Community Supported Fishery

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Community Supported Fishery is a boat to plate community enterprise providing fresh, sustainable, locally caught seafood to the Portland Food Community. Community Supported Fishery is made up of local fishermen bringing the best fresh fish and seafood to customer's home and restaurant. They are small boat fishermen that run their own processing facility which means that they are able to maintain the quality and consistency of their product unlike large commercial fleets. Each fish is guaranteed fresh, caught using sustaiable methods, and individually handled. Their fleet is designed for short length trips, meaning they fish in local waters and harvest daily. By supporting Community Supported Fishery, local fishermen, the environment, the local economy, and members also benefit. Local fishermen are helped by having new, more sustainable markets for their product. Because the distance the products travel and the carbon footprint is greatly reduced, the environment benefits. By keeping all costs community-based, the local economy prospers. Transparency is also easier to maintain in a local market - members will always know what they are eating, where and who it came from, and how it was caught.

The business model at Community Supported Fishery is built around community, environmental stewardship, and economic equity that both strengthens the community and provides a superior product. The direct connection between customers and fishermen leads to stringent quality control, as well as coordinated efforts towards environmental sustainability. They only partner with organizations that also believe in keeping the oceans and local economies healthy for future generations. By addressing issues such as waste, managing fish stocks, and implementing programs that reduce their carbon footprint, Community Supported Fishery prioritizes environmental stewardship. They are committed to:

• Providing the best local seafood to the Portland food community
• Only harvest fish using sustainable harvest practices
• Base their business model on quality premium products
• Keep their dollars in the local economy by doing business with other locally owned establishments
• Pay fishermen fair and consistent prices to encourage quality over quantity
• Reduce the carbon footprint of seafood distribution by removing multiple layers of handlind and re-selling
• Reduce their local waste through reuse and recycling, compost, and reusing fish by-products
• Support the economy, society, and environment