Monthly e-Magazine Articles

From Jamaica’s Treasure Beach to Cape Cod (and back); “Jelly” Hill’s pragmatic vision

Apr 24, 2024 | Fish Tales

Everyone in Jamaica has a nickname, a familiar name. For Anthony Hill it’s “Jelly,” and has been ever since he was little.
The name carried to Cape Cod, where he met his wife Sarah Robin 20 years ago and the two carved a life first working in Provincetown then owning and running the Flying Fish Restaurant in Wellfleet, busting ass season by season, investing in community and property, living what some might call the American Dream, understanding that the dream is not simple, easy, or clichéd.
“All de while,” as they say in Jamaica, Jelly kept Jamaican roots and aspirations.

Hands up for herring

Apr 24, 2024 | Plumbing the Depths

New England Fishery Management Council staff wanted to hear from the public about how to protect beleaguered Atlantic Herring. And they did, but they also heard a lot about time past and time wasted.

Abigail Archer was one of the first to speak at the hearing in Buzzards Bay at the end of March. A member of the Cape Cod Salties sportfishing club, she said every herring run in the state was closed to harvest since 2006 because of low numbers of fish.

“This means we have 18-year-old people … who have not had the opportunity to harvest river herring for food, for bait and to catch other food. That’s a cultural practice that people engaged with parents, grandparents, friends, neighbors and that hasn’t been able to happen,” Archer said.

Meet Ray Rowell: Our new permit bank director

Apr 24, 2024 | Aids to Navigation

Most mornings on the way to work in Chatham, Ray Rowell will take the long way out of Wellfleet along Ocean View Drive, past White Crest Beach, to look out at the Atlantic and check who’s fishing.
“I can see if there are any clam boats out there,” Rowell said. “It’s my way of keeping tabs on things. I also compulsively check the weather.”
Rowell used to be on clam boats until the Bentley College graduate took a job as a sales agent with a life insurance company. Then he saw an advertisement for Fisheries Permit Bank Director at the Fishermen’s Alliance:

Stuart Smith looks back at a fishing village, forward at a sustainable community

Apr 24, 2024 | Charting the Past

For much of Chatham’s history, everyone in town worked for the fishing industry either directly or indirectly.
“Chatham was entirely a fishing town,” Stuart Smith said. “It revolved around fishing.”
Smith, recently retired as harbormaster after 39 years working for the town, was no different.
One of his first jobs out of school, in 1983, was for David Carnes and Dick Larsen at Chatham Fish and Lobster, which opened in 1981.
“We did everything,” said Smith with a smile. “I smelled like a fish for years.”

Photo Gallery: Through the years, shellfishing in Chatham

Apr 24, 2024 | A Day in Photos

We share historic and contemporary commercial fishing photography whenever possible, beautiful reminders of how the industry has always been part of our existence, as constant as the tides.
These images are a compilation from noted photographer Christopher LeClaire, who was introduced to the commercial fisheries at the age of four by his grandfather, Hillary. LeClaire’s father, Hillary Jr., also shellfished commercially and Chris got his license in 1983. Although he had taken many photos over the years it wasn’t until 2008 that he concentrated on documenting commercial fisheries off Chatham.
“On a daily basis, my camera made its way to the top of my gear list of equipment that was not to be forgotten: hip boots, rain jacket, steamer rake and now, camera bag with multiple zoom lenses,” LeClaire said.
We are happy to share some of his images, some of which have been published in his book, “Cape Cod Commercial Fisheries, Chatham Massachusetts.” Some of his photos also grace the walls in the barn of our offices on Main Street.

A few great ideas have made it up the town meeting runs

Apr 24, 2024 | Over the Bar

I’m seeing are multiple moments when this year’s town meetings will have opportunities to support our fishing community.
The most visible and dramatic is in Orleans, a proposal to approve an $8.3-million investment to rebuild the commercial side of Rock Harbor.