News

2014 was a year of many successes for the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance - both on the water and in the community. In the year ahead, we will continue to pursue our mission of protecting our marine ecosystem and sustaining our fishing traditions for future generations. Learn more about our staff. Here's are the topics covered in the Annual Report: On the Water Electronic Monitoring - The Future is Now Diving Deeper Into Conch A Small-Boat Win for Scallops Georges Bank Cod Fixed Gear Sector - top seafood landings Cape Cod Fisheries Trust - 2014 by the numbers In the Community "Fish for Families" Program Reaches Cape Families in Need A New Dog in Town - Dogfish Gets a Makeover Wine & Dine with Fishermen Behinds the Scenes at the Fish Pier Meet one of our Supporters - Barbara Matteson If you didn't receive a hard copy of the Annual Report by mail, please contact us at 508-945-2432 or or read it online by clicking here...

BARNSTABLE — The second phase of the disbursement of Federal Ground Fish Disaster Relief funds in Massachusetts will begin soon. The state will distribute $8.3 million which includes S3.8 million for permit holders and $3 million for crew members. Cape Cod Fisherman’s Alliance Policy Analyst Claire Fitzgerald applauds funds going to crew members...

Atlantic Spiny Dogfish Gets a Makeover The Fishermen's Alliance is participating in a federal Saltonstall-Kennedy grant to increase domestic consumer demand for dogfish. The main goal of this program is to leverage abundant dogfish populations off the coast of Cape Cod to improve the regional fishing economy. The project will be completed in three phases with important partners: 1...

Trying out a new recipe can be difficult, even daunting for the most experienced chef. One of the things we work toward at the Fishermen's Alliance is to educate and encourage people to try a new seafood species in their every day meals. We have partnered up with well-known chefs to bring you some options for preparing the seafood caught straight from the Cape Cod waters...

By Peter Brown

By Elspeth Hay Pictured above are fishermen Doug Feeney and Luther Bates and Communications Director Nancy Civetta from the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance helping to distribute dogfish through the Family Pantry in Harwich. Photo credit to Elspeth Hay.   Fish is important for good health, but it can be expensive. This week on the Local Food Report, Elspeth Hay talks with the fishermen and organizers behind a new program called Fish for Families that's working to get high quality local seafood to Cape Cod families in need...

Within the New England scallop fishery, there are two fleets: the small boats and the big boats. Small boats depend on a stable, reliable source of scallops close to home. Meanwhile, the large boats fish rotationally, moving to wherever scallop stocks are healthiest and fishing those stocks to depletion before letting those stocks recover by moving on to another fishing area...

We are very pleased to announce that Fishermen’s Alliance CEO, John Pappalardo, has been appointed to fill an at-large seat vacancy on the New England Fishery Management Council. John was Governor Patrick’s first preferred nominee for this seat, and it was one of the Governor’s last actions before he left office. We are thrilled that John will make the voices of Cape Cod’s small boat fishermen heard on this national decision-making body...

The Alliance has worked to achieve success for the policy issues small-boat fishermen care about.  Scallops At the November meeting of the New England Fishery Management Council, the Alliance’s scallop fishermen secured a resounding victory in their ongoing efforts to protect their small-boat way of life. Within the New England scallop fishery, there are two fleets: the small boats and the big boats...

From electronic video monitoring to new conch bait options, the Fishermen's Alliance has worked hard to address current fisheries management challenges with innovative and lasting solutions. Videos Onboard This year, the Fishermen’s Alliance and Cape Cod fishermen enrolled in the Fixed Gear Sector have worked closely with the National Marine Fisheries Service to develop a comprehensive electronic video monitoring program that can replace and improve upon the current system of putting human observers on boats...

The Fishermen's Alliance is proud to be on the cutting edge of innovation within sustainable fisheries management.   Scoop on Skates This past spring, a small group of Cape Cod commercial fishermen received an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to catch barndoor skates. This is an unparalleled opportunity for our fleet to be directly involved in all levels of the management of this rebounding fishery...

By Doug Fraser CHATHAM – In August, Tom Dempsey was reappointed by Gov. Deval Patrick to his second three-year term on the regional fishery management council. But in October, Dempsey, the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance policy director, resigned from the New England Fishery Management Council because he had taken a job as senior fisheries policy director with The Nature Conservancy in Monterey, California...