Island Creek Cannery Opens in New Bedford MA

oysters

In October 2023, Island Creek Oysters, Inc. (ICO), an aquaculture farm based in Duxbury, Massachusetts, announced the opening of the Island Creek Cannery. The cannery will be a first-of-its-kind on the East Coast.

The 10,000 sq. foot facility will give local shellfish farmers consistent access to the market while providing a shelf-stable line of local sustainable seafood products.

The facility will also help address oversupply by ensuring adequate processing capacity during market fluctuations, shore up prices for farmers, reduce waste, diversify species and food, and create a range of jobs from processors to marketing experts.

For more information, visit islandcreekoysters.com.

U.S. Oyster Aquaculture Facts

Shellfish aquaculture is an important industry in coastal Massachusetts. Oysters are the most popular farmed shellfish in the state.

Oysters are the highest volume product for U.S. marine shellfish producers, according to NMFS Fisheries of the United States, 2020.

Massachusetts Seafood Marketing

A new Massachusetts seafood marketing program seeks to increase awareness and demand for local seafood and support Massachusetts’ fishing and seafood industries.

The Massachusetts seafood marketing program will educate people on seafood availability, preparation, health benefits, economic contribution, and environmental sustainability through printed material, events, partnerships and other aids. Legislators, agency heads and industry members comprise the program’s steering committee.

The program is managed by the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF)

The Massachusetts Seafood Marketing Program kicked off its formal marketing efforts at the 5th annual Boston Seafood Festival at the Boston Fish Pier.

The new seafood marketing program chose the Boston Seafood Festival to launch because the event celebrates the commercial fishing heritage of Massachusetts while highlighting the significant infrastructure that is the Boston Fish Pier.

source: Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

Seafood From New England

Atlantic Cod

New England is one of the top seafood producing regions of the USA. Home to several of the nation's oldest fishing ports, New England has a long tradition of harvesting and serving seafood. Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine all have coastal access and support active commercial fisheries.

New England is world famous for its landings of groundfish, coastal species and pelagic saltwater fish. Among the most sought after species are Atlantic cod, Atlantic haddock, Atlantic pollock, hake, whiting, yellowtail flounder, winter flounder, fluke, monkfish, redfish, spiny dogfish, scup, weakfish, black sea bass, bluefish, giant Atlantic bluefin tuna, swordfish, and others.

New England is also an important producer of shellfish, including lobsters, coldwater shrimp, sea scallops, quahog clams, soft-shelled clams, sea clams, oysters, blue mussels, and other delicacies.

A wide range of fish and seafood is available locally (in season), while others are processed and shipped across the USA and worldwide.

In addition to wild caught fish and shellfish, New England is an important state for aquaculture.

The region is known for dishes such as clam chowder, baked cod or haddock, fried soft shelled clams, lobster rolls, clam bakes, and other seafood recipes.

Seafood Film Festival to be Held in New Bedford MA

Anyone interested in the U.S. seafood industry is invited to a mini film festival at the National Park’s Corson Maritime  Learning Center (33 William Street, New Bedford MA) on Thursday, September 9th from 5-8:30 p.m.

The audience will view several of the films to be featured at the 2010 Working Waterfront Festival and hear from Festival organizers about what else is in store this year’s event.

This free event is being presented as part Art History Architecture, New Bedford’s monthly arts and culture night.

Films to be screened are as follows:

* Whales of Gold (5-5:30pm) – Explores the impact of eco-tourism on a traditional fishing community in Baja California which has become a destination for whale watching

* Tugging Through Time (5:40–6:40pm) – Chronicles the history of tug boats in the New York harbor.

* Scalloping With the Courageous (6:50–7:20pm) – Documents a full trip as shot by the crew. Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTdkkg6G0KY to watch a trailer!

* Truth: Fishing Crisis or Government Mismanagement (7:30–8:30pm) - Presents the controversy around fishing regulations in the United States including an interview with Sig Hansen of Deadliest Catch.

The 2010 Working Waterfront Festival is scheduled to be held September 25th & 26th in New Bedford MA.