Chilmark is looking for a new steward for the former Menemsha Fish House building through a public bidding process.
The parks and recreation department will hold a public hearing for applicants on Jan. 11.
At a selectmen’s meeting Tuesday, selectman and Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust board member Warren Doty gave a short presentation on the trust’s intentions for the property.
The future leaseholder of the building would have to work with former leaseholder Alec Gale and Jared Auerbach of Red’s Best, the Boston-based seafood wholesaler that has operated the business since 2010, to purchase the equipment in the building.
“The Menemsha Fish House is changing, and we’re going to apply for a new lease,” Doty said.
The Preservation Trust sent a letter to the parks and recreation committee expressing its interest in leasing the Basin Road property to create the Martha’s Vineyard Community Seafood Project.
“This lease will allow us to expand our nonprofit’s mission to serve the local fishing fleet by 1) providing a competitive wholesale market for local fishermen and aquaculture farmers, 2) educating the public and customers to increase the value and demand for locally caught and produced seafood, and 3) wholesaling local seafood to customers both locally and abroad,” the letter reads.
