The North American Marine Alliance (NAMA) and National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) are pleased to announce that Niaz Dorry, Director of both organizations, has been recognized as a 2024 James …
Warren, Markey and Keating demand answers from Blue Harvest owners
Both U.S. senators in Massachusetts and one congressman signed a letter Monday demanding transparency in Blue Harvest Fisheries’ bankruptcy — accusing the private equity firm that owned the company of …
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Fishing for Hope
When people ask me where I find hope in times like these, I always refer to our collective work. Hope is what a fisherman has each time they put gear …
Emeril Cooks features Anna Marie Shrimp
Looking for a couple of dinner ideas? Watch this episode of Emeril Cooks featuring Lance Nacio and Anna Marie Shrimp! Watch the episode for free here.
How American Fishermen Lost the Right to Fish
Check out this video from More Perfect Union – How American Fishermen Lost The Right To Fish. The video dives into how the Catch Share system has consolidated fisheries around …
By Land or By Sea… Opposing Factory Farming
Please join us in welcoming three people to the NAMA team: Andrianna Natsoulas, James Mitchell, and Casey Willson. Together, they make the trio who is moving the Don’t Cage Our Oceans Coalition …
Canastras buy vessels, permits from Blue Harvest bankruptcy
The Canastra family, owners of New Bedford’s seafood auction, closed a deal to buy out groundfish giant Blue Harvest Fisheries from bankruptcy, a move finalized Wednesday with the approval of …
Unpacking the Blue Harvest bankruptcy and what it means on the waterfront
New Bedford Light reporters Will Sennott and Colin Hogan discuss the upcoming Blue Harvest bankruptcy auction, which could have major repercussions on the New Bedford fishing fleet, in our latest …
The Aquaculture Values Report is here!
In the September 2023 newsletter, we share the Aquaculture Values Report, give you the latest on the Blue Harvest shutdown, and share the comment letter sent to NOAA regarding the …
Land and sea — privatization or resilience?!
In the aftermath of the fires in Maui, we’ve been thinking a lot about the coastal community in Lahaina, the folks who rely on the ocean and on fishing. Our …
Blue Harvest bankruptcy leaves millions in unpaid debt to local businesses
Tor Bendiksen knew that Blue Harvest Fisheries was in financial trouble in early September, when the company bounced a $12,500 check. His company, Reidar’s Manufacturing, specializes in building trawl gear …
Blue Harvest files for Ch. 7 bankruptcy, company likely to liquidate assets
Blue Harvest Fisheries has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to records in U.S. federal court in Delaware, concluding an eight-year private equity roll-up of New Bedford’s fishing industry. Read …
Op-Ed Alaska’s Farm Bill promises to safeguard our oceans and fishing families
[. . .] It is with this connection to our state’s natural bounty and coastal families that I applaud Sen. Lisa Murkowski for introducing the Improving Agriculture, Research, Cultivation, Timber, …
NAMA Statement on Blue Harvest Shutting Down
Download the StatementFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 11, 2023 Statement of the North American Marine Alliance (NAMA) on Private Equity Firm’s Failure ———————————————— Congress must immediately enact a moratorium against Catch …
NAMA Comment Letter on National Standards 4, 8, 9
Download the letter
Offshore fish farming hurts climate and economy
Read the full op-ed here.
Blue Harvest to shut down, ending reign over New England groundfish
Blue Harvest Fisheries is set to shut down all fishing operations on Friday, its fishermen were told this week. It marks the last in a cascade of sales and closures …
Ban irresponsible aquaculture in WA waters and beyond
By Carl Wassilie As a Yup’ik Salmon Person, I know that for coastal Tribes, including the Lummi, Samish and Swinomish, wild Pacific salmon are sacred and inextricably tied to cultural, …
NAMA Aquaculture Values Report
Download the report!NAMA Aquaculture Visioning ReportCheck out NAMA’s Aquaculture Values Report! After the release of the FoodPrint of Farmed Seafood, network members expressed a need for proactive values and member vision-driven reports …
Op-ed: Saving This Fish Means Saving Our Tribe’s Future
A group of Northern California Tribes are working hard to save the Clear Lake hitch, a small fish that has played a large role in our culture. But we can’t …
Shrimp imports threaten U.S. Gulf fleet
Southern shrimpers, facing record low prices, choose to stay at the dock. In places like Delacroix, La., shrimp fishermen are looking at $1.10 for 16 to 20 count brown shrimp. …
A Chefs Camp in Philly, new podcasts, and more!
Sure signs of Spring have arrived with warmer weather here in the Northeast, animals migrating, birds singing, bees buzzing, and flowers blooming. Even more exciting though is how much energy …
The Fishing Industry on the Suncoast is Struggling
The commercial fishing industry is struggling to survive. Big business, has taken over the industry, and the Suncoast local fisherman, are struggling to make a living. “As far as making …
Texas shrimper Diane Wilson wins Goldman Environmental Prize for grassroots activism
Congratulations to Diane Wilson for winning the Goldman Environmental Prize for grassroots activism. A Texas shrimper, Diane Wilson was celebrated for her many environmental achievements, including winning the largest citizen …
In the Race for Clean Energy, Is Offshore Wind Harming the Nation’s Fisheries?
As offshore wind farms ramp up in U.S. waters, some worry about decimated aquatic ecosystems and slashed livelihoods.
Blown Away: Fishermen Endangered by Offshore Wind’s Political Power
Turbines the height of 70-story skyscrapers will soon tower over East Coast fishing grounds. But government regulators with ties to offshore wind developers are downplaying the danger to the marine …
Building Local Power: Graying of the Fleet
Twenty-five years ago, there were over 2,000 commercial shrimp boats in Mississippi. Today, that number has fallen to around 200. This trend is not unique to Mississippi: Across U.S. coastlines, …
A Precautionary Approach to Seaweed Aquaculture in North America
As a group of seaweed growers, harvesters, scientists and advocates, Seaweed Commons support a collaboratively managed and locally controlled seaweed industry. The Seaweed Commons supports an ecosystem-based approach to the …
Our New Website is Here! Plus, solidarity actions, the FSNE Challenge, and more!
Happy Spring to all! While it can have its difficulties, winter in the northwest Atlantic area provides a time to slow down a bit and prepare for the burst of …
Eastern Fisheries cuts temp agency, laying off New Bedford workers amid labor probe
As many as 200 fish processing workers will be laid off as Eastern Fisheries cuts ties with its main staffing agency amid an ongoing investigation into unfair labor practices.
Blue Harvest to close New Bedford processing plant, lay off 64 workers
Named as part of a “strategy shift” to upgrade and modernize its groundfish fleet, Blue Harvest Fisheries is closing its New Bedford processing plant, laying off 64 employees effective May …
Indonesian migrant fishers protest lack of Wi-Fi onboard distant-water fishing vessels
Earlier this month, NAMA stood in solidarity with migrant fishers who brought community together outside the Boston Convention Center to protest the Seafood Expo North America and the human rights abuses the …
A call for solidarity, reflections from DC, the upcoming FSNE challenge, and more!
To kick off the February 2023 newsletter I wanted to share a story about fisheries organizing and a sense of magic. Earlier this month we traveled to DC with a …
The Catch Share Reform Coalition goes to Congress
The Catch Share Reform Consortium, including Scituate, Mass. draggerman Tim Barrett and fishermen from around the U.S., is in Washington, D.C. urging Congress to stop consolidation of quota by foreign …
Fishermen In DC To Call For Catch Share Reform
ADVISORY/RELEASE Commercial fishermen from across the United States have banded together to express concern over predatory leasing and consolidation of fishing quota in the hands of private equity firms and …
Birds, Bees, Worms, and Beavers!
Read the newsletter To start the year, the NAMA team gathered together in mid-January to discuss the year ahead, and we came up with some big plans! Perhaps the best …
What’s the solution to ghost fishing gear polluting oceans?
New research estimates that nearly 2% of all fishing gear is lost to the ocean annually. Read more…
Check it out — a new FoodPrint report!
As we reflect on 2022 and look forward to 2023 we’re looking forward to another year of cracking down on private equity companies controlling our fisheries while at the same …