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Finding a Way to Survive
by Brenda Tredwell
Jason’s filling in for Chris Coulter who usually fishes with Gary. Jason crews on Glen Libby’s 54 ft. dragger Skipper, and his cousin, Justin, skippers the 48 ft. Capt. Lee. At 6'2 and 270 lbs., they’ve dubbed Justin “Little Buzza.” It used to be that generations would fish together, now, you’re hard pressed to find more than a handful of working groundfish boats, let alone permits along the entire Maine coast. The Libbys, however, are finding a way. “Lobsters’ in rough shape, but ground fish – we’re in trouble,” says Gary Libby. “$2.50/lb. for lobster is actually better than what we get for groundfish,” he continues. “If we fish 18 hours and get $1.00 per lb., that’s $1800. At the price of fuel, we burn 250 gallons a day – that's $1,000. The average trip takes 5 tons of ice (average cost – $70 a ton, it has to be trucked in.) You give ? (share) to the boat, half to share up – I’ve made $140 on a 3 day trip.” For 10,000 lbs. of pollock, for example, after you take out the auction fee, sometimes the fish actually cost us.” According to Gary, “Right now, we’re kinda in-between,” so his crew will be going for monk tails and sow hake, and the success of the trip is measured in pounds per hour. “We’re working towards shrimp, now, trying to keep bills paid – it’s a better market for shrimp, the market's same as last year’s.” At Glen’s shop, yards of green twine woven into fine mesh spill out the door. They’re the same topless shrimp nets that veteran New England Fisheries Management Council member Dave Goethals used on his boat. The design, developed at University of Maine at Orono, catches more shrimp, less by-catch. Experiments are also being done with double grates, which let small shrimp out. “This is the type of technology we’re going to have to start looking at,” says Glen, who laughs it off, saying he’s started using these nets “before the government said he has to.” But the steps he – and the Midcoast Fishermen’s Association – have taken voluntarily to reduce by-catch tell a more eloquent story, as do the words of his nephew, Chris Coulter, who wished, “If that conflict could just end, between fixed and mobile gear.” “There’s farm-raised shrimp, but wild-caught is just pure fish,” says Gary. Operating on the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) principles set up by small farms, the goal of the Port Clyde Fresh Catch Community Supported Fishing (CSF) program is to deliver freshly harvested catch to customers on St. George peninsula, and beyond. They had over 400 customers with 4 CSF’s. “People wanted filleted (fish), some use the racks” and they’ll “probably expand to Damariscotta,” said Gary. They have customers in Bar Harbor, and in the Winter Harbor/ Gouldsboro area. Not a lot of people were aware they’d deliver that far. For more information, go to pcfreshcatch.com or midcoastfishermen.org. “Vinalhaven customer shares go on an airplane,” says Glen Libby. A memorable customer was Annie Malley – the cook on the schooner J.R. Riggins. She bought her vegetables from CSA farms, then wanted fresh-water fish. The Belfast CSF says they smell like the ocean. Glen’s brother Gary Libby said, “We worked with Craig Pendleton and NAMA. The idea originated with Jean Finn, who started buying shrimp at the Unitarian Church.” According to Glen, “We’ve seen it (the fishing) go away – now we’re trying to get it back.” With CSF’s, a lot more people can stay fishing. About community supported fishing, which could preserve the survival of small fishing operations in Maine, Libby added, “I just hope it's not too late.” |
