Black Lives, White House, Rays of Hope

I'm bracing myself for what will come from this writing. Last time I wrote about the connection between racial inequities and fisheries and seafood was back in December 2012. In return, we received the most belligerent responses and the most number of unsubscribes from our newsletter. Clearly, we made some people uncomfortable. Good. For too long, our comfort has come on the backs of many who have been uncomfortable for a long, long time.

Since that writing, we have challenged ourselves to continue to address racial inequities as we do our work. During our strategic planning process this year, our board called for dignity for all people as one of our core values. And, when The Movement For Black Lives issued a policy platform earlier this year, we proudly endorsed it.

Back in 2012, the most consistent comment we heard was "what does race have to do fisheries/seafood?" As our board eloquently stated "Marginalization of any peoples is rooted in a long history of racism, exclusion, and oppression."

Many fishermen I've gotten to know over the past 22 years have told me they feel abused by the system, excluded from the process, and marginalized by fisheries policies. And, despite the multi-billion dollar global seafood trade, those who need it most are going hungry because we have been treating seafood as the food of the privileged.

Truth is that we started down the slippery slope of choosing who matters when we decided that some people are expendable by decimating indigenous peoples, taking Africans as slaves, and declaring that the color of our skin and ethnicity determines our worth.

When it comes to fisheries issues, neo-liberal policies like Catch Shares have created inequities in the system that have marginalized majority of those who live in coastal communities, have the smallest ecological footprint, and rely on seafood for essential food and income. All the while, these same policies have continued to put fisheries in danger, leading to decline of ecosystems, and putting profit for those with greatest means above all else.

In the face of all this, it's easy to want to give up. I'm not writing all this to make you feel overwhelmed; just sufficiently-whelmed enough to want to change the status quo.

Change requires a real RevolOcean filled with hope and possibilities. And we are seeing it happen in real life. Just last week, some of our allies working to shift the system were recognized as Champions of Change by the White House. Others are running thriving values-based seafood operations that are prioritizing feeding their communities first. And more are fighting against policies that challenge inequities.

So bring on the emails! We're ready for them. We're ready to absorb the heat of the hatred and the warmth of the love, and reflect it all back as rays of hope as we walk down the RevolOceanary Road.

Onward!

Niaz Dorry

Coordinating Director

We'd Like to Share:

SAVE THE DATE: December 3rd, 2016 - Feast of Seven the Fishes

A benefit for NAMA at the Boston Public Market

Building Community

Closing Seafood Throwdown Season and Food Sovereignty Prize

Congratulations to many of our friends who were chosen for the first ever "Champions of Change for Sustainable Seafood" award by President Obama: Robin Alden, founding Executive Director of the Penobscot East Resource Center; Linda Behnken, Executive Director of Alaska Longline Fisherman's Association; and, Alan Lovewell, Co-Founder of Real Good Fish!
Join us for our Last Seafood Throwdown of the season at the Rockport Harvest Fest! Laugh and learn with MC Spencer Montgomery while Andrew Bettencourt from Red Skiff Restaurant and Amanda Parks of New England Fishmongers cook, and celebrate the US Food Sovereignty Alliance Day of Action by learning about the threats of TPP to the ocean and fishing economies from the Massachusetts Coalition to Defeat the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Saturday, October 15, 1:30-3:30pm, Rowe's Wharf.
US Food Sovereignty Alliance Food Sovereignty Prize ceremony is this weekend in Seattle, WA. The Prize is being awarded to the
Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa and Farmworkers Association of Florida. Join us on celebrating on the Day of Action.
Join us at this year's Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group gathering November 12-12 in Hartford, CT for a conversation around how we can achieve equity and sustainability at the same time. Register today.
We made a big splash at the 2016 Boston Local Food Festival where core values took center stage. Check out these photos including scenes from the popular Seafood Throwdown competition. The mystery fish? Dogfish, of course.

Transforming Markets
Hope in Change

Massachusetts Farm & Sea to School Conference is November 4th in Leominster, MA and we'll be there to present the work happening within our communities.
Hope comes in many ways, and is demonstrated by this work, amongst so many more, in this story "New England Fishmongers Fishy Business: Pair likely only in NH to both catch and sell fish."
Want to stop seafood fraud? Read about One Fish Foundation and Cape Ann Fresh Catch in "Seafood fraud: A fishy business that's on the rise"
You can make a difference as eaters, and this story tells you how "Guess what consumers? You can support New Hampshire fishermen."

Changing Policies

Ownership, Trade, and Bad Policies

Who Owns the Boat? Yes, it matters!
We're done apologizing for organizations like Environmental Defense Fund who push for neo-liberal policies despite waves of criticism. Read this "How a 'rogue' environmental group transformed American fisheries" but know that's it's not just happening in the US; this is a global push for privatization.
Trade policies like the Trans-Pacific Partnership undermine our efforts to save the ocean and create healthy fishing communities. Learn more, and take action.

What We're Reading

#NoDAPL

Lummi fishermen will deliver fresh salmon to people fighting North Dakota pipeline

NAMA is a fishermen-led organization building a broad movement toward healthy fisheries and fishing communities. We build deep and trusting relationships with community based fisherman, crew, fishworkers and allies to create effective policy and market strategies.