The Eastham focus group.
By Doreen Leggett
Over the course of months, multiple focus groups and close to 40 conversations, myriad reasons why people aren’t eating more seafood were revealed.
“I don’t want the smell in my house, and I don’t always know how to cook it.”
“I don’t feel comfortable buying fish at Stop & Shop and other chains.”
“I don’t know where it’s from and haven’t heard of that type of fish.”
“Fish is too expensive, especially if I run the risk of ruining it.”
The honesty was appreciated by Seth Rolbein from Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance and Nikki Galibois from South Shore Community Action Council, who were running the groups to get information to break down those barriers and increase local seafood consumption. With those insights in hand, the two non-profits will collaborate on a grant proposal to submit to the United States Department of Agriculture to fund programs to begin to do just that.
“We see great opportunities to connect to the Cape’s diverse community, offer great and healthy local seafood to children as well as adults, and engage our historic fishing fleet with a growing group of friends and neighbors,” said Rolbein.
Rolbein and Galibois partnered on a USDA planning grant with other Cape advocacy organizations, including the Brazilian Resource Center, Cape Cod Children’s Place and Community Action Committee of Cape Cod and the Islands.
Mike Mecenas, founder of the resource center in Hyannis, hosted the first roundtable in May, attended by close to 20 members of the Brazilian community.
“Thanks for coming out tonight,” Galibois said. “We are trying to learn about how fishing boats and captains can help feed people, especially children.”
All the attendees ate fish regularly, save one, who had an allergy. They pointed to its health benefits and great taste as the reasons they ate it – often a few times a week.
A big reason they didn’t eat even more fish was price. That also drove the decision to choose products like tilapia or canned tuna. In Brazil people were able to buy entire fish at open air markets or at the dock, which was more attractive and affordable, attendees said.
Participants at the community action committee’s focus group, also in Hyannis, echoed the ease of buying fish at the dock, or in open markets, this time in Jamaica. Several saw a much greater variety of fish in the Caribbean, often sold at the dock.
Rolbein explained that because of stringent public health regulations in Massachusetts, it is difficult for fishermen to sell their catch at open air markets or directly off the boat.
Although it’s more difficult, and expensive, to buy fish here, two women from Jamaica who attended the June focus group said they still eat a lot of fish. They had some helpful tips: Cooking with lemon or ginger cuts the smell and for those who worry about bones in whole fish, they suggested frying so small bones become so dry they virtually disappear. Or people could make fish soup and strain out the bones.
In the Caribbean it is common to fry fish and add a sauté of carrots, peppers and onion. They eat the entire fish, including the eyes, which they say is good for your brain.
Attendees wondered why much of the seafood caught on Cape is shipped over the bridge. Rolbein explained that Americans are used to eating white, flaky fillets (mostly cod or haddock) which aren’t as abundant here anymore, or salmon, which isn’t caught on the East Coast. So fish from elsewhere is imported, while locally abundant fish is shipped out.
“For example, skate is going all over the world, but not as much is staying here, which is really too bad,” he said.
Some at the community action council said they have tried the Cape’s striped bass and black sea bass, but regularly drive to markets in Roxbury or to Chinatown to buy whole fish they are more familiar with.
Fish is also the main protein for many who attend Seventh-Day Adventists churches, which have emerged on the Cape.
“The Haitian Church is always packed,” said one attendee from Jamaica. “Ours too.”
The Brazilian community said much the same thing; churches are gathering places as well as religious institutions.
“The Brazilian community … is a huge market. And we eat a lot. We don’t eat at restaurants like Americans. We eat at home,” said Carlos, an attendee at the Brazilian Center’s focus group.
Captain Bradley Louw, who lived in South Africa until he was 10, attended one focus group at the Brazilian center and said immigrants often have stronger bonds than those who grew up here.
“One thing Americans lack is community,” Louw said.
He added that the Fishermen’s Alliance is trying to build a stronger community through a food system that focuses on and celebrates local.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe it,” he said. “We need to stay together.”
Louw, who has been fishing for 15 years, also spoke about job opportunities in the commercial fishing industry. The USDA planning grant is also fostering ways to introduce immigrants to the variety of jobs available in the Cape’s seafood industry.
Immigrants may buy less fish here in America because they don’t recognize the species and don’t know how it tastes. That helped clear up a mystery for Galibois.
In surveys given out before focus groups, respondents said they wouldn’t take Small Boats, Big Taste Haddock Chowder and Provencal Fish Stew offered by the Fishermen’s Alliance even if it was free. It became clear they were reluctant because they have no idea about the product.
Part of the problem is that the packaging is in English; attendees said they would take the chowder or stew if the labeling was in Portuguese or if someone explained what kind of fish it was and that it was local. The story behind Small Boats, Big Taste – how it was started during COVID to give fishermen a fair price for their catch and supply food banks with a nutritious meal – was also important.
“We need more understanding, propaganda, around the community, so people will buy more,” Carlos said. “It’s a way for the whole community to take care of each other.”
In Eastham, at Children’s Place, a group said those on the Outer Cape are more likely to eat fish because they grew up with friends or family who fished commercially.
“I think it comes from the culture of the family,” said Cindy Horgan, Director of Family Support Services at Children’s Place. “My adult children love fish.”
Another member of the group agreed.
“My family is a fishing family. We always got it free,” she said. “(My kids) grew up having fish stew for breakfast.”
The group also said that 50 or 60 years ago, serving fish was common in schools. Students also learned to cook in school or cooked regularly at home with parents or grandparents. That doesn’t happen as much anymore, and now there is more a culture of convenience. People don’t want to spend the time preparing a meal.
That may be changing as there are successful programs where students can visit farms and grow their own fresh vegetables to eat. Introducing students to fishermen and having them visit boats and aquaculture farms could help convince the next generation to make fish a regular part of their diet.
Attendees agreed that more young adults and parents of young kids want to start eating healthier and cooking more local foods.
The work of the Fishermen’s Alliance and South Shore CAC aims to make that much easier.