In a powerful op-ed for The Progressive, longtime New England fisherman Doug Feeney shares his personal journey from the collapse of the cod industry to rebuilding a community-based seafood system — and warns that Congress could undo that progress. Drawing on decades on the water, Feeney argues that the Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act would open U.S. oceans to industrial fish farms backed by corporations like Cargill, JBS, Sysco, and Merck, repeating the same extractive model that once devastated coastal communities.

Feeney also provides evidence that the U.S. fishermen already catch enough wild fish to feed our nation and still have a surplus. He calls on lawmakers to support policies like the Keep Finfish Free Act and invest in local fishing infrastructure that sustains communities, ecosystems, and food sovereignty.

Get the full scoop in The Progressive →

Photo of Captain Doug Feeney courtesy of Chatham Harvesters Cooperative