Make more money for your catch? Sure, why not? It's a topic most commercial fishermen would be interested in, and one of many that will be discussed at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum, which takes place today through Saturday at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine.
The forum is a big deal in Maine. In it’s 38th year, the event will draw thousands of commercial fishermen and others in the fishing industry from around the region to visit the trade show and attend seminars and other forum-related events. National Fisherman will be there too. That's our crew from last year's show above.
The trade show and seminars are free to attend and well worth the time spent. I’ll be at the forum and am still deciding which seminars to cover. There are some compelling ones to choose from, but the most universal may be the ones about how to make more money. Two seminars address this issue directly:
On Friday morning, the seminar “Direct Marketing: Options and Obstacles for Maine Fishermen” will be held at 10:30. It's no secret that consumers are starting to care more and more about where their food comes, and fishermen absolutely should be a part of this trend. Food doesn’t get any more local and sustainable than when it's pulled out of the water from local fishermen.
But then you have to get that fish to the consumer, and that can be the tricky part. During this seminar, Togue Brawn of Maine Dayboat Scallops will moderate a panel of direct marketers who share their success stories of selling their catch in farmers markets, to restaurants and through CSFs. The panel also promises a brainstorming session to address hurdles fishermen face as direct-marketers.
The next morning, at 9, I’m going to check out the seminar “How Else Can Fishermen Make a Buck? – Spin-Off Businesses from Idea to Implementation.” This is especially important for those in the New England groundfish industry losing income from cuts in cod quota, but the ideas may be worth something to all fishermen doing whatever they can to make a living on the water.
So, how else can you make a buck? According to the event description, that could include taking paying tourists aboard, adding value to your catch and chartering for special trips or collaborative research. Of course there are legal and logistical hurdles to get started in a spin-off business. Here, we’ll find out what they are and meet people who can help overcome them.
That’s just two out of 30 seminars. The forum also includes a trade show, a benefit auction, dinner and dance, immersion suit training and fun stuff for families. If you’re in the area, head to Rockport to check out the show. You can find out more by visiting the Maine Fishermen's Forum's website.
Photo credit: Maine Fishermen's Forum
