The Community Supported Fishery program of the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust is accepting registrations for its 2024 summer and fall memberships.
The fishery program, launched in January 2022, provides paid members with locally caught seafood that is immediately flash-frozen and vacuum-sealed upon arrival at the dock. Membership fees also support the local fishermen who catch the seafood.
Seafood packages are labeled with the name of the fishing vessel they come from.
Members can sign up for pick-ups of seafood two or three times a month. Depending on the catch, a package could include scallops, tuna, fluke filets, and black sea bass, as well as squid and monkfish.
Offering species like squid or monkfish allow the program to support a wider range of fishing activities, and to relieve pressure on stocks of frequently targeted fish species.
According to the Fishermen’s Preservation Trust, the carbon footprint of a community supported fishery program is significantly lower than that of a conventional commercial seafood distribution system.
A summer membership in the program provides access to three seafood pickups a month from June through August, and a fall membership comes with two monthly pickups through September and October.
Memberships also come in small and large sizes. A small pickup provides 8–10 servings of seafood, and a large pickup provides 16–20 servings.
A small summer membership costs $345, while a large membership costs $675. A small fall membership costs $230, and a large one costs $450.
Registration for the community supported fishery is available on the preservation trust website.
