percent of this plentiful, white fish is shipped overseas to restaurants in Europe and Asia.
From May through October of 2017, Pier to Plate drove awareness and generated demand for locally caught dogfish and skate. The program provided 4,010 pounds of dogfish and 5,600 pounds of skate to over 40 participating food establishments, local events and samples for institutional sales. The program was significant enough to be featured in 68 media outlets – 11 national, 29 regional and 28 local.
Although the Pier to Plate program for dogfish and skate has ended, we have remained committed to working with fishermen members to create opportunities for direct sales at farmers markets and with local businesses to help them access local seafood of any kind. We’ve also worked with companies like Whole Foods to ensure that high quality, sustainable, locally caught species are available to consumers.
Check out the directory below for great restaurant choices and always be sure to ask if the fish on the menu was caught locally. If you’d like to see your favorite restaurant added to our directory, let us know!
✔ Local ✔ Sustainable ✔ Delicious
Skate Served at Vers, Orleans
Dogfish Served at Far Land on the Beach, PTown
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