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An e-magazine about our fishing community --
who we are, how we fish and our connection to the sea
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Scott Rorro 'all in' when it comes to fishing | |
Captain Scott Rorro was on his boat, the Ernest and Michael, getting ready for back-to-back scallop trips when a couple from Lowell peered down from MacMillan Wharf in Provincetown. Rorro invited them aboard.
Standing in bright sunshine, Rorro answered a string of questions and said although he is a day-boat fisherman now, he had been on trips lasting two weeks or longer. The visitors, impressed, said fishermen must be the epitome of rugged.
A life at sea is more a mindset than brute strength, Rorro countered with a laugh. “I have seen the biggest, toughest guys – tattoos, real bad ass – crying. And if someone wants to come back, by law you have to take them back. So you have to be careful who you take out there.”
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Calabrese nets good news for cod | |
Editor’s note: Nick Calabrese grew up fishing for cod on the North Shore and witnessed a serious decline. Now a fisheries researcher, his work may herald good news for the Cape’s namesake. Here is his story:
I am a research associate and PhD candidate at the School for Marine Science and Technology. SMAST is a graduate school at UMASS Dartmouth, located in New Bedford. I work in Dr. Kevin Stokesbury’s Marine Fisheries Field Research Group.
We collaborate with the fishing industry as well as state and federal officials on research projects including lobster surveys in wind farm lease areas, underwater camera surveys of scallop populations, maturity studies of whelks, and my project: a video trawl survey of Gulf of Maine cod.
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Conch and crab at Meet the Fleet | |
Stephanie Sykes, after a day fishing on the F/V Peggy B II, stood behind a folding table at Nauset Marine East in Orleans with several conch shells and a trap.
She looked at a crowd gathered at the Meet the Fleet event and picked up a flat, mottled brown, oblong object. It was about the size of a thumb and looked leathery.
Sykes asked what it was.
Robert Smaglia, a Meet the Fleet veteran, knew right away.
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John Linnell, a fixture on the shore | |
Longraking is hard work, hours in a skiff scouring for quahogs with a 25-foot-pole attached to a 30-pound basket, often in miserable weather.
Harvesters might get grumpy, exhausted, then dissolve into laughter when John Linnell takes a break for pushups.
“Or sit ups,” said Mike Anderson, who has longraked beside Linnell for decades.
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Back by popular demand: Hookers Ball photos | |
We heard tons of positive comments about last month's Hookers Ball, about how it truly was “Aboat Time.” Those sentiments were emphasized when we published a photo gallery and it was one of the most popular, if not the most popular, in the close to five-year history of our emagazine. So we had to do an encore. Enjoy.
Check out the second batch of photos from Hookers Ball XXI, which celebrated the Cape’s fishing industry and the community it represents. Photos by Salty Broad Studios.
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By John Pappalardo
Monterey Bay Aquarium, located on the Pacific edge of the continent, has a program called “Seafood Watch.” They call themselves “a global leader in the sustainable seafood movement” and issue reports and recommendations about what fish people should or shouldn’t buy. They say they analyze things like impact on habitat and health of the species.
Here are some words I’d use to describe them:
Inaccurate. Irresponsible. Unaccountable. Arrogant. Damaging.
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On the Horizon
We have lots of exciting stuff happening.
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With the fall weather fast approaching, many of us long for some home-cooked comfort food. Be sure seafood is on the menu! Visit our website for recipes and local seafood options, then head over to the online store to pick up the Pier to Plate Recipe Book, some containers of haddock chowder, and a cozy sweatshirt or beanie.
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We are already planning for next year’s Meet the Fleet events. Be on the lookout for more information for a winter virtual cooking class. We are bringing back this successful 2020 format. Attendees will gather their ingredients, log on to zoom, hear from and interact with a guest fisherman, and then cook at home with the instruction of a local chef. To stay up to date, visit the webpage.
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Our Pier Host Program is a highlight for many during the summer. Visting the Chatham Fish Pier and listening to seasoned fishermen is a fun way to gain an understanding of the Cape’s commercial fishing industry and the importance of protecting this traditional way of life. Just as we miss the summer when it's gone, we miss the program. Luckily, you can catch it for two more days -- today and tomorrow, Friday Sept. 30.
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On the Water
Ever wonder how a boat, or a fish, got its name? Want the word on what people are catching --- or how to cook it?
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Small Boats. Big Science. is back with the chance to learn about the ecosystems surrounding our Cape Cod communities. Join us as researchers Dr. Dave Wiley and Ph.D. student Jill Thompson-Grim share why we should care about the ecology around us and how the marine environment impacts our fishermen and our lives. Wiley is a contributor to this emagazine, covering topics such as the importance of small sand lance to big predator fish like bluefin tuna. This new speaker series brings together our community, researchers, and commercial fishermen to discuss scientific advancements and how they relate to our fleet, environment, and coastal communities. The first session in August explored changes in the atmosphere and ocean from the Arctic to our backyards. Sessions to come will cover topics from aquaculture to technology in science. Register here for this installment of Small Boats. Big Science. on Thursday, October 6 at 5 p.m..
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On the Shore
This community thrives in large part because of a constellation of non-profit organizations and engaged businesses.
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Thank you Lee Boisvert, owner of Riverview Bait and Tackle in South Yarmouth, for sharing a great birthday success with us and other nonprofits. Riverview, an important institution for commercial and recreational fishermen, turned 50 this year and held a big party in August. There was fun and games, auctions, and four non-profits, including the Fishermen's Alliance were represented. We very much appreciate the $5000 gift and year-round support Riverview provides fishermen.
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Cataumet Fish, along Route 28A near Buzzards Bay and the canal, has our delicious haddock chowder in stock. We’re beginning to build our retail outreach for “Small Boats, Big Taste” chowder and stew, working to improve price and demand for local fish and providing delicious meals for food pantries across the state. Stop by and say hi to the great folks at Cataumet and pick up our chowder. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, is also serving our haddock chowder and Provencal Fish Stew in their dining facilities this year. Want to try some? Click here.
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Nauset Culinary is presenting its 8th annual Farm and Sea to Table Event on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the courtyard at the Nauset Regional High School. The event features great food, live music and auctions and chef demos. The event benefits Nauset Culinary's eat local/eat clean food initiatives, travel, scholarships, and garden restoration fund. Click here for more information.
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On the Hook
We do a lot of reading, searching through the wide world of fisheries, and often find intriguing pieces to share. In the old days, you might call this your clipping service.
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Seafood Watch’s recent “red listing” of lobster and other local fish, with a call for consumers to “avoid” buying them, has elicited broad criticism for inaccurate and simplistic analysis and reasoning. John Pappalardo writes about the wrong-headed move here. We also pulled together several news stories on the topic.
“The domestic market (for lobsters) … is very well educated,” Beth Casoni, president of Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association said. “They're aware of all the conservation measures that have been in place for over 30 years.” Read more here.
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Echoing Sen. Angus King’s dismissal of the aquarium as a “fish zoo,” Gov. Janet Mills of Maine said the (Seafood Watch) designation wouldn’t protect endangered North Atlantic right whales but would merely “insult thousands of hardworking lobstermen who risk their lives to put food on the table and practice responsible stewardship.” See the story here.
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There have been no major seafood buyers disavowing lobster, despite initial reports that HelloFresh and Blue Apron had planned to stop carrying lobster in light of its new status on the list. Read more here.
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