A Denver-based fish importer plans to buy fish directly from individual boats within the New England small boat groundfishery in a well-intended program that still reveals the complexities of supporting beleaguered Northeast fishermen.

Seattle Fish Co., according to its director of purchasing, is interested in building a Colorado market for East Coast seafood as a means for expanding its seafood offerings and potentially helping fishermen in this region.

“We’re doing it to see if we can help support the groundfishermen up in that region, who have really been hit hard,” said Harry Mahleres. “Usually, our big thrust is from the West Coast and out of Alaska.”

The new program also emphasizes a boat-to-table philosophy in partnership with Open Ocean, which links distributors with individual day-boat fishermen who agree to provide transparent and traceable products at market-reasonable prices.

Read the full story at the Salem News>>