NEWBURYPORT— For the first time in Newburyport, locally caught, fresh fish will be available to buy at just $3 per pound, courtesy of a co-op system that will sell shares, similar to the Community Supported Agriculture program local farms are utilizing to sell their produce.
Community Supported Fisheries will be coming to the Newburyport waterfront to the right of the Black Cow Restaurant beginning Friday, Aug. 21, for 12 weeks. The fish that will be available includes a variety of haddock, cod, flounder, hake, grey sole, monkfish, pollock, redfish and possibly clams, lobsters and scallops.
It has been made possible by a group of fishermen from various local towns, including Salisbury, the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, the Gloucester Fishermen's Wives Association and support from MIT. Without this collaboration, all of the fish caught would go directly to Boston, said Debra Metivier, an advocate for the CSF and wife to one of the fishermen involved.
"Everybody got together to pull this off because they wanted a chance to give everyone fresh, locally caught fish," Metivier said.
The fish, which is delivered by Cape Ann Fresh Catch, will come packed on ice and will be cleaned and gutted, but not filleted. A half share of whole fish includes four to six pounds per week for 12 weeks for $180, and a full share of whole fish includes eight to 12 pounds per week for $360.
On-site lessons will be offered on how to fillet a fish as well, Metivier said.
"We have a lot of families that are interested in seeing this happen," Metivier said. "A lot of our fish is just fantastic, and it is incredibly fresh because my husband goes out of his way to do so."
In order to open a location, director of NAMA Niaz Dorry said 50 people are needed to sign up from the town. So far, Newburyport is not quite there yet, but Dorry is hoping that the word will get out and more people will sign up. The CSF has been successful in other communities, including Gloucester, Ipswich, Cambridge, Marblehead, Lincoln, Acton and Jamaica Plain.
"For us, this is a way of making sure fisheries are locally based, locally run, and small scale local boats are the ones that are supplying us with our seafood instead of the big industrial vessels," Dorry said.
One resident of Newburyport, Eric Goodness, has invested in one full share of fish. Originally from Maine, Goodness said that he is a "fish freak" and thinks it's a wonderful opportunity.
"I'm so excited at the prospect of getting fresh fish off the boat," Goodness said. "We've even invested in a new fillet knife."
In order to sign up to become a shareholder, go to http://www.namanet.org/csf/cape-ann-fresh-catch, download the new contract, fill it out, then choose the Newburyport location and mail it in with your payment. For more questions, e-mail Debra Metivier at pm.damjpld@verizon.net.
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