Women of Fishing Families

What would summertime on Cape Cod be without fresh seafood? Fishing boats in every harbor from the canal to Ptown, bringing in oysters and quahogs from the flats, lobsters from the pots and all sorts of fish from the sea. Clambakes, fish fries and raw bars are the focal point of special events, beachfront gatherings and backyard dinners. We’re on Cape Cod after all, right?

But let’s pause for a moment, and think about what happens when codfish aren’t swimming around the Cape’s waters. And most of the cod fishermen or groundfishermen can’t catch the cod, haddock and fluke that once defined the phrase “catch of the day.” Nowadays the white fish fillets in markets and restaurants coveted by year-rounders, summer residents and visitors alike aren’t local groundfish. Yet Cape Cod’s fishing industry is still working hard on the ocean to feed people. So the questions are: What is being caught locally and where is all that fresh fish going?

The answers lie within a force des femmes of fishermen’s wives, sisters, mothers and daughters down in Chatham, who use the symbol of a pink boot to raise awareness about fishing family and industry issues. The Women of Fishing Families (WOFF), an independent, all-volunteer organization supporting fishermen and their families since 2006, is launching a Get Fresh! campaign this summer to promote the locally-abundant fish species being harvested by Cape Cod community-based fishermen.

Get Fresh! with the Women of Fishing Families is a go-to resource for seafood lovers who seek fresh-off-the-boat fish and shellfish. Accessible via blog, Get Fresh! offers web visitors information about what fish is in season, who is landing it at the local docks, where to purchase it at fish markets and restaurants, and how to preserve and prepare it using old Cape fishing family recipes. Sign up for bi-weekly email updates and social media posts to follow the seasonality of fish landings, market price comparisons and creative seafood dishes.

The Get Fresh! campaign serves as a fun and interactive component of WOFF’s mission, which is to provide an active support network and direct assistance for fishing families, and to educate the greater public about the industry. It’s all about getting the freshest seafood while supporting Cape Cod’s small-scale fishing family businesses and the health of our ocean.

Women of Fishing Families
womenoffishingfamilies.org