October Issue - North Carolina`s Commercial Fishing Industry

October, 2014
“It’s no fish ye’re buying - it’s men’s lives.”
What’s for
Dinner?
Capt. Ernie
Foster:
Worth
Reading:
North Carolina
Oyster Recipes
The Men Who
Reinvented Fishing
Classics of the
Industry
19
7
9
FREE
Tradewinds
Publication
of the North Carolina
Fisheries Association
Celebrating the Rich Heritage of North Carolina’s Fishing Families
The Dirty, Not-So-Little Secrets About Imports
In This Issue
Inspiration: We Fish By Faith
10
Achievers: Ocracoke’s Fisherwoman
11
Remembering: Blessing of the Fleet
13
Tradition: Bogue Banks Mullet Blow
14
On the Road: Alaskan Advanture
15
Hard Times: Photo esay by noted
author & photographer Ben Casey
16-17
Your Health: Formaldehyde in
Asian Fish
19
Opinion: Why Are We Importing
Our Own Fish?
30
Did you know that over 80 percent of the fish and shrimp
Americans eat actually comes from overseas — and a recent
investigation found that some of that seafood may contain toxic
chemicals that can cause serious health problems.
Footage taken by a U.S. advocacy group of seafood being raised
in Vietnam, for example, showed fish in dirty sewage water,
pumped with toxic antibiotics and banned drugs just to keep
them alive, boosting production and driving down costs.
Ron Sparks is commissioner of the state Department of Agriculture in Alabama — one of the few states that tests imported
seafood for drugs like chloramphenicol, nitrofurans and malachite green, chemicals so toxic to humans that they’re banned in
all food. “In some cases, between 40 and 50 percent of our tests
will come out positive,” Sparks said. “That’s a disturbing number.”
State tests in Oklahoma, Mississippi and Georgia show similar
results, all targeting seafood with the worst record of contamination: shrimp, catfish, crabmeat and tilapia imported to the U.S.
from China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia — ending
up in American restaurants and grocery stores in many cases,
officials say.
“Unfortunately, consumers can’t tell if any of these compounds
are in their seafood,” said Joe Basile, a seafood chemist for the
Alabama Department of Agriculture. “You can’t smell it, can’t
taste it, you can’t cook it out.”
Scientists say that over time, eating seafood contaminated
with such chemicals could cause anemia, cancer and even birth
defects.
The Food and Drug Administration says that the risks are
long-term and not fully understood. While the FDA is responsible for keeping the nation’s food supply safe, TODAY’s investi-
gation found that the FDA tests less than 2 percent of imported
seafood.
“I would certainly suggest that the FDA do more,” Sparks said.
‘Cat-and-mouse game’
Government tests show that U.S. seafood is free of these contaminants, but as far back as 2007, a congressional report found
that “seafood imports remain especially problematic” and that
the “FDA lacks sufficient resources and authority to ensure food
safety.”
The FDA declined to speak with TODAY on camera, but said
it is doing the best it can, targeting its testing on companies and
countries that are repeat offenders and rejecting their products
Continued on page 24
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT #35
NEW BERN, NC
From the Editor’s Desk
Maureen Donald
Love Shrimp? Read This Before You Head to the Market
Mmm...shrimp with a side of antibiotics, cockroaches and dead fish.
NORTH CAROLINA
FISHERIES ASSOCIATION, INC.
2014 Board of Directors
OFFICERS
Brent Fulcher New Bern, NC Chairman
Leslie Daniels Beaufort, NC Treasurer
BOARD MEMBERS
Ralphie Craddock-Mann Harbor, NC
Henry Daniels-Belhaven, NC
Joey Daniels-Wanchese Fish Company
Wayne Dunbar-Pamlico County, NC
Dewey Hemilright-Wanchese, NC
Michael (Jimbo) Ireland-Aurora, NC
Benny O’Neal-Wanchese, NC
Steve Parrish-Supply, NC
Brunswick County Fishermen’s Association
Hardy Plyler-Ocracoke, NC
Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association
Wesley Potter-New Bern, NC
Terry Pratt-Merry Hill, NC
Albemarle Fishermen’s Association
Britton Shackelford-Wanchese, NC
NC Watermen United
Bradley Styron-Cedar Island, NC
Carteret County Fishermen’s Association
Mark Vrablic-Wanchese, NC
Sherrie Williams-Engelhard, NC
Representing NC Catch,
ex-officio, non-voting:
Karen Amspacher
NCFA Staff
Jerry Schill,
President
Peggy C. Page,
Administration & Accounting
Lauren Morris
Membership & Operations Manager
P.O. Box 335
Bayboro, NC
28515
Shrimp is the most popular seafood in the United
States, but here’s an unsettling fact that might keep
you from ordering your next shrimp cocktail: 90
percent of the shrimp we eat has been imported,
but less than 2 percent of that gets inspected by U.S.
regulatory agencies. What’s the big deal? Imported
shrimp, more than any other seafood, has been
found to be contaminated with banned chemicals,
pesticides, and even cockroaches, and it skirts
food-safety authorities only to wind up on your
plate. The number one reason for all that: the dirty
conditions in which farmed shrimp are raised.
#1: It’s filthy.
Banned antibiotics aren’t the only unwanted sides
you get with imported shrimp. Previous tests have
found penicillin, an antibiotic that, while legal,
could trigger allergic reactions in unsuspecting
shrimp-lovers. “Imported farmed shrimp comes
with a whole bevy of contaminants: antibiotics,
residues from chemicals used to clean pens, filth
like mouse hair, rat hair, and pieces of insects,” says
Marianne Cufone, director of the fish program at
the nonprofit Food and Water Watch. And that
list doesn’t include Salmonella and E. coli, both of
which have been detected in imported shrimp. In
fact, imported shrimp is so dirty that it accounts for
26 to 35 percent of all shipments of imported seafood that get rejected due to filth, according to Food
& Water Watch.
#2: Shrimp-packing plants are filthy, too.
A report published in the November 2012 issue of
Bloomberg magazine revealed some truly disgusting facts about the conditions in which shrimp are
packaged and shipped. At one particular facility in
Vietnam, the magazine’s reporters found processing-plant floors littered with garbage, flies buzzing
around, and shrimp that wasn’t being stored at
proper temperatures. The shrimp itself was packed
in ice made from local tap water, which public
health authorities warned should be boiled before
using due to microbial contamination, potentially
exposing the shrimp (and eaters) to more bacte-
rial contamination. According to
Bloomberg, FDA inspectors have
rejected 1,380 loads of seafood from Vietnam since
2007 for filth and salmonella, including 81 from the
plant the reporters visited.
#3: It’s full of cancer-causing chemicals.
According to a 2011 Government Accountability
Office report, the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) tested just 0.1 percent of imported seafood
for chemical residues. Here’s what the agency missed
in that untested 99.9 percent: banned antibiotics that
have the potential to cause cancer. Recently, ABC
News recruited scientists from Texas Tech University’s Institute of Environmental and Human Health
to test 30 samples of shrimp purchased from grocery
stores for the presence of three classes of antibiotics.
Two samples of imported farm-raised (as opposed
to wild) shrimp from India and Thailand tested
positive for nitrofuranzone, an antibiotic that’s a
known carcinogen, at levels 28 and 29 times higher
than those allowed by the FDA. Another antibiotic,
chloramphenical, was detected at levels 150 times
the legal limit. It’s been banned in food production
in the U.S. because of possible severe side effects
such as aplastic anemia and leukemia.
#4: It’s exacerbating climate change.
More often than not, these nonnative shrimp
are raised in farms, rather than being caught wild.
Shrimp farms, essentially huge underwater pens, are
built along coastlines, and to make room for them,
shrimp farmers have to destroy native mangrove
forests that provide a buffer against hurricanes and
flooding. Scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture have found that mangrove forests absorb
and trap more climate-changing carbon dioxide
than any other ecosystem on the planet, including
rainforests. Yet, over the past 50 years, anywhere
from 5 to 80 percent of the mangrove forests in
Thailand, Ecuador, Indonesia, China, Mexico, and
Vietnam (the five leading shrimp-farming countries) have been destroyed to make room for more
coastal shrimp farms.
#5: It’s not domestic.
Enough said?
Tradewinds
A publication of the North Carolina Fisheries Association
P.O. Box 700
Oriental, NC 28571
For more information about advertising, editorial contributions or suggestions
regarding this publication, please contact:
Maureen Donald, Editor
252-675-3128
[email protected]
www.nctradewinds.com
Tradewinds
3
NCFA Forum
A Message from Brent
NCFA is fighting day in and day out for your
continued access to fish commercially in
North Carolina and Federal waters. 2013 was a
very difficult time on the NC Fishing Industry,
with the Tim Hergenrader Petition to close
Shrimping in Pamlico Sound and the Gamefish
Bill 983 which was introduced in the General
Assembly. Both of these assaults on the North
Carolina Fishing Industry were defeated through
efforts from fishermen, industry and concerned
individuals. You may have been a member of the
NCFA in the past, or you may have never been
a member of NCFA . Whatever the situation
NCFA needs YOU now, and you need NCFA
more than ever. The groups that are attacking the
North Carolina Commercial Fishing Industry
are using any and every measure possible to end
your access to enjoy commercial fishing in North
Carolina Waters.
Through very tough and difficult negotiations,
NCFA was able to help create an Observer Fund
Board to help direct and navigate the industry
through some difficult issues. NCFA members
have worked in conjunction with Commissioner
Sammy Corbett to create a fisherman friendly call in line so that fisherman can meet the
A Word from Lauren Morris
NCFA Membership and Operations Manager
I’m not much of a daredevil; but, one summer I
got up the courage to ride “The Human Slingshot,”
which is exactly what it sounds like, by the way.
For those three minutes, I felt sheer terror and
complete euphoria all at once. I hadn’t felt that
way again until I accepted my new position as
Membership and Operations Manager at NCFA.
I left the Division of Marine Fisheries after nearly
nine years, where many of my coworkers were like
family; but, I had landed my dream job working
for the industry I loved.
When people have asked why I left the division,
that’s the answer. I love commercial fishing. It’s
my heritage. The sight of a trawler, a haul boat
or a clam rake makes me smile. Some of my
happiest memories are of time spent at fish houses
and on boats. As a child, I was most content at
my grandparents’ fish house – riding the forklift,
making boxes, fishing off the dock or climbing
the ice house (when no one was watching). I feel
something like a hum in my blood when I see a
Why Should I Join NCFA?
requirements of the new gill net permit. It was
such a great idea that the Division decided it was
too complicated to implement. In May, NCFA
Members traveled to Arlington, Va to comment
on Red Drum management to the Atlantic States
Marine Fisheries Commission.
If you commercial fish in North Carolina,you
have benefited from NCFA’s daily and constant
efforts to keep everyone fishing . Fishermen and
Dealers can become members through NCFA’s half percent program which allows you to
contribute while your fishing. Your membership
in NCFA is crucial to keeping your access to
the North Carolina Fishing Industry. If the half
percent program is not for you , you can still be
a part of NCFA for as little as $ 120 a year, that’s
less than .33 a day, and a Dealer for as little as
$ 250 a year, that’s only .68 a day. Please join,
or renew your membership to NCFA These
extremely low rates seem like pretty cheap
insurance to Keep Us NORTH CAROLINIANS
Fishing.
Please complete the NCFA application located
in the back of this issue.
Like I said, Keep Us North Carolinians Fishing! NCFA is for all and NCFA must have
man mending net - a link to another time, an
ancestor. I can’t help but feel a little awestruck at
the thought of my grandfathers plying the Pamlico
hundreds of years ago, of my grandmothers anxiously waiting for them in an unexpected storm.
At thirty I’m still proud, as only a little girl can be,
of my daddy braving Northeast winters and high
seas to bring fish to the dock.
I verge on the evangelical when it comes to
commercial fishing. I want people who have
never met a fishermen to see them the way I do
- the most wonderful mix of fierce independence
and dependable neighbor. Often times they are
spellbinding storytellers and mischievous jokesters
all wound up in the shell of a weather worn Atlas,
bearing the weight of a family (or two or three) on
his shoulders.
Commercial fishermen are the first environmentalists, stewards of the sounds well before it
was hip. They note the slightest change in the waters they fish, and worry about it what it means.
These men and women are living examples of
faith, never knowing what they will bring home or
even if they will make it home. Yet, they set out.
And they are tough. They work with gashes and
everyone’s participation to keep us all
fishing!
If you have fished
in the past years,
you have already
benefit from NCFA’s
efforts, please join,
or renew your membership to NCFA.
Nobody knows
what may face the
industry beyond today, but rest assured
that NCFA will
be standing in the
NCFA Chairman Brent Fulcher
forefront to support
and protect whatever
challenges the North Carolina Fishing industry
may encounter.
The Livelihoods of the North Carolinian Fishermen depend on all off us, Dealers, Consumers,
Retailers, Restaurateurs and Fishermen.
Thank You for your Support,
Brent Fulcher
bruises and all manner of ailments, sometimes in
blinding heat and others breathtaking cold. If you
haven’t noticed, they are fascinating paradoxes,
because these guys are kindhearted, too. They
encourage one another in the tough times and
on trips long from home. When one of their own
struggles, they are quick to aid. In fact, they stop
to help anyone they meet in need. How could you
not love them?
The commercial industry is important to our
state for many reasons. It is a self-supporting
industry. It also provides jobs for many others,
such as, boat builders, mechanics, truck drivers,
refrigeration technicians, dock hands, marine
construction workers, retail workers, and the list
goes on. Commercial fishing provides a locally,
sustainably harvested and safe product. Incidentally, imported seafood is most often not
sustainably harvested nor safe. The industry
remains a part of our state’s heritage and a proud
tradition. But, most importantly, it is more than
an industry. It is a way of life that we love beyond
measure. It is a family full of lovable and quirky
characters. It’s a world that works hard to bring
fresh North Carolina seafood to you.
Isn’t It Time You
Joined?
Visit www.ncfish.org
for more information
4
Tradewinds
5
NCFA Forum
A Word (or two) from Jerry
This column will be just a little different. In
addition to being sent to our members and legislators, this issue of Tradewinds will be distributed at the North Carolina State Fair and the Outer Banks Seafood Festival! The North Carolina
Fisheries Association, or NCFA, will be assisting
NC Catch with the display at the State Fair providing volunteers, seafood and printed materials
for the public to enjoy. For those who may have
taken a copy of this publication but don’t know
a lot about commercial fishing, I would like to
offer some info from our perspective.
NCFA is a 61-year-old non-profit trade association that represents the interests of its member
fishing families, seafood dealers and processors.
In addition to providing representation for
commercial fishermen in the General Assembly
in Raleigh, we stay engaged in federal issues as
well. We also have educational outreach such as
this effort at the State Fair. We use Tradewinds
as a “newsletter” for our fishing families to keep
them abreast of what’s going on in the legislature and regulatory agencies that may affect the
way they make a living. We have a Facebook
page and will be a little more active in the social
media arena too.
We are governed by a Board of Directors
that are involved with different types of fishing,
packing and processing, and have a small staff
that does lobbying, produces Tradewinds and
other educational materials and public outreach.
Although we are small, we try to fill any request
for public speaking at schools, churches or service clubs.
Commercial fishing is regulated by state and
federal agencies. The United States Congress has
passed many laws at the federal level and those
laws are put into action and enforced by the National Marine Fisheries Service, which is part of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the Department of Commerce.
Under them, North Carolina fishermen deal
with a number of federal fishery management
councils, which are: New England, Mid Atlantic
and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. The federal government is responsible for
the EEZ or Exclusive Economic Zone, which
begins at 3 miles from shore and extends to 200
miles. Charged with enforcement are the US
Coast Guard and NOAA/NMFS law enforcement.
At the state level, the Division of Marine
Fisheries, or DMF, is under the Department of
Got To Be NC! (Seafood That Is!)
The Blessing of the Fleet was not only a beautiful service and memorial for those fishermen
who have died, but a testament and blessing for
those who still are on the water to supply us with
fresh, local seafood.
Environment & Natural Resources. The General Assembly passes laws and it’s up to the
Department and the DMF to put them in place
and enforce them. Our North Carolina Marine
Fisheries Commission is a 9-member board
appointed by the Governor that adopts fisheries
policy. It’s up to the Division of Marine Fisheries
to implement that policy.
Commercial fishermen also need to be engaged with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission (ASMFC), which is a compact of
14 states on the Atlantic Coast.
So you can see that commercial fishing
requires vigilance in the political and regulatory arenas and being engaged in this process
is crucial. For decades, commercial fishermen
have been part of the process in protecting the
environment by being proactive in the development of gear and fishing practices in the name
of conservation. For example: helped to establish
Primary and Secondary Nursery areas to protect
juvenile finfish and other critters; Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in shrimp trawls to protect
sea turtles; circle hooks in the longline fishery to
protect sea turtles; closed areas and season and
taking observers in the large mesh gillnet fishery
to protect sea turtles; escape panels in crab pots
to allow undersized crabs to escape; escape
panels in pound nets to allow juvenile finfish to
escape; bycatch reduction devices, or BRDs, to
allow finfish to escape shrimp trawls, etc., etc.
In addition to the voluntary conservation
measures that fishermen help to adopt through
cooperative research, it should be noted that are
many, many restrictions that fishermen have to
live with that they do not agree with or that they
don’t think are needed. However, the purpose of
this issue of Tradewinds is to celebrate commercial fishing and the fishermen and their families
that make it possible for you to enjoy fresh,
North Carolina seafood!
Recently, we participated in the North Carolina Seafood Festival in Morehead City. The event
is held each year, the first weekend in October.
On Saturday, for the first time ever, we assisted
with The Fisherman’s Village on the waterfront
at Jack’s Bar. Educational exhibits were
set up inside with
materials, educators and fishermen
engaging the public
with information
about our seafood
industry. However,
the big hit was the
trawler that was
right outside at the
dock, available for
the public to tour.
And it was free! The
boat owner, Brent
NCFA President Jerry Schill
Fulcher, the captain
and the crew gave tours and the public learned
about the nets, the turtle excluder devices,
bycatch reduction devices, trawl doors, winches,
engine room, wheel house and crew quarters.
They even got to view the fish hold with a good
supply of shrimp on ice!
That same shrimp was taken out of the hold as
needed to be cooked and offered as a free sample
complete with cocktail sauce.
On Sunday morning, hundreds gathered at
the Morehead City State Port for the Annual
Blessing of the Fleet. This was the 17th year for
that part of the Seafood Festival and this year
had to be among the best ever! The weather was
cool with not a cloud in the sky! It is a spiritual service, so it began with prayer, songs and
inspirational messages. Prayers were offered for
safety for the boats and crew and a bountiful
harvest, all with keeping our faithful departed
in our minds and hearts. The boats proceeded
in front of the hundreds in attendance while the
names of the boats, their captain and homeport
and while a wreath was thrown in the water,
names of those hearty souls who have passed are
announced.
Of the forty vessels, the smallest was a 16ft
clam boat and the largest was a 90ft trawler.
It was not only a beautiful service and memorial for those fishermen who have died, but a
testament and blessing for those who still are on
the water to supply us with fresh, local seafood.
It was truly a great weekend, and we hope that
you can help us to continue our celebration of
our heritage at the Outer Banks Seafood Festival
and the North Carolina State Fair!
After all, It’s got to be NC!
Enjoy fresh, local seafood? Join NCFA and support
your commercial industry! Visit www.ncfish.org today.
By Michael Graff
Photography by Travis Dove
(Reprinted with permission, Our State Magazine)
Tradewinds
Heritage
7
The Men Who Reinvented Fishing
Capt. Ernie is lost.
A blue ceiling tops the world laid out in front of
him. White clouds etch into the sky. The air smells like
diesel fumes and seawater. All of that is normal. And at
the bottom of the scene is water, right where it should
be, holding him up. But something’s not right.
His boat, the Albatross III, grumbles along near the
edge of the Pamlico Sound. Capt. Ernie Foster steers
to the right of a red marker and left of a green one.
He’s trying to find his way out to Hatteras Inlet. He
knows this route better than he knows anything else
in the world. He’s driven through this tiny break in
North Carolina’s outer sand-shell thousands of times,
maybe tens of thousands of times. If the state wanted
to rename the inlet one day, Foster’s Inlet would be an
appropriate name.
It’s been 76 years since his dad first started North
Carolina’s sport-fishing industry in the tiny community of Hatteras Village. Capt. Ernie’s been alive for
the past 68. Fosters have fished these waters for four
generations.
Capt. Ernie’s dad, Capt. Ernal, was the first person in
the state, and maybe the first on the East Coast, to take
people fishing and charge them for it. Locals laughed
at him. Fishing for enjoyment? But what he started became an industry that changed the way people thought
of fishing forever. Humans began fishing 40,000
years ago. Only 600 or so years ago do we see the first
accounts of recreational fishing. And even then, only
small segments of the world entertained the idea. In
the early years of settlement on the Outer Banks, fishing certainly wasn’t for recreation. It was the only way
to eat. It was the only way to survive. It was work.
Capt. Ernie Foster is likely the last captain in the original family of sport fishing — his father started the first charter boat in North Carolina
in 1937. Now this Hatteras captain works to keep the family fleet that fishes for fun in harmony with neighbors who fish for profit.
In 1937, Capt. Ernal made fishing fun.
Everything’s changed since then. People are now
more interested in having fun on the water than
working on the water. So the Fosters have watched
their industry hurt their watermen friends. That’s the
burden on Capt. Ernie now.
The Albatross Fleet includes three boats with three
different captains. It entertains about 250 charters a
year. Capt. Ernie is, in all likelihood, the last captain
from the original family of sport fishing. He has two
grown children, but he’s fairly certain they don’t want
the business.
And for the moment he’s lost.
The inlet isn’t like he last left it. It’s the off-season
at Hatteras, and the dredge is at work, deepening the
inlet. The dredge sucks up sand from the bottom and
shoots it through a long tube to an island several miles
away. Dredging makes everything different. Markers
aren’t where they should be. Buoys are where they
shouldn’t be.
Capt. Ernie is cruising along, headed to that inlet,
when suddenly he throttles back. If he keeps going
forward, he’s not sure if he’ll run over something or
run into a sandbar.
He stops. He grabs his hat by its brim and rubs the
brim on his head.
Continued on page 8
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Tradewinds
The Men Who Reinvented Fishing
8
“Good God,” Capt. Ernie says of this place he’s been
all his life. “I don’t know where I am now.”
Capt. Ernie is worried.
Most fishermen are. They don’t want to be rich.
They don’t want huge houses. They just want freedom.
They’ve fought for it for generations. They’ll fight for it
eternally.
Freedom is a reason for living. Waking up early,
paying big fuel bills, dodging storms and tourists and
all the other hazards of the island — all of that vanishes
on the water.
Lately, though, Capt. Ernie has found himself stuck
in a tough spot.
He says that sport fishing, the industry his family started, is out to hurt fishermen. The industry is
squeezing his friends and neighbors. It’s encroaching
upon commercial fishermen.
Don’t get him wrong: Capt. Ernie loves taking
charters out into the ocean and seeing a young boy
catch his first bluefin, or a young woman grab her first
striper by the gills, or an old man at sea for the first
time. Nothing beats those moments. And he loves his
fellow sport fishermen.
But he loves commercial fishing, too. It’s quite a
dilemma, and he faces it every day.
Since those early days with Capt. Ernal, sport fishing
has grown into a huge industry. It’s especially big
among politicians and businesspeople from cities like
Raleigh and Charlotte and Richmond, Virginia, Capt.
Ernie says. The industry sells itself on the promise
“I came from fishermen, not just people who
thought it was an interesting activity,” he says.
“I’m big on sport fishing, but not at
the extermination of my neighbors.”
that when people drive down here to fish, they’ll catch
something. That’s the fun of it. Through legislation
and other initiatives, the leaders in the sport-fishing
industry want to tighten regulations on commercial
fishermen, who catch large amounts of fish to sell.
One group of fishermen going after another. Capt.
Ernie can barely stand it.
He’s worried that legislation limiting commercial
fishermen will lead to their elimination. And from any
standpoint — from people’s desire to eat fresh fish, to
their desire to have heritage tourism, to a fisherman’s
desire to work — he just can’t see the value in that.
So the son of the original sport fisherman is pushing
back against sport fishing.
“I came from fishermen, not just people who
thought it was an interesting activity,” he says. “I’m big
on sport fishing, but not at the extermination of my
neighbors.”
Underneath the sport of fishing, Capt. Ernie is a
commercial fisherman, too. He fishes for sport in the
summer when the crowds are coming, and fishes to sell
in the winter when they’re not. His dad did the same
thing. Most of the captains on Hatteras do the same
thing. Most of the captains don’t care how they catch
Continued from page 7
fish or how they make money doing it — they just
want to fish for a living.
That’s why he’s worried. The people here aren’t out to
change the world; the world seems to be out to change
them.
That’s not freedom.
That’s not why they started this.
Capt. Ernie is in his seat up on top of his boat, still
lost.The Albatross III slows to a stop on the Pamlico
Sound where a marker usually stands. It’s no longer here, a casualty of the dredging. He tries to find
something familiar. But nothing registers. Someone’s
changed the markers, and now he’s in the one position
that makes him uncomfortable: stuck.Capt. Ernie
pushes his right hand forward on the throttle and
cranks the wheel all the way left. He’s going home.He
pulls back into the harbor, finds the slip next to the
other two Albatross boats, and backs in.Back on land,
things are familiar. But then one of the Albatross Fleet’s
first mates, Craig Waterfield, informs him of some
troubling news from the National Marine Fisheries
Service.The service will shut down bluefin tuna season
at 11:30 tomorrow morning. Capt. Ernie had planned
to send a boat this week to do a little commercial fishing, and now he can’t. Because they told him so. And
no matter what, that’s a reason fishermen will never
accept happily. He looks down, kicks the grass, and
says with a laugh, “I should’ve taken up coal mining.”
To read the complete story, The Men Who Reinvented
Fishing, please visit www.ourstate.com/ernie-foster/
Isn’t It Time You Advertised in North Carolina’s
Only Commercial Fisheries Publication?
Tradewinds
Worth Reading
Classics That Tell Our Story
Title:
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Length:
Wetland Riders
Robert Fritchey
New Moon Press
0963621505,
9780963621504
393 pages
Wetland Riders
A wide belt of salt marsh
stretches across South Louisiana. As if on a midwestern
plain, one’s vision flows across this watery prairie
to the horizon. But here grow no amber waves of
grain--these wetlands yield the greatest seafood
harvest in America. For generations, traditional
Cajun fishermen have worked here, supporting their
families by catching redfish for the people to eat.
Biologists calculate the number of fish that may be
safely harvested while leaving enough in the water
to replenish the population. But it is politicians who
decide HOW the fish are to be shared. With whom?
Exploding numbers of sport fishermen. The recreational fishing industry markets a variety of goods to
sport fishermen. Allowing commercial fishermen to
harvest fish for the public to eat is viewed by members of the recreational industry as a restraint on its
growth. While the hard-pressed fishermen battle
this powerful industry, National Fisherman reporter
Robert Fritchey seeks an answer to the question,
“Who will own the fish?” His search leads him into
legislative chambers, onto the coastal marshes an
into the hearts of these honest men and women,
Louisiana’s WETLAND RIDERS. Order: New Moon
Press, P.O. Box 71651, New Orleans, LA 70172.
Men’s Lives
“Men’s Lives” is a sad elegy to a lost way of life, a
scathing criticism of the lobbyists and misguided bureaucrats that helped destroy it, and a lively, informal
history of the shore-fishing industry on Long Island.
Some chapters read like interviews, with little in
9
Title:
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Length:
Men’s Lives
Peter Matthiessen
Knopf Doubleday
0307819701
9780307819703
352 pages
the way of editing esoteric
fishing terms or the informal
“Bonacker” language. (The
Bonac accent is said to be
akin to the spoken language
of the working class settlers who came from England in the 17th century; once proudly touted as a
method for identifying “true” members of the fishing
and farming community, it has now been rendered
nearly extinct by the speech patterns of New York
City). “Men’s Lives” is a labor of love, produced by
an accomplished and talented author. If Matthiessen
didn’t write this book, the poetry of such voices may
have never been heard.
10
By Bill Hitchcock
www.RefiningTruth.com
It all boils down to this. You fish on faith and nothing
else. You can have the right gear, fresh bait, ideal weather
conditions, a great boat and electronics and decades
of experience, but none of these things will guarantee
you fish in the box. But you still go out and fish anyway
because you fish on faith.
The evangelist said, “Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
Your faith is the ground floor in which you stand and
build towards your intended goal. What you have faith
in and the degree of that faith will determine how you
think and act. And here is the catch (pardon the pun).
How you act will actually guide you in the direction of
what you have faith for.
You head out in the morning, many of you while it
is still dark. You push off, power up and look over the
bow. Some may see a flash of green and a flash of red
from the channel markers as you head towards the ICW.
Others have nothing more than twinkling stars and a
faint difference in the shades of black that separate the
sky from water in the still dark morning.
It is dark, very dark. But you head out in faith with the
promise of a catch.
It is easy to see why so many fishermen are believe in
God for they understand through experience what faith
Tradewinds
Inspiration
We Fish By Faith
is. They know the spiritual significance of, “While we
look not at the things which are seen, but at the things
which are not seen” (2 Corinthians 4:18) and believe and
have faith in God and the day!
We hope for what will be as if it already is. That is faith
and true conviction.
“For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is
not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope
for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with
patience wait for it” (Romans 8:24-25).
A fisherman’s life is built on the substance of faith, the
foundation of what currently is not. It is hope in the day
and faith in the good Lord to provide. Fishermen are
just like Abraham, “Who against hope believed in hope”
of the promise to come. Against all odds and often common sense, we hope in the day.
Your catch is the promise to come that you have faith
and hope in. It is the motivation within you that gets you
up and out the door each morning. A warm bed can’t
hold you and bad weather can’t stop you for your faith
in the day won’t allow you to do anything but to work
towards the promise to come. And although you will
face many a trial and tribulation and stare defeat in the
face, you will come home with a catch. Why? Because
your faith and hope will not deny you.
Jesus Christ is the promise to come. It is He in who we
have an unshakable faith in. It is the Holy Spirit within
us that has quickened our spirit and motivated us to
Bill Hitchcock spent 30 years in the
television and film industry concentrating on the marine fisheries and
fisheries issues. He is an ordained
Minister and Evangelist with Refining
Truth ministries. Bill travels eastern
North Carolina preaching the Word
of God. Refining Truth has a strong
online presence with daily news, features and video. Visit online at www.
RefiningTruth.com.
continue on in this life. And we have hope and faith in
the His promise, “And this is the promise that he hath
promised us, even eternal life” (1 John 2:25).
This promise of life comes loaded with its share of
trials and tribulations too! But Jesus told us it would. He
said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation”. But we have
peace because although we will face problems we will
not be defeated!
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye
might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation:
but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John
16:33).
We head out each day in hope and faith of the promise of a catch. We live our life in the hope and faith of the
promise of Jesus Christ to come. We are fisherman. We
fish by faith and we walk through life by faith and not by
sight.
Tradewinds
11
Achievers
Ocracoke’s Fisherwoman
Crystal Canterbury
Courtesy of Ocracoke Current
Photos courtesy of OWWC
Tree Ray makes her living from
the waters of Pamlico Sound.
Ocracoke Island has a long history
and proud tradition of living off the
water, and the people who, despite
increased regulations, continue this tradition and livelihood are called working
watermen, and occasionally, waterwomen. What is a waterman? A “working
waterman” is a commercial fisherman,
clammer, crabber, or oysterman. Tree
Ray, who lives on Ocracoke Island, is
one of the working waterwomen, and
has been commercial fishing for nearly
seven years.
Tree moved to Ocracoke from Winterville, NC eighteen years ago, to be
closer to her father, artist Bob Ray. She
hasn’t looked back. She describes herself
as a “tomboy” and has always had a love
for nature and desire to work outside,
primarily favoring labor-intensive jobs.
Before becoming a working waterwoman, Ray was a massage therapist, and
while she enjoyed that time, she longed
to be outdoors. As a young adult she
learned to hunt, live off nature, and
create objects, such as journal covers,
from animal skins, which she tanned
herself. During, what she calls a “transitional time,” she grew to fully appreciate
nature and her surroundings, and also
realized she was a very strong, self-sufficient person.
Tree’s days typically start around 4am,
and by 5 o’clock she is out on the water,
fishing about a two-mile stretch in the
Pamlico Sound called Blair’s Channel.
As first mate on Hardy Plyler’s boat,
she has a wide array of responsibilities,
which include gathering ice before
heading out on the water, setting nets,
and doing any net repairs. Nets frequently get snagged on objects underwater, such as rocks and tree limbs, but
most rips are repairable. When a net has
been ripped too much to repair, new
netting is purchased, which Tree handsews to make them the necessary sizes
for what they need.
There is more to being a waterwoman than learning how to catch fish.
Tree said knowing the weather plays a
huge role in what can be caught, and
even though fishing here isn’t “like the
Deadliest Catch or anything, “ strong
winds still pose risks and can hinder
a day’s fishing outing. Once the wind
reaches 28mph she explained it becomes dangerous to be on the water.
Continued on page 12
12
Ocracoke’s Fisherwoman
Added risk comes with lightning, so in severe weather
events she and the captain must return to the dock. Low
pressure systems can be a good thing for fishermen and
women because it stirs the water, creating movement of
the sea-life.
To be a successful on the water, Tree said you have to
have, “patience, a great work ethic, and be able to think
quickly.” Being able to recognize potential problems
before they happen and knowing how to either prevent the problem or fix it, if one occurs, is essential to
being successful. She went on to say that someone who
works in this industry has “got to be a good listener and
cannot make excuses. Be there because you want to be
there, and know you want to be there.”
Around 11 o’clock, Tree and Hardy return to the
dock, but have more tasks to complete. Tree cleans
the morning’s catch, which is then sold in Ocracoke’s
fish house and various local restaurants, and does any
booking that needed to either add businesses or keep
businesses supplied with fresh, local seafood. By 2:30 in the afternoon she is usually back out on the
water with Captain Plyler, hoping to bring in more fresh
fish. The height of fishing season may be slowly winding down now with cooler weather making its way here,
gradually lowering the water temperature, but when the
Tradewinds
water begins to warm in late-April and May, her busy
days resume and last through the summer. When the
water reaches 72 degrees (F) and warmer, the fish are
typically plentiful. A nice westerly wind is also great as
it brings in many fish and makes a large catch possible. Once we reach the fall and winter months, fishing
declines when the water temperature drops below 60
degrees (F), which is just too cold for the fish to survive.
While Tree makes her living from catching, cleaning,
and selling fish, she also has the utmost respect for
nature. If a sea turtle gets into the netting, for example,
she always releases it back into the water. She will also
not hesitate to report a sea turtle that has been stunned
by the cold, a fairly common occurrence along the
Outer Banks. On one occasion, hundreds of sea horses
became caught in a net, along with valuable fish. At that
point her primary concern was getting the sea horses
out of the net, which she did, and was still able to catch
a significant amount of fish. Tree strongly believes that
any animal not needed for food should be released back
into the water, a belief she sticks to firmly.
When Tree isn’t fishing she enjoys spending time
with her family, friends, and dog, as well as traveling
to Morehead City for the annual Seafood Festival to
represent the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Associ-
Continued from page 11
ation (OWWA).
About her choice
of career and life
on Ocracoke, Tree
said, “I love it here!
I live everyday like
it’s summer camp!”
She went on to say
that had she not
become a commercial fisherman, she
probably would’ve
joined the Peace
Corps or gone to
vet tech school in
Colorado.
For more information about
OWWA, you can
go to their website: www.ocracokewatermen.org or
visit the Watermen’s Exhibit located on the docks at the
Community Square along Silver Lake. Visit Ocracoke
Seafood Company (the retail store at the fish house) to
buy some local seafood for your supper. They can tell
you if Tree caught it!
Tradewinds
Remembering
Blessing of the Fleet - 2014
So God Made A Fisherman
And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a provider.” So God made a FISHERMAN.
God said, “I need somebody willing to get up before dawn,
mend nets, work all day in the Sound or in the Ocean, mend
nets again, eat supper and then go to town and stay past
midnight at a meeting of the Marine Fisheries board.” So God
made a Fisherman.
“I need somebody with arms strong enough to yank on a
trawl board, and yet gentle enough to cradle his own grandchild. Somebody to call a duck, fix broken machinery, come
home hungry, have to wait for lunch until his wife’s done feeding visiting family and tell neighbors to be sure and come back
real soon — and mean it.” So God made a Fisherman.
God said, “I need somebody willing to sit up all night beside
a gill net or channel net, and laugh when it comes up empty.
Then rub his eyes and say, “Maybe tomorrow night or the next
tide.” I need somebody who can shape an oar or a pull-post
from a pine board, pull up a boat with just a block & tackle, tilt
a trawler by himself using a just a pry, and who can make a
crab-pot out of chicken wire & twine. And who, on a changing
tide or mullet blow, will finish his forty ­hour week by Tuesday
noon, then, standing or stooping in the cockpit of his boat, put
in another seventy-two hours before Saturday morning.” So
God made a Fisherman.
God had to have somebody who could cross a high shoal
on an ebbing tide to get to a set before the wind was to
change, and yet stop on his way because he sees a small
motor-boat broke-down or run-aground and someone unable
to help himself. So God made a Fisherman.
God said, “I need somebody strong enough to pull up an
anchor laden with mud or lift hundred-pound fish boxes, yet
patient enough to pull a bull-rake and recognize the feel of a
live clam from a hollow shell,
It had to be somebody who could turn tree saplings into net
stakes, then drive ‘em deep into the sand before pulling ‘em
back up six weeks later.
Somebody to set and fish a net, clear a shad, drag a leadline and pull a cork-line, splice & tie a rope, bait a crab-pot,
scale a spot, and dry a mullet-roe, and still be ready to go to
church on Sunday morning.
“Somebody who’d splice and tie, and if need-be, mend a
family together with the soft strong bonds of sharing, who
would laugh and then Sigh, and then reply, with smiling eyes,
when his son says he wants to spend his life doing what Dad
does.’ “ So God made a Fisherman.
And so it was that when God sent his son to perform one of
his greatest miracles by walking across the waves of the sea,
those steps were taken towards a boat full of Fishermen.
So God Made a Fisherman.
(Inspired by Paul Harvey’s 1978, “So God Made a Farmer” changed to “ So God Made a Fisherman” by Joel Hancock
9/18/2014. Read by Bill Hitchcock at the 2014 North Carolina
Seafood Festival‘s Blessing of the Fleet at the North Carolina State
Port in Morehead City, NC on October 5, 2014.)
13
14
By Maureen Milne Donald
While coastal North Carolina is home
to a thriving and diverse commercial fishing community ranging from
inshore gillnetting to offshore trawling,
there is one annual event that embodies
the state’s rich fishing heritage like no
other. It’s called the Mullet Blow.
Long before dawn on a chilly November day, one short stretch of otherwise
empty beach is cluttered with a small
fleet of pickups. Nearby a group of
North Carolina fishermen are gathered
on this Atlantic Ocean beach waiting
and watching as the sun slowly rises.
The men stand around in small groups
drinking coffee against the backdrop
of modern high-rise condos complexes
and surrounded by a beach-front forest
of surf poles poking out the sand.
Despite the cold, the mood is upbeat
today because, as predicted, a brisk
Northeast wind is picking up a head of
steam. Men rub their hands together to
keep warm and stomp their feet in the
deeply-rutted sand, moving from one
group to another all the while keeping
an eye to the north, waiting for a sound,
a splash, a change in the water that will
signal the reason they are here.
The Blow, so named because the mullet run down the beach heading south
as the cold Northeast wind cools the
water temperature, is a North Carolina
Tradewinds
Tradition
Bogue Banks Mullet Blow
tradition. It is tradition that is kept alive
by a handful of fishermen who continue
to catch mullet as they have for over a
hundred years on Bogue Banks, a barrier island in Carteret County.
The season begins in early October
and extends to about Thanksgiving.
Though its origins are lost in family
myths, the fishery has survived to date
with two remaining crews who still
catch mullet with the aid of two 1940s
tractors, a 20-foot dory and beach
seines. About 40 years ago, seven or
eight crews of 30 men each worked the
beaches in this manner, but today the
numbers have dwindled to only two
crews, each numbering about 15 men.
The reasons for the sharp drop in
participants are numerous - long hours,
hard work, a short season and the very
high cost of the gear. Add escalating
gear and resource conflicts and the fishery becomes more and more threatened
each year.
But for those few fishermen that keep
the tradition alive, there is nothing quite
like the Mullet Blow. Before sunrise,
the fishermen run a 400-yard set net
straight out from the beach. A dory sits
ready on the beach loaded with 650
yards of net (4-inch stretch in the wings
and 3 1/4-inch stretch in the bunt), one
end of which is secured to a tractor on
the beach, while another tractor sits
further down the beach.
When the mullet are spotted, the crew
launches a dory into the surf pulling
the net around the school of mullet and
back to the beach where the second
tractor is ready. Both tractors then pull
in the catch while the other fishermen
secure the bottom of the net, or lead
line, and holding the top of the net to
prevent the mullet from jumping over
it. That’s if the mullet run and there’s a
successful strike. Many mornings, the
temperature are just too warm, the wind
too calm and the fishermen are forced
to busy themselves with checking nets,
cranking up the seemingly ancient red
tractors or simply chatting among themselves for the better part of a day.
On this particular November morning, however, there was no shortage of
things to do while waiting for a sign of
mullet. One of the tractors had a flat tire
- a situation that needed an immediate
remedy. A four-man team got to work,
removing the tire and loading it in the
back of a pickup for a quick trip down
the beach to a nearby garage. Meanwhile
everyone held their collective breath in
the hope that the tractor would be ready
when and if the mullet started to run.
Continued on page 18
Tradewinds
On the Road
Dewey Hemilright: Ardent Voice for Outer Banks Fishing
By Susan West
Outer Banks fisherman Dewey Hemilright took a busman’s holiday this
summer and went to Alaska to fish for
salmon.
The Kitty Hawk native spent seven
weeks in Dillingham, set-netting sockeye salmon in the Wood River, which
flows into Bristol Bay, and experiencing
another dimension of America’s commercial fishing industry.
“The fishing
was good and
the area beautiful and remote,
accessible only
by plane or
boat,” he says.
“I plan to go
back. It’s good
to know more
about fishing
beyond what
happens in my
own backyard.”
Hemilright’s
backyard is
the Atlantic
Ocean. He
runs his boat,
Aboard the set net boat.
the 42-foot
Tar Baby, out
of Wanchese through Oregon Inlet to
fishing grounds. Built in Dare County
by boatbuilder John Bayliss, the boat
takes its name from a much larger boat
Bayliss built called the Tar Heel.
Hemilright fishes for a variety of species. His typical annual round includes
longlining tuna and swordfish in the
fall, gillnetting dogfish, croaker and
bluefish in the winter and spring, and
longlining mahi-mahi and tilefish in the
summer.
“It’s kind of like the lugnuts on a tire;
you have to have each of them to make
it work,” he explains.
He laughs
hard before
describing
his first
commercial
fishing job.
“I was
probably
Headfing to the processor.
one of the
greenest
greenhorns ever,” he says. “I was so sick
I lost something like 15 pounds on that
swordfishing trip.”
Despite the
rough start, the
experience struck
a chord with the
21-year-old Hemilright, and he knew
fishing was a challenge that matched
up to his youthful
Smoking Sockeye
appreciation for
adventure and his expectation of a life
well-lived.
A quarter of a century later, the affable fisherman is also a dedicated spokesperson for the U.S. fishing industry. He
serves on a federal fishery management
council and is a member of several state
and national advocacy organizations.
He also works with scientists studying
fish migratory and breeding behavior,
carrying teams of researchers on his
boat to record information about the
catch and to tag fish.
For the last nine years, Hemilright
has visited classrooms from Montana
to New York to tell students about his
work and to show them fish hooks, glow
15
Dewey caught this beautiful silver salmon on rod and reel on his “day off”.
Set net boat unloading to tender.
Dewey’s “office” on the Wood River during his three-week Alaskan adventure.
sticks and other artifacts of the trade.
One story popular with schoolkids is
about the time a small kitten crawled
out of the cabin on his boat and jumped
overboard into the dark, rough sea. The
fisherman rescued the stowaway kitten
with a dipnet.
Hemilright is a member of Outer
Banks Catch, a local seafood-branding
initiative focused on consumer education, and he often pitches in to fry fish
or soft-shell crabs at fundraising events
for the program.
“Most people don’t know that over 90
percent of the seafood consumed in this
country is imported and often comes
from countries that have lax conservation and public health controls,” he
explains.
He advises consumers to ask waitstaff and retailers about the origin of the
seafood they sell.
“People always ask me what type of
seafood I like best,” he says. “I like whatever is local and in season.”
But he says there’s nothing better than
“a mess of round-heads,” a reference to
sea mullet by one of its regional names.
Susan West is a correspondent and journalist,
and lives on Hatteras
Island. Her husband is
a commercial fisherman
and she serves on the NC
Catch board.
16
Tradewinds
Tradewinds
17
18
Bogue Banks Mullet Blow
Luck was on the side of the fishermen
this cold morning, and the tractor was
back into commission without a sign of
mullet. But just as the crew once again
settled into its watchful mode, all eyes
turned to the north. They were coming!
The water changed color, the fish
were leaping in the air. The excitement
mounted as the mullet got closer, the
nearby recreational surf fishermen
pulled their poles out of the water to
stay out of the way and the crew got
down to business. Like a well-oiled machine, the fishermen donned wet suits
and surrounded the dory, preparing to
launch the small boat into the surf. In
one fluid motion, the dory glided into
the water and the strike net released to
surround the school of fish. Other fishermen revved up the tractors and waited
for the net to be fully extended. As the
dory completed its mission and the end
of the strike net attached to tractor, both
headed away from the shore, pulling the
net heavily laden with mullet onto the
Tradewinds
beach.
Everyone takes part in clearing the
net, separating red (female) and white
(male) roe mullet into baskets. From
there the mullet are loaded
While the methods have changed little
over the past century, the technology
has made an impact.
Beginning in the late 1800s, groups
of fishing families would leave home
and set up camps of grass huts along the
beach during the mullet season. Wives
mended the heavy cotton nets, cleaned
fish, cooked and cared for the family.
Children helped out with the chores
and learned the trade for when they too
would test their skill on the water. They
thought that motorboats and tractors
would scare the fish so nearly everything
was done by hand. The crews weren’t
even allowed to talk for fear of making too much noise. Families worked
together to haul the heavy nets ashore
after a strike and clear and salt down the
mullet.
Continued from page 14
Today motorboats and tractors make
the job easier, fishermen return to their
homes and families each evening and a
hot cup of coffee is just a short hop away
at a nearby convenience store. But the
essence of the Mullet Blow remains as
much a part of North Carolina’s heritage
as fishing itself. For the men who rise
early and wait patiently on the shore for
the first sign of mullet, there is no greater thrill and no greater pride in fishing
for a living.
Tradewinds
Your Health
Formaldehyde Detected in Supermarket Fish from Asia
By James Andrews
Food Safety News
A large number of fish imported
from China and Vietnam and sold in at
least some U.S. supermarkets contain
unnatural levels of formaldehyde, a
known carcinogen, according to tests
performed and verified by researchers at
a North Carolina chemical engineering
firm and North Carolina State University.
Around 25 percent of all the fish
purchased from supermarkets by researchers in the Raleigh, N.C., area were
found to contain formaldehyde, a toxic
chemical compound commonly used
as a medical disinfectant or embalming
agent. All of the fish found to contain
the compound were imported from
Asian countries, and it was not found in
fish from the U.S. or other regions.
The researchers only collected samples from supermarkets around Raleigh, N.C., and could not comment on
whether or not the same results could be
applied to fish sold nationwide.
Formaldehyde is illegal in food
beyond any naturally occurring trace
amounts. But, according to chemical engineer A. James Attar and his colleagues
who conducted the tests, the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration does not test
any imported fish for formaldehyde
contamination, and only 4 percent of
imported fish gets tested for any contaminants at all.
“The look on my face when we found
this – it was a complete shocker,” said
Jason Morton, Attar’s colleague at N.C.based Appealing Products, Inc.
Attar, Morton and another colleague at Appealing Products, Matthew
Schwartz, came across the alarming
revelation when they set out to validate
a new formaldehyde test they developed
for Bangladeshi clients who needed a
cheap way to detect contaminated fish.
To verify the accuracy of their test, the
team purchased domestic and imported
fish from supermarkets around Raleigh,
NC, with the intent of purposefully con-
taminating them with formaldehyde and
then verifying that their test worked.
Instead, they found that about one
in four fish was already contaminated
with formaldehyde. The commonality
between all the contaminated fish? They
were imported from Asian countries,
predominantly China and Vietnam.
19
Not all of the Asian fish were contaminated, but many were, Attar said.
The FDA has not had the opportunity
to analyze the fish samples tested by
Appealing Products, nor has the agency
had the opportunity to review the test
methods utilized.
Continued on page 18
Tradewinds
20
Formaldehyde in Asian Fish
“The FDA’s priority is to ensure that
both domestic and imported seafood is
safe and that we are protecting consumers from products that can cause illness,”
the agency told Food Safety News.
“To accomplish this, FDA oversees a
comprehensive food safety program
designed to ensure the safety of all
seafood sold in the United States. This
prevention-oriented program includes
risk based inspections, product testing,
and assessments of foreign countries
regulation of aquaculture facilities.”
All foods imports entering the U.S.
are screened electronically by the FDA.
A subset of those foods are physically
inspected at rates based on the potential
risk associated with them, with some
samples undergoing lab analysis.
“FDA encourages anyone who has
evidence that an FDA regulated product
violates food safety laws and regulations
to contact FDA,” the agency added.
Attar and Morton stopped short of
accusing Asian fish companies of intentionally adding formaldehyde to fish to
prevent spoilage, though it appears to
be a common problem in Bangladesh,
where formaldehyde might preserve fish
when refrigerators or ice aren’t available.
(Think of frogs preserved for dissection
in a high-school science lab.)
Attar and his team first uncovered the
issue in February 2013, and then spent
six months routinely testing samples,
finding the same results. Their results
were then verified by researchers at
North Carolina State.
Attar said the sampling was restricted to purchases from Raleigh only and
might not reflect fish in supermarkets
nationwide.
“But, empirically, this is what we
found,” he added.
Continued from page 17
Formaldehyde is present in some fish
at small, naturally occurring levels. But
everything observed in the Asian fish
found that they were contaminated with
far higher-than-normal or acceptable
levels, Attar said.
The team tested whether or not levels
of formaldehyde increased in cuts of fish
as they aged, but the levels remained the
same.
They also tested the same species harvested from both Chinese and U.S. companies, finding that the Chinese-caught
fish contained formaldehyde, while the
U.S.-caught fish of the same species did
not.
According to the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Association, the U.S.
imports approximately 91 percent of
its seafood. China alone accounts for
approximately 89 percent of global
aquaculture production.
Appealing Products’ formaldehyde
test costs approximately $1 per swab,
which is applied to a cut of fish and
turns purple in the presence of formaldehyde. The company has shipped
100,000 tests to Bangladesh and anticipates orders from companies in other
Asian countries. More information
on the tests can be found at formaldehydetests.com.
Documented instances of intentional
formaldehyde contamination of food
have occurred in China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.
Attar and Morton said that their evidence makes a strong case for improved
testing on seafood imports in the U.S.,
especially from Asian countries.
“I cannot say that companies are
adding formaldehyde to fish, but our
findings are higher than what naturally
occurs,” Morton said.
North Carolina Catch (www.nccatch.org) formed in
2012 to support the work of four local seafood promotion initiatives that stretch from Currituck County to
Brunswick County. As a nonprofit umbrella organization, NC Catch ties together the work of the local
groups to foster collaboration, to strengthen communication, and to enhance the statewide and national
presence of fresh North Carolina seafood.
We believe that promoting the rich culture, variety
of resources, health benefits, and incredible tastes from
our shores can help maintain thriving coastal fishing
communities and build a stronger appreciation of
North Carolina’s local seafood for generations to come.
Catch group members include commercial fishermen, seafood markets and suppliers, fisheries-related
businesses, restaurants, and others. Each of the groups
work independently and with NC Catch to educate
consumers about the culinary and nutritional rewards
Tradewinds
of choosing local seafood, as well as the economic,
cultural, and ecological benefits for local communities
and for the state. From north to south, these local
groups are:
Outer Banks Catch invites you to experience the
variety of seafood caught by Outer Banks commercial
fishermen. Our local fishing fleet brings in the best
from the ocean, the sounds, and the rivers of northeastern NC. Outer Banks Catch is the only local group
that covers multiple counties—Currituck, Dare, Hyde
and Tyrrell. www.outerbankscatch.com
Ocracoke Fresh reminds you to buy local, fresh seafood. If you don’t know your commercial fishermen,
make sure to ask your seafood market or restaurant
who caught your fish. Ocracoke Fresh is a brand of
the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association. www.
ocracokeseafood.com
Carteret Catch is proud to promote the high quality
21
seafood landed by Carteret County commercial fishermen. We work hard to protect our fishing heritage,
marine resources, and the future of our seafood businesses and communities. www.carteretcatch.org
Brunswick Catch is built on a seafood heritage
that dates back generations. Many of our Brunswick
County commercial fishing businesses and the local
markets and restaurants that sell their catch are family
businesses. Visit www.brunswickcatch.com.
Support North Carolina’s commercial fishermen and
help fishing communities thrive by becoming a member of the catch group nearest you and always insist on
buying the freshest seafood direct from North Carolina
waters.
To learn more about NC Catch, individual and
business sponsorships, promotional opportunities, or
becoming involved, contact: Ann Simpson, 919-8180122 or [email protected]
Tradewinds
What’s for Dinner?
Time for North Carolina Oysters
22
Crusty Fried Oysters
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons cold water
1 (12-ounce) container fresh Select
oysters, drained
1½ cups saltine cracker crumbs
Vegetable Oil
Combine egg and water. Dip oysters
in egg mixture, and roll each in cracker
crumbs. Cook in hot oil (375 degrees
F.) for about 2 minutes or until golden
brown, turning to brown both sides.
Drain on paper towels. Yield: 3 servings.
Oyster Stew
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup milk
½ cup chopped onion
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ cup diced carrots
1 pint oysters, standards
1 10 ½ oz can cream of mushroom soup
Easy Carolina Fried Oysters
Raw oysters
2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cups corn meal
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon sugar
Drain oysters and soak in eggs. Mix
corn meal, sugar, salt, pepper and flour.
Dip oysters in corn meal mixture and
fry in deep shortening until golden
brown. Drain on paper towels.
Pepper Baked Oysters
Place raw oysters in oyster shells on
a cookie sheet lined with foil. Cover
oysters with black pepper. Place on low
oven rack and broil 10 - 15 minutes
or until shriveled. Remove from oven
and place a strip of bacon cut to fit on
top of each oyster. Return to oven and
cook at 350 degrees F. until bacon is
done. Remove from oven. Combine 4
Tablespoons melted butter and the juice
of 1 lemon and spoon a little over each
oyster. Serve at once.
Oven Fried Oysters
½ cup butter, melted
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash Worcestershire sauce
1 pint oysters, drained
Dash of hot sauce
1 cup bread crumbs
Mix butter and seasonings. Dip
oysters in mixture; then roll in crumbs.
Place close together in 10×7-inch pan.
Pour any remaining butter sauce over
oysters. Refrigerate 3-4 hours or overnight. Refrigeration is important. Bake
in preheated 350 degree F. oven for 20
minutes. Yield: 4 servings.
More recipes on page 23
Tradewinds
More North Carolina Oyster Recipes
Oyster Pie
2 pints oysters
½ pound Cheddar cheese, grated
3 cups thick white sauce
2 (2-ounce) jars pimento peppers
Hot pepper sauce
Buttered cracker crumbs
Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
2 packages saltines, crushed
Heat oysters in a pan. Drain off liquid
and reserve. Keep oysters warm over
very low heat. Make 3 cups thick white
sauce using butter and any oyster liquid
in milk measurement. Season with hot
sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and
pepper. In a greased casserole layer
cracker crumbs, grated cheese, pimentos, oysters, and white sauce. Repeat
layers and top with buttered cracker
crumbs. Put in 400 degree F. oven until
thoroughly heated and the cheese is
melted. Yield: 8 servings.
White Sauce:
To make a thick white sauce melt 3
tablespoons of butter in a saucepan .
Add 3 tablespoons flour and stir until
blended. Add oyster liquid and milk
(equivalent to 3 cups) to butter mixture
and stir until thickened.
Scalloped Oysters
2 (12-ounce) containers fresh Standard oysters
2 eggs beaten
1 cup half-and-half or milk
2 cups saltine cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon hot sauce
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
parsley (optional)
Drain oysters, reserving a cup oyster
liquor. Set aside.
Sprinkle ½ cup cracker crumbs in a
lightly greased 8-inch square baking
dish. Layer half each of oysters, salt,
pepper, butter, and cracker crumbs in
dish. Repeat layers.
Combine eggs, half-and-half, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and reserved
oyster liquor; mix well. Pour over
oyster mixture. Sprinkle with parsley,
if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35
minutes or until lightly browned.
Yield: 6 servings.
Oysters and Wild Rice Casserole
3 cups hot wild rice, drained
¼ teaspoon sage
½ cup chopped onions
¼ teaspoon thyme
2 cups chopped celery
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
½ stick butter
2 (8-ounce) cans fresh oysters,
drained
3 tablespoons flour
Buttery cracker crumbs
23
Continued from page 22
½ cup milk
1 stick butter, melted
½ teaspoon salt
While rice is cooking according to
package directions, brown onions and
celery in butter. Remove from heat and
add milk, flour, salt, sage, thyme, and
black pepper. Add well-drained rice to
mixture. Pour into 2-quart casserole.
Drain oysters and let soak in lukewarm,
melted butter for 5 to 10 minutes. Pour
oysters and butter over rice mixture
and spread the oysters evenly. Top with
buttery crackers crumbs. Bake at 350
degrees F. for 45 minutes or until the
oysters curl.
Yield: 8 servings.
24
Tradewinds
Did You Know?
Commercial Fishing Is a Dangerous Occupation
Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. Many commercial fishing
operations are characterized by hazardous working conditions, strenuous labor, long work hours and harsh weather. During 2000-2010, an annual average of 46 deaths
occurred (124 deaths per 100,000 workers), compared
with an average of 5,466 deaths (4 per 100,000 workers)
among all U.S. workers.1 In 2008, over 8 billion pounds of
seafood was harvested in the United States earning over
$4.4 billion. Species that contributed the most to this revenue include shrimp, Pacific salmon, pollock and lobster.
There are approximately 115,000 harvesters in the United
States using a variety of different fishing gear and vessels.2
NIOSH maintains the Commercial Fishing Incident
Database (CFID), a surveillance system for workplace
fatalities in the commercial fishing industry in the United
States. A review of the data from 2000-2010 found that:
• 545 commercial fishermen died while fishing in the
U.S.
• More than half of all fatalities (279, 51%) occurred
after a vessel disaster
• Another 170 (31%) fatalities occurred when a fisherman fell overboard
• Another 56 (10%) fatalities resulted from an injury
onboard
• The remaining 40 (7%) fatalities occurred while
diving or from onshore injuries
There were 279 fatalities that occurred from 148 sep-
More North Carolina Oyster Recipes
until they are proven safe. Yet the problem keeps happening: In fact, according to test results obtained by NBC
News, this year alone 8 percent of the seafood the FDA
tested from China was tainted, and 16 percent of seafood
tested from Taiwan was tainted.
John Connelly, who runs a trade group representing
the imported seafood industry, said, “Any unauthorized
use of an antibiotic is inappropriate. The vast majority of
seafood coming in does not exhibit any kind of problems.”
Connelly said most importers follow the rules, and that
the problem is being overblown as a trade issue. “Unfortunately, there are bad actors in every industry,” he said.
Federal law requires grocery stores to identify the
country of origin of the seafood they sell, but in restaurants, it’s a different story: Most states do not require them
to tell patrons where the seafood they serve comes from.
Connelly said that “studies do not indicate that Americans are deeply interested in the source of their fish or
other proteins.
arate vessel disasters. Of these incidents with known
causes:
• 40 (28%) were initiated by flooding
• 27 (19%) were initiated by vessel instability
• 26 (18%) were initiated by being struck by a large
wave
Severe weather conditions contributed to 148 (61%)
of the fatal vessel disasters
• Among the 170 fatalities that resulted from a person falling overboard and with known causes:
• 90 (57%) were not witnessed
• Regardless of cause, none (0%) of the fall overboard victims were wearing a personal flotation device
(PFD)
Continued from page 1
“I think that consumers should feel comfortable that
the FDA does a good job,” he added.
But some officials say that until more seafood is tested,
consumers are at risk. “It is a cat-and-mouse game,” Joe
Basile said. “They quite honestly don’t care about the
health of United States citizens.”
And officials say it is not just a health issue. American
fishermen who play by the rules say they’re losing their
jobs because they can’t compete with importers who cut
corners and sell their tainted fish much cheaper in the U.S.
Tradewinds
Thank You!
Meet Our Associates
Buddy Ivey757-545-5100Hampton, VA
Carl Salamone
585-464-4676 www.wegmanscom
Rochester, NY
Chadwick Tire Co.
252-728-6960 chadwickstire.com
Beaufort, NC
Gordon’s Net Works910-754-9713Shallotte, NC
Gulfstream Steel & Supply Inc. 910-329-5100 gulfstreamsteel.com
Holly Ridge, NC
J.M. Davis Industries, Inc.252-247-6902Morehead City, NC
Karin H. Patrick
919-755-3243 www.karin-patrick.com/ Raleigh, NC
Locals Seafood, LLC
91 9-675-2722 www.localsseafood.com Raleigh, NC
Potter Net & Twine252-745-5709Bayboro, NC
Tom Walker252-473-6269Manteo, NC
Barbour’s Marine Supply Co., Inc.
252-728-2136
Beaufort, NC
Elwood L. Salter, Jr. (Bud)
252-349-1563 www.salter-marine.com Havelock, NC
Homer Smith Seafood252-728-2944Beaufort, NC
John A. Buck, III252-745-5483Bayboro, NC
Tim Kelly
252-756-8300 www.clementins.com Greenville, NC
Amy Willis252-633-8247New Bern, NC
Art Smith252-964-2195Belhaven, NC
Arthur W. Diehl252-752-3221Greenville, NC
Billy Best SupermarketHarkers Island, NC
Dr. Eric Jones252-568-4807Richlands, NC
Elberta Crate & Box Co.Bainbridge, GA
Etheridge Fishing Supply252-473-6200Wanchese, NC
First Citizens BankBayboro, NC
Harold C. Knudsen, Jr.Beaufort, NC
Iris FulcherAtlantic, NC
Jack Saylor252-725-3794Beaufort, NC
Jason R. JonesCove City, NC
Jay SpatilsonAtlantic, NC
Jerry F. Schill252-514-0381Cove City, NC
Jim & Peggy StallworthHavelock, NC
Joseph Wyatt Rhue252-671-0020Swansboro, NC
Karen Willis Amspacher
www.coresound.com Marshallberg, NC
Michael R. Fiorini252-247-3676Salter Path, NC
Myron A. Smith919-872-8333Raleigh, NC
Neil Smith252-354-2500Swansboro, NC
Nona Potter252-745-5057Hobucken, NC
Pamlico Insurance Services1-800-726-1228Raleigh, NC
PCS Phosphate252-322-8136Aurora, NC
Ralph “Ed” McCabe910-371-3611Leland, NC
Steve Parrish910-842-9197Supply, NC
Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park 252-473-5867
Wanchese, NC
Wanchese Trawl & SupplyWanchese, NC
Dennis Wayne Brinson252-745-4708New Bern, NC
The Prop Shop of Wilmington
910-762-7010
Wilmington, NC
25
26
Tradewinds
Isn’t It Time? Join Us in Protecting Your Right to Make a Living on the Water
Seafood is more perishable then many food items,
and the consumer must pay a little more attention to
its careful handling.
Whether a consumer buys seafood from a market
or catches fish and shellfish on their own, proper
handling, storage and preparation are necessary to
maintain quality and ensure safety. Although there
are many types of seafood available from commercial
sources or from recreational fishing, all fish and shellfish are highly perishable, and the same basic storage
and handling guidelines should be followed: Keep it
cold, Keep it clean, Store it quickly, Prepare and cook
it properly.
Keep Seafood Cold
How long your fresh seafood will last depends on
the condition of the product when you purchased it
(See selecting seafood) and on how well you take care
of it. When storing fresh seafood, keep it in the coldest
part of the refrigerator. Use a thermometer to make
sure your home refrigerators is operating at 40°F or
lower. Fish will lose quality and deteriorate rapidly
with higher storage temperature – so use ice when
you can. Always purchase seafood last during your
shopping trip, and bring a cooler to transport it home.
Store Seafood Properly
Finfish should be stored in the refrigerator and used
Tradewinds
From the Kitchen
Safe Seafood Handling
within 1 to 2 days after purchase. It’s a good idea to
store it on ice in the refrigerator to keep it as cold as
possible. If the fish won’t be used within 2 days, wrap
it tightly in moisture-proof bags and store it in the
freezer.
Shellfish, such as mussels, clams and oysters that
are purchased live in their shells, should be put in a
shallow pan (no water), covered with moistened paper
towels and refrigerated. Mussels and clams should be
used within 2-3 days and oysters within 7-10 days.
Shucked shellfish can be placed in a sealed container
and frozen. Live lobsters and crabs should be cooked
the day they are purchased. Frozen seafood should be kept frozen, and it is a
good idea to date packages of frozen seafood so you
can use the older seafood first. For best quality remember the FIFO concept – First In, First Out. Frozen
seafood must be thawed properly. It’s best to thaw
frozen seafood in the refrigerator overnight. Other
thawing methods include: immersing frozen seafood
in cold water for a short time in a sealed plastic bag, or
microwaving on a defrost setting until the fish is pliable but still icy. Be careful not to overheat the seafood
in the microwave or you will start the cooking process.
Handle and Prepare Seafood Properly
All foods, including seafood, must be handled and
27
prepared in a clean area to avoid cross-contamination.
Always remember to keep your hands, preparation
area and utensils clean. Never let raw seafood come in
contact with already cooked or ready-to-eat foods (e.g.
salads, fruit, smoked fish). Whether you are storing
fresh fish or thawing frozen fish in your refrigerator,
make sure that the juices from raw seafood do not drip
onto food that has already been cooked or food that
will not be cooked.
Never serve cooked seafood on a plate that held the
raw product without proper cleaning. Store leftovers,
properly wrapped, in the refrigerator within 2 hours.
Bacteria will grow rapidly in the temperature “Danger
Zone” of 40-140°F so keep hot food above 140°F and
cold food below 40°F.
Cook Seafood Properly
To avoid foodborne illness, it is necessary to cook
seafood to an internal temperature of 145°F for 15
seconds until the flesh is opaque and flaky. Use a food
thermometer to check the internal temperature in
the thickest part to make sure that it is fully cooked
without overcooking. When fully cooked, scallops and
shrimp will turn firm and opaque. Shellfish like clams,
mussels, oysters will become plump and opaque and
their shells will open. Lobster and crab shells will turn
bright red with a pearly-opaque flesh.
Tradewinds
28
Thanks to our advertisers for their
continued support
Page
Barbour’s Marine Supply - Beaufort
29
Beaufort Inlet Seafood Co. - Beaufort
4
B&J Seafood - New Bern
4
Brantley’s Village Restaurant
7
Carteret Catch - Beaufort
9
Carteret County Fishermen’s Association - Davis
23
Chadwick Tire - Otway18
Coastal Press - Morehead City
29
Core Sound Seafood - Harkers Island
14
Core Sound Waterfowl Museum - Harkers Island
19
Delamar & Delamar - Bayboro
20
Earps Seafood Shack - Raleigh
12
Earps Wholesale Fish - Raleigh
12
Edward Jones - New Bern
22
Emerald Seafood - New Fulton Market
21
Endurance Seafood - Oriental
22
Etheridge Fishing Supply - Wanchese
10
First Citizens Bank
29
Fishtowne Seafood - Beaufort
18
Garland Fulcher Seafood - Oriental
7
Garland Fulcher Seafood Market - Oriental
21
Gillikin Marine Railway - Beaufort
29
Hardison Tire Company - Alliance
20
Homer Smith Seafood - Beaufort
8
Karin Patrick, Northwestern Mutual - Raleigh
11
Locals Seafood - Raleigh
9
Mariner Realty - Oriental
29
Mattamuskeet Seafood - Swan Quarter
27
Mobile East - Alliance
24
Mr. Big Seafood - Harkers Island
14
Nixon Fishery - Edenton
29
North Carolina Department of Agriculture
31
O’Neal’s Body Shop - Beaufort
29
O’Neal’s Sea Harvest - Wanchese
12
Outer Banks Catch
18
Outer Banks Seafood - Beaufort
29
Pamlico Community College
32
Pamlico Family Eye Care - Alliance & New Bern 11
Pamlico Parts - Bayboro
12
Powell Brothers Maintenance - Beaufort
29
R.E. Mayo Seafood - Hobucken
24
Rocky Mount Cord Co.
8
Seacoast Marine Electronics - Oriental
23
Small Business Center - Pamlico Community College
6
Ted & Todd’s Marine Service - Beaufort
29
Tim Kelly - The Clement Companies
26
Wheatly, Wheatly, Weeks, Lupton & Massie - Beaufort
1
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[email protected]
P.O. Box 700, Oriental, NC 28571
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Or visit www.nctradewinds.com
Please help support the businesses that support our commercial fishing communities
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Tradewinds
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30
Tradewinds
Opinion
Why Are We Importing Our Own Seafood?
By Paul Greenberg
New York Times
In1982 a Chinese aquaculture scientist named Fusui
Zhang journeyed to Martha’s Vineyard in search of
scallops. The New England bay scallop had recently
been domesticated, and Dr. Zhang thought the Vineyard-grown shellfish might do well in China. After
a visit to Lagoon Pond in Tisbury, he boxed up 120
scallops and spirited them away to his lab in Qingdao.
During the journey 94 died. But 26 thrived. Thanks
to them, today China now grows millions of dollars
of New England bay scallops, a significant portion of
which are exported back to the United States.
As go scallops, so goes the nation. According to
the National Marine Fisheries Service, even though
the United States controls more ocean than any other
country, 86 percent of the seafood we consume is
imported.
But it’s much fishier than that: While a majority of
the seafood Americans eat is foreign, a third of what
Americans catch is sold to foreigners.
The seafood industry, it turns out, is a great example
of the swaps, delete-and-replace maneuvers and other
mechanisms that define so much of the outsourced
American economy; you can find similar, seemingly
inefficient phenomena in everything from textiles to
technology. The difference with seafood, though, is that
we’re talking about the destruction and outsourcing of
the very ecological infrastructure that underpins the
health of our coasts. Let’s walk through these illogical
arrangements, course by course.
Appetizers: Half Shells for Cocktails
Our most blatant seafood swap has been the abandonment of local American oysters for imported Asian
shrimp. Once upon a time, most American Atlantic
estuaries (including the estuary we now call the New
York Bight) had vast reefs of wild oysters. Many of
these we destroyed by the 1800s through overharvesting. But because oysters are so easy to cultivate (they
live off wild microalgae that they filter from the water),
a primitive form of oyster aquaculture arose up and
down our Atlantic coast.
Until the 1920s the United States produced two billion pounds of oysters a year. The power of the oyster
industry, however, was no match for the urban sewage
and industrial dumps of various chemical stews that
pummeled the coast at midcentury. Atlantic oyster
culture fell to just 1 percent of its historical capacity by
1970.
Just as the half-shell appetizer was fading into obscurity, the shrimp cocktail rose to replace it, thanks to a
Japanese scientist named Motosaku Fujinaga and the
kuruma prawn. Kurumas were favored in a preparation
known as “dancing shrimp,” a dish that involved the
consumption of a wiggling wild shrimp dipped in sake.
Dr. Fujinaga figured out how to domesticate this pricey
animal. His graduate students then fanned out across
Asia and tamed other varieties of shrimp.
Today shrimp, mostly farmed in Asia, is the most
consumed seafood in the United States: Americans eat
nearly as much of it as the next two most popular seafoods (canned tuna and salmon) combined. Notably,
the amount of shrimp we
now eat is equivalent to our
per capita oyster consumption a century ago.
In fact, shrimp was a
doorway into another seafood swap, which leads to
the next course.
Fish Sticks: Atlantic for
Pacific
Most seafood eaters know
the sad story of the Atlantic
cod. The ill effects of the
postwar buildup of industrialized American fishing
are epitomized by that fish’s
overexploitation: Gorton’s
fish sticks and McDonald’s
Filets-o-Fish all once rode
on the backs of billions of
cod. The codfish populations of North America
plummeted and have yet to
return.
Just as the North Atlantic
was falling as a fish-stick
producer, the Pacific rose.
Beginning in the 1990s two
new white fish started coming to us from Asia: tilapia,
which grows incredibly
fast, and the Vietnamese
Pangasius catfish, which
grows even faster (and can
breathe air if its ponds grow
too crowded). These two are
now America’s fourth- and
sixth-most-consumed seafoods, respectively, according
to the National Fisheries Institute.
Alongside them, a fishery arose for an indigenous
wild American Pacific fish called the Alaskan, or
walleye, pollock. In just a few decades, pollock harvests
went from negligible to billions of pounds a year. Pollock is now the fish in McDonald’s Filet-o-Fish. In fact,
there is so much pollock that we can’t seem to use it
all: Every year more than 600 million pounds is frozen
into giant blocks and sent to the churning fish processing plants of Asia, Germany and the Netherlands.
And that’s my point. Globalization, that unseen force
that supposedly eliminates inefficiencies through the
magic of trade, has radically disconnected us from our
seafood supply.
Of course, there is a place for the farming of shrimp,
just as there is a place for the farming of oysters. There
is a need for efficient aquacultured species like tilapia
and Pangasius, just as there is a need to curb the overfishing of Atlantic cod. There is even a place for farmed
Atlantic salmon, particularly if it can be raised so it
doesn’t affect wild salmon.
But when trade so completely severs us from our
coastal ecosystems, what motivation have we to
preserve them? I’d argue that with so much farmed
salmon coming into the country, we turn a blind eye
to projects like the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska,
which would process 10 billion tons of ore from a site
next to the spawning grounds of the largest wild sockeye salmon run on earth.
I’d maintain that farmed shrimp inure us to the fact
that the principal rearing ground of Gulf shrimp, the
Mississippi River Delta, is slipping into the sea at a rate
of a football field an hour. I’d venture that if we didn’t
import so much farmed seafood we might develop
a viable, sustainable aquaculture sector of our own.
Currently the United States languishes in 15th place
in aquaculture, behind microscopic economies like
Egypt and Myanmar. And I’d suggest that all this fish
swapping contributes to an often fraudulent seafood
marketplace, where nearly half of the oceanic products
sold may be mislabeled.
We can have no more intimate relationship with our
environment than to eat from it. During the last century that intimacy has been lost, and with it our pathway
to one of the most healthful American foods. It is our
obligation to reclaim this intimacy. This requires us not
just to eat local seafood; it requires the establishment
of a working relationship with our marine environment.
It means, in short, making seafood not only central
to personal health, but critical to the larger health of
the nation.