Selling their shares of direct to the consumers is something that the fishermen always looking forward to. It is healthy, fresh and supports the local fishing industry off its own shores. It is informed that nearly 80 area households are eating extra helpings of shrimp this winter as they participate in a pilot program designed to help local fishermen, consumers, and the environment.
The fishery functions on the same model as community-supported agriculture, which gives shareholders a stake in a farm’s weekly harvest in exchange for a cash payment before the season begins.
It is observed that experimental community-supported fisheries are gaining traction in the region as fishermen, accustomed to selling at low prices to wholesale processors, seek a more lucrative model to help them tap their neighbors’ growing appetites for local food. Interest in the programs has been growing in recent years since early ones proved viable in North Carolina and Port Clyde, Maine.
It is true that such program raises awareness of local fish options, they hope to increase demand for their catches over time. A fisherman said that the whole idea of this is to get better prices for the fishermen and it is hoped that between farmers markets. At this point, community-supported fisheries aren’t doing much to lift the economic tide for all fishing boats that struggle to make ends meet.
