Deep winter greetings!

We're trying to ward off the chill here in the Northeast by thinking back to some terrific events and moments from 2013 - and by looking ahead as we finalize our plans for 2014.

As ever, we'll be building support from a diverse set of stakeholders -
from fishermen to college students and food activists - to help shift
market practices and policies that will support community-based fisheries.
Whether we're speaking at conferences and panels, supporting or
participating in educational, community-building events, or attending
meetings focused on fisheries policy, we know the strength of our network

is in the fishing communities in which we are rooted. And in 2014 we'll

strengthen it even further.

Sometimes people ask us what food justice has to do with fishing. To us,
justice is an issue that touches both ends of the supply chain, from
increasing access to fresh, local seafood to underserved populations to
ensuring the people who grow and catch our food receive a fair price for
their efforts. There are links and connections all along the chain, and it takes a

network like the one we've been building to pull the threads together and

braid them into a strong, integrated whole.

So we'll see you out there - here's to an interconnected 2014.

Niaz

We'd like to share-

Building community:

Remembering a food sovereignty hero

We were privileged to know, work with, and learn from John Kinsman, an indefatigable champion of food sovereignty who passed away this January 20. We knew John from our mutual work with the National Family Farm Coalition, where we welcomed the fisheries delegation with open arms. Read more about John and his legacy of sustainable agriculture and activism here.

Welcoming the next generation of leaders in food activism

We're excited and inspired by a new relationship we're building with the Real Food Challenge. RFC is a national network of student food activists, whose "primary campaign is to shift $1 billion of existing university food budgets away from industrial farms and junk food and towards local/community-based, fair, ecologically sound and humane food sources-what we call "real food"-by 2020."

We chatted with UMass Amherst leader Chris Raabe about his work with the Real Food Challenge. He says, "We're at an exciting point...as we continue to advocate for student empowerment and institutional accountability through student-facilitated food justice education. Currently, UMass Real Food Challenge is expanding our efforts to bring seafood issues into the conversation."

We're looking to hearing more from the Real Food Challenge soon!

Influencing policy:

We keep pushing for fleet diversity

The New England Fisheries Management Council will be discussing Amendment 18 (also known as the Fleet Diversity Amendment) at their meeting in Portsmouth, NH, from Jan 28-30. You can register here to listen to the meeting live.

In light of dramatic fleet consolidation and loss of fisheries access for entire communities, this Amendment presents an opportunity to put safeguards in place to level the playing field and ensure fisheries access is spread out, instead of being concentrated into the hands of just a few wealthy companies.

This issue would not even be on the table if it were not for the tremendous effort of our support network and fishing families around New England who have testified, written letters, and kept this issue alive. Listen to Captain Ron Borjeson testify before the Council in 2012 on this issue. Visit our YouTube channel to find dozens of similar testimonies.

WFM: Fleet Diversity Amendment Testimony, Hyannis MA

Transforming Markets

From
"Ego- to Eco-system Economies"-

We're honored and excited to be a guest speaker at the Presencing Institute's Global Forum at MIT on February 11. We'll join a group of innovators and social change-makers in a daylong program designed to connect our systems, sectors, and cultures in an effort to collaborate on shifting our society's values toward sustainability for all. The program has sold out, but you can stream it live.We're sure it will be an inspiring day. Here are just a few of the amazing people and projects we'll hear from:

Michelle Long, BALLE

Sofia Campos, United We Dream

Bob Massie, New Economy Coalition

Mark your calendar: We've partnered with the Sustainable Business Network of Boston on the Local Food Trade Show at Northeastern University, coming up Tuesday, March 4. The trade show is a chance for wholesale buyers and specialty food producers to meet and form business relationships. Here's more information, including a list of participating vendors. See you then!

...meanwhile, thought we'd part with warming thoughts.