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On a beautiful summer night on Pleasant Bay, close to 100 people gathered to hear a talk on lobsters by Captain Chris Townsend — and sample the delicacy as well.
A woman in the audience, who grew up in Maine, impressed the crowd with her tale of how to hypnotize a lobster and make it do a headstand, but it was Townsend who had a litany of relatively unknown lobster lore:

I recently participated in the first annual Fisheries Leadership and National Policy Forum hosted by Seafood Harvesters of America in Washington, D.C. Industry leaders, scientists, members of Congress, and Administration officials gathered for a half-day discussion focused on the future of American fisheries policy and identifying clear actions to support a resilient, competitive and thriving U.S. seafood industry.

John Soposki had just finished his serving of coconut curry conch when he was asked how he liked it.
“I almost ate the plate too,” he grinned.

In the film “The Hand That Holds the Line” Captain Tim Linnell chokes up talking about the community banding together to help his family when his young son Sam had leukemia.
Sam, now a captain himself, also talks about the strong bond between fishermen and how they always lend a hand.
Chris Viprino, who lost his boat in a fire, says he will never forget the tremendous outpouring of support he received.

With 130 people gathered for an international virtual workshop, a cautionary story was told about a fishery in North Carolina shut down because “little old ladies in tennis shoes” found dead birds on the beach.
Fisheries closures through political pressure is an extreme and often avoidable outcome that didn’t sit well with fishermen, and others focused on more collaborative approaches to protecting birds.

Many students who attend WaterWORKS, an annual gathering at Cape Cod Community College, want to hear from different employers in the Blue Economy, explore job and career options from wastewater treatment to mosquito control to tagging sharks.
Not Barnstable High’s Theresa Wait. She knew exactly what she wants to do: commercial fishing.

Most farmers don’t have to worry about the tides. The carrots and tomatoes tend to mind their own business on solid ground, always available for a look-see.
But if you wrangle oysters for a living, the ever-changing moods of the ocean are front and center. Low tide is your time to work. You’ve got to make those precious hours count. Sure, the oysters aren’t going to run away, but they need love and attention along the lengthy journey to market size.
This was just one takeaway from an action-packed Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) Oyster Farm Tour, a splendid outing on a beautiful evening, with the tide rolling out and the sun sweetly sinking into Cape Cod Bay.

To create the documentary “The Hand that Holds the Line,” Geoff Bassett and Kim Roderiques spent more than a hundred hours with Cape Cod’s commercial fishermen, capturing life on the water, the impact of difficult weather, long hours, variable markets and onerous regulations. One thing stood out:
“They all have a love for it,” said Bassett. “That’s fantastic to see, the majority of the film is people smiling.”

A table stretched a few hundred feet on the L-shaped end of MacMillan Pier in Provincetown, draped with white linen, set with a dazzling array of plates and wine glasses. While attendees enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, Mike Chute held the evening’s menu above the expanse to take a picture before guests were seated.