Press Releases

LOCAL CATCH NETWORK OFFERS SOLUTIONS DURING COVID-19 CRISIS

North American network of community-based seafood businesses steps up during a time when consumers are relying more on local and direct seafood supply chains.

Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN) has ​introduced a bill​ that would authorize the federal government to issue permits for industrial ocean finfish farms. These facilities would use giant floating cages to cultivate fish in ocean waters all around the U.S. coast. Chemicals, diseases and untreated waste from these farms flow into the open ocean and pose environmental hazards and health risks to people and wildlife and threaten the livelihood of local fishermen and coastal communities.

NAMA is urging NOAA to reject the sale of Carlos Rafael’s groundfish fleet to Blue Harvest Fisheries, a seafood business owned by a hedge fund. This deal is clearly against the best interests of the public and our fisheries.

Opponents of offshore finfish aquaculture joined hundreds of people in a March for the Oceans in Washington, DC to demand a halt to the development of industrial ocean fish farms wearing pins and carrying signs with the hashtag “#dontcageouroceans”. Read related later here.

As an organization committed to a seafood system that values the ocean, fishing communities, and all those whose hands touch the fish, we have deep concerns over what has been revealed in the recent AP expose of national distributor Sea to Table and its implications for the new values-based seafood movement.

Two national organizations fighting on the front lines for a just food system have decided to share their strength and leadership to increase their collective impact. The Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA) and the National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) announced that, as of May 1, Niaz Dorry will lead the work of both organizations. Dorry has been the coordinating director of NAMA for a decade and has served as an NFFC board member for the past eight years; treasurer for the past two.

Gloucester, MA: Today, individuals representing 76 businesses and organizations along with the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA) delivered a public letter to Fulton Street Fish Market asking them to discontinue their “Community Supported Fishery” (CSF) marketing campaign on the basis of “dishonest and values-deprived” advertising.

While yesterday's sentencing of Carlos Rafael successfully took a corrupt abuser of fishery resources off the ocean temporarily, another fishing company is already gearing up to capitalize on the opportunity to fill the Codfather's shoes.

“Know your fisherman!” “Know your seafood!” These are two of the key themes of the storytelling and community building at the Slow Fish New Orleans 2016 event, to be held March 10-13 at The Old U.S. Mint. Fishermen, chefs, scientists, students, activists and those who create community around seafood from all over North America will be uniting in stories, food, music and art to address the successes and challenges of the common vision for good, clean and fair seafood to all.