Cape Ann Fresh Catch - Community Supported Fishery

Cape Ann Fresh Catch, a Gloucester, Massachusetts based Community Supported Fishery or CSF, is well into its second year. CSF members give the fishing community financial support in advance of the season, and in turn the fishermen provide a weekly share of seafood during the harvesting season to shareholders. Cape Ann Fresh Catch offered its first subscription series in summer of 2009. The program proved so popular that additional subscription series were added throughout the summer and extending into the fall. A popular winter series was offered as well, featuring winter shrimp. The program has had as many as 900 subscribers in a season and is now delivering to 16 communities, providing benefits to the fishermen, Gloucester, the ecology and the consumers. Cape Ann Fresh Catch is a project of the Gloucester Fishermen's Wives Association (GFWA), with support from Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance; MIT Sea Grant; Turner's Seafood, Ocean Crest Seafood, the Cape Ann fishermen and their crews; the staff and volunteers of the CAFC; and last, the CAFC CSF members.