>>Fishermen's Voice Monthly Newspaper, Gouldsboro Maine

What is a Community-Supported Fishery (CSF)?
A Community-Supported Fishery (CSF) is a shore-side community of people collaborating with the local fishing community. CSF members give the fishing community financial support in advance of the season and, in turn, the fishermen provide a weekly share of their catch during the harvesting season. A CSF reconnects people to the ocean that sustains them and builds a rewarding relationship between the fishermen and the shareholders.

Why buy seafood through a CSF?
There is an essential quality to seafood that you only get when it’s harvested locally and delivered to you just hours out of the ocean. The long-term health and abundance of the Gulf of Maine is very important to us. Our small family-owned boats enable us to pay attention to the way our shrimp is caught and to focus on strengthening our local food community, our economy and the sustainability of the ecosystem.

Basic Information:
The Midcoast Fishermen’s Cooperative (MFC) will deliver fresh whole shrimp to designated pick-up sites every Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting December 12, 13 and 14, 2008 and running until March 13, 14 and 15, 2009 (14 weeks for each location). Members can purchase a full share which will equal 10 pounds a week or a half-share of 5 pounds a week. The shrimp will be whole (in their shell with heads on). MFC will provide information on how to peel, cook and store your shrimp.

Members selecting the Friday option will pick up their shares at the Port Clyde Fresh Catch processing facility between 5:30 and 7pm. Members choosing the Saturday option should pick up their shares at the Rising Tide Natural Foods Co-op between 10:30 and 12:00 or at The Good Tern Co-op between 1:30 and 3:00. Members selecting the Sunday option should pick up their shares at the First Universalist Church in Rockland from 10:30 to 12:00 or at the Belfast Food Co-op from 1:30 to 3:00. The shrimp will be bagged but you should bring a cooler to transport it home.

Freshness Guarantee:
The Midcoast Fishermen’s Cooperative promises to deliver only the freshest, sweetest and largest shrimp that the Gulf of Maine has to offer. We use new sorting grids that leave the smaller shrimp in the ocean to grow. We guarantee that the catch you receive on Saturday will usually be caught on Friday and will never be caught any earlier than Thursday. There will be times when Maine’s winter weather prevents the boats from going out. If weather prohibits a fresh catch from being safely delivered on any pick up day, your share the following week will be doubled.

Share Options:
Full Share: Supplies weekly shrimp for a family from December 12, 13 or 14, 2008 to March 13, 14 or 15, 2009 (14 weeks) for $210.00

Half-Share: Supplies weekly shrimp for an individual or couple from December 12, 13 or 14, 2008 to March 13, 14 or 15, 2009 (14 weeks) for $105.00 (Average price of shrimp is $1.50 lb)

We are also planning to offer cooked shrimp this year for an additional 50 cents per lb. Stay tuned for details!

Payment Options:
Pay in Full: This helps the fishermen cover winter expenses and reduces administration time during the season.

Payment Plan: 2 consecutive payments of $105 (or $52.50 for a half-share). Your first payment will be due when signing up. The second payment of $105 (or $52.50 for a half share) will be due when picking up your share on January 23, 24 or 25.

ABOUT THE MIDCOAST FISHERMEN’S ASSOCIATION AND COOPERATIVE
The MFA/MFC was formed two years ago by a group of fishermen from the Midcoast area in order to assist the New England Fisheries Management Council in the enormous task of restoring fish and maintaining healthy shrimp populations along the coast of Maine.

Many of the community fishing fleets that once comprised a thriving industry all along the coast of Maine have gradually disappeared. While the Port Clyde fleet remains active, there is still a possibility that it could face the same fate. A new direction is needed, and the fishermen of the MFA/MFC have responded with several plans that have the potential to be a positive model for fisheries along our coast for generations to come.

Through the Midcoast Fishermen’s Cooperative we have successfully created a marketing strategy to sell products that reflect our strong conservation ethic. This marketing plan is centered on branding our product as local, of high quality, caught sustainably and sold in a way that puts us closer to the consumer in the marketplace.

Last winter, with whole shrimp, we launched the first Community-Supported Fishery in Maine with the First Universalist Church of Rockland. During the groundfish season, we grew this initial venture to four fish CSFs in Rockland, Belfast and Downeast.

We also began a research project, in collaboration with the Island Institute and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, to demonstrate that our fishing methods promote conservation while providing a fresh high-quality, sustainable product for people to enjoy.

This winter’s shrimp CSF is a real chance for people to support our efforts to recover our fishery. We hope you will find it rewarding to buy from local fishermen who are fishing in a conservation-minded way.

Midcoast Fishermen’s Cooperative
PO Box 223, Port Clyde, ME 04855