Luke Wozny, who works for Shellfish Brokers, injects a moment of levity into a busy day. Shellfish Brokers leases the south side of pier, and on that August day researchers were on hand to measure the quality of the fish.
By Doreen Leggett
The Chatham Fish Pier deserves its own book. Better yet, if those old wooden pilings could talk they would share a wealth of history, history that would both delight and inform us. But, for the moment, we will have to satisfy ourselves with a snapshot of a few hours at the pier, a series of images that give a sense of the world that exists at the edge of the harbor, but by no means does it come close to doing it justice. Because as packing house lease holder Jamie Bassett says, the pier has a pulse of its own.
The gillnetter Edward & Joseph, captained by Josiah Dodge, pulls up to the pier.
The fish pier is a busy place in the summer, with several spots to unload fish.
Jamie Bassett, of Shellfish Brokers, operates the lift to unload skate.
Staff at the fish pier use layers of ice to protect the quality of the harvested skate.
The vast majority of the skate harvested in Chatham goes overseas, but the Fishermen’s Alliance and others are working on growing the market here.
Pier hosts, like long-time fisherman Ken Eldredge, right, are available during the summer to answer questions about the commercial fisheries.
The fish pier offers a convenient spot to untangle gear.
Captain John Our surveys the scene after a busy day on the water.
Chatham is one of the most photogenic places we know, and it’s because of the commercial fishing fleet.
The Chatham Pier Fish Market is popular with locals and visitors alike.