A Day in Photos

A decade ago, the Fishermen’s Alliance was one of the founding members of the Cape’s Blue Economy Foundation because although commercial fishing is the original blue economy, it relies on a constellation of maritime business that help sustain our coastal community. The next generation is also essential to the success of our peninsula, which is why we have been part of the Foundation’s WaterWORKS career fair since it began in 2019. We thought it would be fun to take a look back at the commercial fishermen who spent time at the event over the years and talked to close to 1,000 students about opportunities in the industry.

Thanksgiving is a fitting time to thank chroniclers, archivists, historians, those who capture places and times so they aren’t lost. Charlie Miller (profiled in this issue) is one of those people, more by chance than intent. He spent his life around Rock Harbor and he had a camera that captured more than 50 years of history. We are sharing some of his photos from the 1960s and 1970s with the reminder to protect and preserve the places you love for those who come after. 

There are a lot of fishy connections between Cape Cod and Alaska, many stories of fishermen from Chatham and Provincetown spending several months to several years there and coming home with enough money to buy a boat. Also common are tales of those who fish summers in the Pacific and come home to fish here the rest of the year.Caitlin Townsend, who lobsters and scallops, is in that category after salmon fishing in Bristol Bay. This photo gallery captures scenes of the Alaskan fishery that draws people from all over the country and provides a glimpse of her gear recycling work through Net Your Problem, which started in Alaska and now has a presence on the Cape. Salmon fishing photos by Sofia DeWolfe others courtesy of Caitlin Townsend.

From the beginning of June through September, fishermen are catching skate and dogfish most days and landing at the Chatham Fish Pier, a crowd looking down from the observation deck. Fish are unloaded to Red’s Best or Shellfish Broker, who lease the bays from the town, iced and sent to New Bedford for processing. Most of the harvest is going to France or England, but captains and crew would love to see domestic demand increase. This photo gallery, by Charlee O’Neil of Mainsail Events, reveals the busyness of the pier, abundance of fish, consistent hard work and camaraderie. Fishing continues into fall and winter, though not at the same pace.

There were so many great moments, food, and people at Hookers Ball that there isn’t enough room to share even a fraction of the frivolity. Thankfully, a picture is worth 1000 words and we have close to a dozen to share, taken by Salty Broad Studios. Check out this gallery for a glimpse into the fun and see who went “Skating Through Summer” with us and helped make the 24th annual ball under the Big White tent one for the record books.

Kim Roderiques and Geoff Bassett have spent the last several months following fishermen as they go about their daily lives and earn their living from the sea. The result of their work is a documentary, The Hand that Holds Line, a kaleidoscope of stories from local fishermen, the challenges they face and the success they realize through hard work and determination. A trailer of the documentary will premiere at Hookers Ball on Aug. 2; this gallery gives a glimpse into the stories about to be unveiled through stunning photographs taken on scene by Roderiques and Bassett. 

Wellfleet is famous for oysters, but the town also has an enviable quahog population, due in part to dedicated volunteers who help the shellfish department with their annual “relay” of quahogs from Taunton River. Over the course of several days in May, around 1,200 totes of clams made the trip over the bridge, placed in Wellfleet Harbor. The state runs the program; a multitude of clams are taken from the river, which is off limits to harvesting because of low water quality, purchased by towns to improve their shellfish programs. Clams cleanse themselves over months, spawn the next generation, and then become available for commercial and recreational harvest.

One of our core missions is education and we fulfill that in a variety of ways, from Meet the Fleets to community forums, regular member updates to visits with policy makers. This e-magazine is designed to let people know about the industry that is essential to the economy and culture of the Cape. Central is educating future fishermen to enter a career they may not have considered a possibility. We held our fifth Fishermen Training earlier this month, led by Frank Mattera of Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island. We also sent Ray Rowell of Fishermen’s Alliance to Florida for a meeting of National Future Fishermen Coalition, recently established to help coastal communities across the country collaborate, share resources, and create lasting connections.

There has been a lot of talk in town about the first welding course the Fishermen’s Alliance did in partnership with Cape Cod Community College and it has mostly centered around one question: When is the next one? As we continue to focus on professional development for the fleet – and economic development for our coastal communities – ways to strengthen independent businesses has been a focus. The beginner’s welding course, and another planned for engine repair, are geared to provide fishermen with the training to make small repairs that make a big impact on their bottom line.