“Billingsgate,” from Olde England to Wellfleet to Atlantis
If you were to pick one English word that relates to commercial fishing with the longest history and deepest association, probably it would be “Billingsgate.” So it’s fitting that long before the American Revolution, “Billingsgate” connected Olde England to its fish-rich colony on Cape Cod at least as much as other names like Barnstable, Chatham, and Yarmouth...
PHOTO GALLERY: A seaweed success story
The largest permitted commercial kelp farm in the state quietly exists about a half mile off Harding’s Beach in Chatham. Since it got its start late in 2018 it has been slowly growing, literally and figuratively, mostly under the radar (as well as the water) because it is a winter crop. So when most people are in the water during the warmer months of May through October, the co-owners of Chatham Kelp – Jamie Bassett, Carl Douglass and Richard Curtiss – are already gone...
On to the next phase
We are, as any mariner would describe it, in uncharted territory. Now that we have entered “Phase One,” and understand (in theory anyway) how we might begin to tack back to the place called “the new normal,” there are some things we can say about the months we have just navigated through. None of us have ever experienced anything like this, and on the surface it looked like the doldrums, but actually there was a lot of movement close to the waterline, a lot of effort and coping, a lot of creativity and new tactics...
The Hays think outside of the conventional restaurant box
Over the course of a few decades, Mac’s Seafood has grown from one small fish market on the Wellfleet pier to 10 markets and restaurants, a processing facility, catering business and wholesale shellfish company. This year Mac Hay, who owns the company with his younger brother, Alex, was expecting a banner year. They had re-invested in the businesses and felt they were solidly prepared going into the summer...
Supporting fishermen during COVID
By United States Senator Ed Markey (Editor’s note: We asked US Senator Edward Markey to share his perspectives on efforts in Washington to support and protect our fisheries during this time of crisis -- an assessment of federal action to date, what has been beneficial so far, and what we might expect going forward. Here is his report.) Growing up in Malden, summer vacations meant trips to Revere Beach with my family...
Facing a pandemic, status quo at the Provincetown pier – for now
Timing is everything, the old adage goes, and in this case it was bad. In March, with COVID-19 upending businesses and knocking out markets for fishermen, the Provincetown Public Pier Corporation (PPPC), which manages the town’s wharf, sent out a notice: fees were going to change. Not only that, but the changes – which almost everyone took to mean hikes – were going to be discussed virtually...
From that other Great Depression, a writer found fishing inspiration
Only the Great Depression of the 1930s rivals this moment for damage done to our livelihoods, our sense of security, our communities. During the darkest times of that Depression, 1934, a man moved to Cape Cod with his wife and small daughter. At 31 years old he had already been a young reporter for the Kansas City Star, then lived in New York City for 10 years trying to get paid for writing magazine articles, kids’ books, you name it...
PHOTO GALLERY: Delicious dockside deliveries
If anyone knows how to deal with drastically changes circumstances, and often not for the better, it’s commercial fishermen. And, to be sure, the current moment we are in is exponentially more difficult than comparable tight spots, but fishermen have done their best to create pandemic positives. Many are still working and the following photo gallery captures several slices of life on the waterfront...
We are still here, fishing and working
The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, then called the Hook Fishermen’s Association, formed in 1991 at a crisis moment. A group of independent, forward-thinking fishermen created a united front to make sure major regulatory changes hitting the industry wouldn’t destroy the historic, small-boat fleet on Cape Cod. We are in another pivotal moment...
Fisherman Al Youngren: A personal history
In Al Youngren’s small kitchen there is a big nautical chart, covering most of a wall, nicely framed and in perfect view of anyone seated at the kitchen table. Youngren, barrel-chested and slim at 82, says it’s from 1985 or so. Still useable. “It’s been up there for 30 years,” he says, in a voice that is all old Cape Cod seaman, rarely heard anymore...
