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Cataumet Fish is committed to buying and selling local seafood and oftentimes uses social media to share the name of the boat that brought in the catch of the day. But owners Patrick and Jenny Ross have found an old-school approach works wonders as well; a sandwich board set up right outside the Bourne market with fish specials highlighted in bright-colored chalk.  
“The chalkboard is effective even for regular customers,” said Patrick, adding it works even better if they pair specials with a recipe.
Business owners and fishermen across New England have been working for years to get more local seafood onto plates, a difficult challenge for a variety of reasons.

Steve Gennodie, in a checkered button-down shirt and grey jeans, stood in biting wind outside the Fishermen’s Alliance to talk to close to 100 people as they left the building.
He held a plate of furikake, also sprinkled on ahi tuna and avocado mini tacos many were munching as they left the first Meet the Fleet of the year on April 16. The heart of the savory Japanese spice blend was kelp from a farm just a few miles down the road.
“You have a little treasure in Chatham,” Gennodie told everyone.
Gennodie, who owns Chatham Pier Fish Market, had joined Jamie Bassett, Richard Curtiss and Carl Douglass from Chatham Kelp to talk about his business (which opened for the season that day) and how he hopes to sell local furikake.

To emphasis how important commercial fishing is to the economic health of the entire Cape, we attended the Cape Cod Commission’s “OneCape” summit, and offered a presentation entitled “Seven Degrees of Connection between the Cape and the commercial fisheries.” It was a play on “Six Degrees of Separation,” or “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,” as you prefer, a little whimsy and personal touch meant with serious intent. The idea: Pick one boat, one captain, and explore how the Fishermen’s Alliance’s work connects the economic dots.

In any harbor, with any boat, this idea could apply. Since the summit was held at Wychmere Beach Club, next door to Wychmere Harbor in Harwich, we started there, with a photo of a boat familiar to many: 

While Formula One go-karts whizzed along a track, and Radar Love blared, emcee Matt Pitta kept up a running commentary for thousands gathered at Mashpee Commons to watch the 23rd annual Seaside Le Mans. Sometimes, he said, he felt like he was at the Superbowl.
“As I walked up to some of the tents they covered their mouths with clipboards,” chuckled Pitta.
“I love it,” said Stephanie Viva, a Cape radio personality helping him keep the crowd entertained. “They take it seriously. They are in it to win it.”