The Fishermen Feeding Mainers program, a pandemic-era initiative that partners the Portland Fish Exchange and the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, offers a lifeline to Maine's struggling groundfishermen. The program raises money to buy locally caught fish, process it, and donate frozen fillets to schools and food banks in Maine. The program aims to create a new generation of seafood lovers by offering a free food source to local schools, food banks, and communities.
Workers at the Portland Fish Exchange in Portland, Maine, move fish in a tote before it's transported. The exchange and the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association have partnered for the Fishermen Feeding Mainers program, an initiative that provides fresh, locally caught seafood to community members, including public schools.
The program aims to support Maine's struggling groundfishing industry by raising money to buy locally caught fish, process it, and donate frozen fillets to schools and food banks in Maine. The program was initially funded by a roughly $374,000 donation from a foundation and has since received private donations, grants, and state and federal funding.
Since its inception in late 2020, the program has spent over $4 million on purchasing and processing about 1.3 million pounds of locally caught fish, providing a lifeline to Maine's struggling groundfishermen and offering a free food source to locals during inflation. The program has donated more than 1.8 million meals to schools and food banks since October 2020.
Some schools and food banks have driven more than 10 hours round trip multiple times for the free haul, which allows local fishing crews to continue working with some security against unpredictable auction prices. One example is the Westbrook High School lunch menu, featuring haddock with a tangy Greek yogurt sauce on a whole grain tortilla, served with cilantro lime rice and lentil stew.
The program has significantly improved the diversity of school lunches and provided a taste of fresh seafood to students who may not have had access to it otherwise
Portland Fish Exchange Maine Coast Fishermen's Association Fishermen Feeding Mainers Program Locally Caught Seafood Groundfishing Industry Inflation Pandemic-Era Initiative Creating Future Markets
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