A pandemic-era program keeps Maine fishing industry afloat : NPR

Key Points:

• Maine's groundfishing industry, hit hard by rising food and fuel costs and the pandemic's impact on fish prices, is being supported by the Fishermen Feeding Mainers program, which buys locally caught fish to donate to schools and food banks.
• Since 2020, the program has spent over $4 million to purchase and process about 1.3 million pounds of fish, providing more than 1.8 million meals and helping fishermen maintain stable incomes despite market volatility.
• The initiative also introduces fish to students who might not otherwise eat it, with schools incorporating local seafood into menus and receiving training on preparation, which could foster future consumer demand for Maine-caught fish.
• The program is funded through private donations, grants, and government support, and strategically buys fish when market prices fall to prevent fishermen from earning unsustainably low prices.
• Despite challenges like federal quotas and competition from imported fish, the program supports the remaining local fishing boats and processors, contributing to the sustainability of Maine's groundfishing industry while addressing food insecurity.