As we near the end of summer, we’re stoked to celebrate fishing communities across the nation that have proved their innovation and resiliency during this pandemic. Even though our pleas for Congress to expand the stimulus packages in support of these communities have yet to be fully realized, we’ve made strong strides. Just last week the Senate passed a stimulus bill that designates $500M for fisheries. This is from our hard work and relentless pushing. But it’s not over yet. As we work tirelessly to hold Congress accountable, let’s continue to hype the communities of fishers who have been working from dawn to dusk (and to dawn again) to provide us with healthy seafood. Over the past couple of months, we’ve seen incredible stories uplifted by our networks and during the past couple of weeks, we’ve been spotlighting our own series that gives an inside look at what #FishingDuringCOVID19 has meant for these communities.
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We'd like to introduce you to Buck, a bold luminary working to ensure the maintenance of tribal fishing rights. Since time immemorial, tribes of this region have been fishing the Columbia River. For over 16 years, Buck Jones (57) has continued that tradition. Today, Buck works for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission to help tribal fishers market their traditional harvest. The Commission’s primary goal is to “put fish back in the rivers and restore the watersheds where they live” while also advocating for tribal fishing rights. Buck said, “Since the first treaties were signed, it’s been a battle to get [the U.S Federal Government] to uphold its promises,” which is, in part, why the four tribes came together to form the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission --- as a measure to protect the Columbia River from further damage and ensure their fishing rights. A large effort of the Commission has been battling the consequences of Columbia Basin dams, including the destruction of natural breeding grounds for fish or even allowing them to migrate. In addition to the chinook salmon, the Columbia River is home to coho and sockeye salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and Pacific lamprey, which have all suffered from modern development in the region. Since Buck can remember, and even before he was born, his people have been battling for their right to fish, a fight that continues today. #FishingDuringCOVID19
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Coastal Routes has taken on the airways to feature fisheries and fishing communities during the pandemic. Their most recent episode shows the remarkable resilience of community-supported fisheries (CSFs) during a time when mainstream markets are facing shutdowns due to massive waves of infections and shortages. In their most recent episode, they welcome guest co-host Dr. Joshua Stoll from the University of Maine, who is also a co-founder of the Local Catch network. |
Close friend of NAMA and badass fisherwoman of the sea, Kayla Cox of New England Fishmongers, just twenty-five, was featured in the current edition of Edible Maine. If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Kayla, we are here to tell you she’s one of the many fearless women who are paving the way for more women to enter an industry largely dominated by men. Don’t believe us, read her story yourself. |
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Tune into the latest interview of Capt. Steve Kurian on the One Fish Foundation’s youtube channel -- you’ll have a front row seat as to how the seafood supply chain works, the challenges many face, and the creative ways fish harvesters and others have adapted to those challenges. Their videos are part of their larger initiative to tell the stories of fish harvesters from across the nation - One Fish Foundation Fish Tales Podcast.
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Tell us how COVID-19 has impacted commercial fishing for you. Contact Heidi Anne Rogers to be part of our #FishingDuringCOVID19 series.
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As longtime partners of both the Boston Local Food Festival and the Boston Jerkfest, we were stoked to participate in our first ever live-virtual throwdown at this year’s Boston Jerkfest Live. And we kid you not, Chefs Gentles and Mas throw it down. The only downside was not being able to taste either of the Chefs creations. Our own Jason Jarvis emceed the cookoff and Brett Tolley judged, both from a safe distance. However, they’ll both tell you, they’re looking forward to devouring the creations in person next year.
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We’re Taking Action! | Recent Actions |
Huge Victory in Federal Litigation on Aquaculture
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a ruling by a federal district court in Louisiana that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) acted outside the scope of its authority when it attempted to create an aquaculture permitting scheme in the Gulf of Mexico. Noting that The Magnuson Stevens Act "neither says nor suggests that the agency may regulate aquaculture," the appellate court declared that "[i]f anyone is to expand the forty-year-old Maguson-Stevens Act to reach aquaculture for the first time, it must be Congress." Several plaintiffs in the case are members of the Don't Cage Our Ocean coalition.
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Stand with Bristol Bay
Bristol Bay’s fishermen, Indigenous communities, and businesses have been fighting to save Bristol Bay from the proposed Pebble Mine for more than a decade. That fight is at a critical moment right now with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers poised to permit the Pebble Mine in as soon as 30 days.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued its Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Pebble Mine with the conclusion that the Pebble Mine wouldn’t harm Bristol Bay’s salmon runs - the largest in the world. The Army Corps’ conclusion defies the well-documented science clearly showing that Pebble would cause adverse impacts, and it defies local and state opposition to the Pebble Mine. Politics are obscuring the science that makes it clear that the Pebble Mine would have unacceptable adverse impacts on the Bristol Bay watershed. That’s why we’re calling on the EPA, which has the authority to veto the proposed Pebble Mine under the Clean Water Act.
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Stream The Wild on August 6th
After you’ve called on the EPA to veto the proposed Pebble Mine, we hope you’ll consider joining the livestream premier of the award-winning documentary "The Wild" on August 6th at 8 pm ET. This online gathering serves as an urgent call-to-action for individuals, organizations, and communities to tell the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to veto the permitting of a Canadian mining company seeking to excavate North America's largest open-pit copper mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska—home to the last fully intact salmon system in the world. The One Fish Foundation is selling tickets to attend the event virtually and will donate 25% of their proceeds to the coalition defending Bristol Bay.
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Tell Congress to Support Fishing Communities
In early May, we released an official statement condemning the Trump Administration's new measures, which effectively expand factory fish farms, dangerously deregulate the fishing industry, and promote the export of our seafood. These measures seem to benefit globalized industrial fishing and aquaculture businesses at the expense of the local and regional seafood industry. To continue the momentum and push of our statement, we launched an online campaign targeting the Senate. We asked fellow community members, partners, and advocates to share our message online and to participate in a Twitter blitz directed at the Senate in support of local fisheries. On June 15, our message was shared by over 60 organizations and our social media toolkit was downloaded almost 600 times. At the end of July, we organized a virtual briefing for Congressional staffers to hear from fishing and farming community leaders from around the country. Over 15 offices were present and community leaders included Buck Jones from the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Linda Behnken with the AK Longline Fishermen’s Association, Ryan Bradley with the Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United, Tim Barrett with the Massachusetts Groundfish Sector 10, and Jim Goodman with the National Family Farm Coalition and Family Farm Defenders.
The fight isn’t over. We encourage you to continue to use your platforms to push Congress toward positive action for our fishing communities. Our social media toolkit is available for you to use. Tell Congress why supporting local fisheries is critical now more than ever. #FishermenAreEssential
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Community Support & Resources for the Revol-Ocean |
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NETWORK COORDINATOR JOB OPENING
LCN is a community-of-practice made up of fishermen, researchers, technical assistance providers, and community-based organizations from across North America who are committed to building local and regional seafood systems to support healthy fisheries and the communities that depend on them.
The coordinator will work in collaboration with the Executive Committee, network members, and external partners to strengthen and build the network by incubating projects and programs that further the goals and priorities for vibrant local seafood systems, equitable food access, environmental sustainability, economic vitality, and healthy coastal communities. The coordinator will oversee network communication and collaboration and assist with planning, implementing, and evaluating outreach and training programs.
We are seeking a highly motivated and talented individual to join our team. The network coordinator position is a salaried position through the School of Marine Sciences at the University of Maine, but it does not require that you live in Maine. The first year of funding for this position has been secured, including salary, health insurance, and benefits and additional funds are being pursued.
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Download our social media toolkit for email templates, social posts, hashtags, and graphics to help us sustain pressure on decision-makers!
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