It was the perfect afternoon for the 7th annual Meet the Fleet, hosted by the Martha’s Vineyard Fisherman’s Preservation Trust on the Menemsha docks in Chilmark.
The yearly event is a way for the community to get to know their Island fishermen.
“The idea is to celebrate the working waterfront and the commercial fishermen and give people a chance to meet the fishermen who harvest their seafood because oftentimes you just see the boat coming in or going out, but you don’t have a chance to see the face behind your dinner,” said Shelley Edmundson, executive director of the preservation trust.
Around 20 commercial fishing vessels pulled up to the docks stern in. They were supposed to be in by 2 pm but most of them were in by noon, Edmundson said, alluding to an eagerness amongst participants. They had more boats actually than they’d anticipated, both from the Island and mainland.
“It’s always a really good turnout,” Edmundson added.
The docks and surrounding area were crowded from 3 to 7 pm Thursday with roughly 200 people in attendance. Some gathered to check out the fishing fleet and others stood in line at the raw bar, manned by Quinn and Grady Keefe of Outkast Oyster Company. The brothers, who grew up shucking at the Homeport Restaurant, served Menemsha Creek Oysters for a suggested $3 donation.
Board president of the preservation trust, John Keene, said the event is an opportunity to show a full presentation of what the fishing industry is all about. And it was obvious to onlookers through drinks, toasted on boat decks, and friendly jabs made between competition contestants, that the event was also a coming-together and a physical representation of the heart of the fishing village.
“It’s a rebirth of the fleet down here,” Keene said. “People are investing in it.”
Not only could community members and visitors talk to commercial fishermen right from their floating havens, they could hop onto the Coast Guard’s 47-foot search-and-rescue boat, the Massachusetts State Police’s 37-foot moose boat, and the state’s Environmental Police 31-foot boat. The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head’s (Aquinnah) Natural Resource Department was also at the event.
The environmental police boat is part of the coastal patrol boats assigned to the waters of the commonwealth. Sergeant Ian Haskins focuses mostly on the Southeast coast, but because he is federally deputized, he also patrols federal waters. Haskins uses the vessel for presence and response to boat safety as well as commercial and recreational fishing practices.
On board was a remote-controlled submersible that the police use for recovering fatalities and ensuring compliance of fishing gear.
Around 5 pm, crowds gathered at the beach for a Coast Guard helicopter rescue demonstration. Justin Harris, chief engineering officer at the Coast Guard’s Chilmark base, described the demonstration to Times’ reporters from the beach. The demonstrators mocked both a basket rescue and a direct rescue, Harris said.
These are water rescues, he said, but they can be done on boats too.
Musical groups Rose Guerin, Rose Colored Glasses, the Philly Project, and Dock Dance Band played off the deck of the F/V Martha Elizabeth, captained by lobster and conch commercial fisherman Wes Brighton, as green crab races, a net-mending competition, and a fish-filleting demonstration occurred in between the buildings.
“The different competitions highlight the skills you need to be a commercial fisherman,” Edmundson said. There was also a line-splicing and life-raft survival contest.
Arguably the most-watched event was the 5th annual scallop-shucking competition, which saw 10 participants shuck a bushel of scallops, emceed by Matt Merry, a good friend of the preservation trust, Edmundson said.
“Paris has the Olympics, Menemsha has scallop shucking,” Merry said.
The shuckers worked in almost complete silence and total focus as they opened the shell, cut away the stomach sack and excess parts, grabbed the muscle, and chucked the rest away.
The only noise heard other than the scraping and throwing and light intense music coming from one guitarist to simulate time ticking away were the cheers from the crowd and emcee as contestants got closer and closer to the bottom of the bucket. Front row spectators were warned that they were in the splash zone of scallop guts.
Otto Osmers became the clear winner as his bucket emptied and Merry shouted, “Otto-matic!” Someone in the crowd added, “Otto-zone!” Osmers, also a commercial fisherman, won the shucking competition for the second year in a row, taking home $1,000 and bragging rights.
The event raised over $63,000 from sponsors. The money goes to the fishing preservation trust after expenses.
1,000 and bragging rights.
The event raised over $63,000 from sponsors. The money goes to the fishing preservation trust after expenses.
