Since 1976, our local seafood has been going directly to global auction, leaving New Hampshire. And more recently, drastic cuts in quotas for vital groundfish species, increased financial constraints on our fishing community, and the continued high cost of fuel have threatened to end this proud tradition.

Alarmed about our future, fishing boats from Seabrook, Hampton, Rye Harbor and Portsmouth Harbor organized a harvest coop, or sector. In 2010, we were given an ownership right to collectively manage the federal groundfish fishery. Each year, we create a harvesting strategy and use it to meet the strict catch limit guidelines of our operations plan.

While fishing within the strict regulations of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), we’re eager to work with New Hampshire consumers to keep our local fish in the state. We helped create a Community Supported Fishery (CSF) to provide members with the freshest possible fish, support New Hampshire fishermen, and promote this sustainable fishery management approach. The cultivation and nurturing of this direct relationship between local fishermen with local consumers is intended to increase demand for local seafood, to promote community awareness and engagement in marine resource issues, and to support our local and regional economies through the preservation of the livelihoods of local fishermen and the supporting of shore-side support infrastructure.