It is fact that a good number of people buy produce directly from growers through community supported agriculture, or CSAs. Now, Seacoast residents can support local fishermen and buy fresh, sustainable seafood through a new community supported fishery (CSF) initiative. It is informed that the CSF, which will carry the New Hampshire Fresh and Local seafood brand recently established in Portsmouth.
This new program is a collaboration of the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension and N.H. Sea Grant, the N.H. Commercial Fisherman’s Association, Yankee Fisherman’s Cooperative, and local seafood groups, restaurants and fish markets. CSF is a shore-side community of people collaborating with local fishermen to buy fish directly for a predetermined length of time. CSF shareholders give the fishermen financial support and then receive a weekly share of seafood caught during the season.
Experts said that the seafood received from a CSF will carry the N.H. Fresh and Local brand. Seafood products that carry the new red emblem were caught and processed in New Hampshire, thereby directly supporting the local economy and fishing industry. Brand products include locally harvested shrimp, lobster, haddock and a variety of other sustainable stock species. The term ‘local’ seafood is considered having come from boats based in New Hampshire ports, those that land seafood in the state, or those within a 15-mile radius of the Seacoast border that are affiliated with the state’s fishing community.
