October, 2014

“It’s no fish ye’re buying - it’s men’s lives.”

What’s for Dinner?

Capt. Ernie Foster:

Worth Reading:

North Carolina Oyster Recipes

The Men Who Reinvented Fishing

Classics of the Industry

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FREE

Tradewinds

Publication of the North Carolina Fisheries Association

Celebrating the Rich Heritage of North Carolina’s Fishing Families

The Dirty, Not-So-Little Secrets About Imports In This Issue Inspiration: We Fish By Faith 10 Achievers: Ocracoke’s Fisherwoman 11 Remembering: Blessing of the Fleet 13 Tradition: Bogue Banks Mullet Blow 14 On the Road: Alaskan Advanture 15 Hard Times: Photo esay by noted author & photographer Ben Casey 16-17 Your Health: Formaldehyde in Asian Fish 19 Opinion: Why Are We Importing Our Own Fish? 30

Did you know that over 80 percent of the fish and shrimp Americans eat actually comes from overseas — and a recent investigation found that some of that seafood may contain toxic chemicals that can cause serious health problems. Footage taken by a U.S. advocacy group of seafood being raised in Vietnam, for example, showed fish in dirty sewage water, pumped with toxic antibiotics and banned drugs just to keep them alive, boosting production and driving down costs. Ron Sparks is commissioner of the state Department of Agriculture in Alabama — one of the few states that tests imported seafood for drugs like chloramphenicol, nitrofurans and malachite green, chemicals so toxic to humans that they’re banned in all food. “In some cases, between 40 and 50 percent of our tests will come out positive,” Sparks said. “That’s a disturbing number.” State tests in Oklahoma, Mississippi and Georgia show similar results, all targeting seafood with the worst record of contamination: shrimp, catfish, crabmeat and tilapia imported to the U.S. from China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia — ending up in American restaurants and grocery stores in many cases, officials say. “Unfortunately, consumers can’t tell if any of these compounds are in their seafood,” said Joe Basile, a seafood chemist for the Alabama Department of Agriculture. “You can’t smell it, can’t taste it, you can’t cook it out.” Scientists say that over time, eating seafood contaminated with such chemicals could cause anemia, cancer and even birth defects. The Food and Drug Administration says that the risks are long-term and not fully understood. While the FDA is responsible for keeping the nation’s food supply safe, TODAY’s investi-

gation found that the FDA tests less than 2 percent of imported seafood. “I would certainly suggest that the FDA do more,” Sparks said. ‘Cat-and-mouse game’ Government tests show that U.S. seafood is free of these contaminants, but as far back as 2007, a congressional report found that “seafood imports remain especially problematic” and that the “FDA lacks sufficient resources and authority to ensure food safety.” The FDA declined to speak with TODAY on camera, but said it is doing the best it can, targeting its testing on companies and countries that are repeat offenders and rejecting their products Continued on page 24

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #35 NEW BERN, NC

From the Editor’s Desk Maureen Donald

Love Shrimp? Read This Before You Head to the Market Mmm...shrimp with a side of antibiotics, cockroaches and dead fish.

NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES ASSOCIATION, INC.

2014 Board of Directors OFFICERS Brent Fulcher New Bern, NC Chairman Leslie Daniels Beaufort, NC Treasurer BOARD MEMBERS Ralphie Craddock-Mann Harbor, NC Henry Daniels-Belhaven, NC Joey Daniels-Wanchese Fish Company Wayne Dunbar-Pamlico County, NC Dewey Hemilright-Wanchese, NC Michael (Jimbo) Ireland-Aurora, NC Benny O’Neal-Wanchese, NC Steve Parrish-Supply, NC Brunswick County Fishermen’s Association Hardy Plyler-Ocracoke, NC Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association Wesley Potter-New Bern, NC Terry Pratt-Merry Hill, NC Albemarle Fishermen’s Association Britton Shackelford-Wanchese, NC NC Watermen United Bradley Styron-Cedar Island, NC Carteret County Fishermen’s Association Mark Vrablic-Wanchese, NC Sherrie Williams-Engelhard, NC Representing NC Catch, ex-officio, non-voting: Karen Amspacher NCFA Staff Jerry Schill, President

Peggy C. Page,

Administration & Accounting

Lauren Morris

Membership & Operations Manager

P.O. Box 335 Bayboro, NC 28515

Shrimp is the most popular seafood in the United States, but here’s an unsettling fact that might keep you from ordering your next shrimp cocktail: 90 percent of the shrimp we eat has been imported, but less than 2 percent of that gets inspected by U.S. regulatory agencies. What’s the big deal? Imported shrimp, more than any other seafood, has been found to be contaminated with banned chemicals, pesticides, and even cockroaches, and it skirts food-safety authorities only to wind up on your plate. The number one reason for all that: the dirty conditions in which farmed shrimp are raised. #1: It’s filthy. Banned antibiotics aren’t the only unwanted sides you get with imported shrimp. Previous tests have found penicillin, an antibiotic that, while legal, could trigger allergic reactions in unsuspecting shrimp-lovers. “Imported farmed shrimp comes with a whole bevy of contaminants: antibiotics, residues from chemicals used to clean pens, filth like mouse hair, rat hair, and pieces of insects,” says Marianne Cufone, director of the fish program at the nonprofit Food and Water Watch. And that list doesn’t include Salmonella and E. coli, both of which have been detected in imported shrimp. In fact, imported shrimp is so dirty that it accounts for 26 to 35 percent of all shipments of imported seafood that get rejected due to filth, according to Food & Water Watch. #2: Shrimp-packing plants are filthy, too. A report published in the November 2012 issue of Bloomberg magazine revealed some truly disgusting facts about the conditions in which shrimp are packaged and shipped. At one particular facility in Vietnam, the magazine’s reporters found processing-plant floors littered with garbage, flies buzzing around, and shrimp that wasn’t being stored at proper temperatures. The shrimp itself was packed in ice made from local tap water, which public health authorities warned should be boiled before using due to microbial contamination, potentially exposing the shrimp (and eaters) to more bacte-

rial contamination. According to Bloomberg, FDA inspectors have rejected 1,380 loads of seafood from Vietnam since 2007 for filth and salmonella, including 81 from the plant the reporters visited. #3: It’s full of cancer-causing chemicals. According to a 2011 Government Accountability Office report, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tested just 0.1 percent of imported seafood for chemical residues. Here’s what the agency missed in that untested 99.9 percent: banned antibiotics that have the potential to cause cancer. Recently, ABC News recruited scientists from Texas Tech University’s Institute of Environmental and Human Health to test 30 samples of shrimp purchased from grocery stores for the presence of three classes of antibiotics. Two samples of imported farm-raised (as opposed to wild) shrimp from India and Thailand tested positive for nitrofuranzone, an antibiotic that’s a known carcinogen, at levels 28 and 29 times higher than those allowed by the FDA. Another antibiotic, chloramphenical, was detected at levels 150 times the legal limit. It’s been banned in food production in the U.S. because of possible severe side effects such as aplastic anemia and leukemia. #4: It’s exacerbating climate change. More often than not, these nonnative shrimp are raised in farms, rather than being caught wild. Shrimp farms, essentially huge underwater pens, are built along coastlines, and to make room for them, shrimp farmers have to destroy native mangrove forests that provide a buffer against hurricanes and flooding. Scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture have found that mangrove forests absorb and trap more climate-changing carbon dioxide than any other ecosystem on the planet, including rainforests. Yet, over the past 50 years, anywhere from 5 to 80 percent of the mangrove forests in Thailand, Ecuador, Indonesia, China, Mexico, and Vietnam (the five leading shrimp-farming countries) have been destroyed to make room for more coastal shrimp farms. #5: It’s not domestic. Enough said?

Tradewinds

A publication of the North Carolina Fisheries Association P.O. Box 700 Oriental, NC 28571 For more information about advertising, editorial contributions or suggestions regarding this publication, please contact: Maureen Donald, Editor 252-675-3128 [email protected] www.nctradewinds.com

Tradewinds

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NCFA Forum A Message from Brent NCFA is fighting day in and day out for your continued access to fish commercially in North Carolina and Federal waters. 2013 was a very difficult time on the NC Fishing Industry, with the Tim Hergenrader Petition to close Shrimping in Pamlico Sound and the Gamefish Bill 983 which was introduced in the General Assembly. Both of these assaults on the North Carolina Fishing Industry were defeated through efforts from fishermen, industry and concerned individuals. You may have been a member of the NCFA in the past, or you may have never been a member of NCFA . Whatever the situation NCFA needs YOU now, and you need NCFA more than ever. The groups that are attacking the North Carolina Commercial Fishing Industry are using any and every measure possible to end your access to enjoy commercial fishing in North Carolina Waters. Through very tough and difficult negotiations, NCFA was able to help create an Observer Fund Board to help direct and navigate the industry through some difficult issues. NCFA members have worked in conjunction with Commissioner Sammy Corbett to create a fisherman friendly call in line so that fisherman can meet the

A Word from Lauren Morris

NCFA Membership and Operations Manager

I’m not much of a daredevil; but, one summer I got up the courage to ride “The Human Slingshot,” which is exactly what it sounds like, by the way. For those three minutes, I felt sheer terror and complete euphoria all at once. I hadn’t felt that way again until I accepted my new position as Membership and Operations Manager at NCFA. I left the Division of Marine Fisheries after nearly nine years, where many of my coworkers were like family; but, I had landed my dream job working for the industry I loved. When people have asked why I left the division, that’s the answer. I love commercial fishing. It’s my heritage. The sight of a trawler, a haul boat or a clam rake makes me smile. Some of my happiest memories are of time spent at fish houses and on boats. As a child, I was most content at my grandparents’ fish house – riding the forklift, making boxes, fishing off the dock or climbing the ice house (when no one was watching). I feel something like a hum in my blood when I see a

Why Should I Join NCFA? requirements of the new gill net permit. It was such a great idea that the Division decided it was too complicated to implement. In May, NCFA Members traveled to Arlington, Va to comment on Red Drum management to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. If you commercial fish in North Carolina,you have benefited from NCFA’s daily and constant efforts to keep everyone fishing . Fishermen and Dealers can become members through NCFA’s half percent program which allows you to contribute while your fishing. Your membership in NCFA is crucial to keeping your access to the North Carolina Fishing Industry. If the half percent program is not for you , you can still be a part of NCFA for as little as $ 120 a year, that’s less than .33 a day, and a Dealer for as little as $ 250 a year, that’s only .68 a day. Please join, or renew your membership to NCFA These extremely low rates seem like pretty cheap insurance to Keep Us NORTH CAROLINIANS Fishing. Please complete the NCFA application located in the back of this issue. Like I said, Keep Us North Carolinians Fishing! NCFA is for all and NCFA must have man mending net - a link to another time, an ancestor. I can’t help but feel a little awestruck at the thought of my grandfathers plying the Pamlico hundreds of years ago, of my grandmothers anxiously waiting for them in an unexpected storm. At thirty I’m still proud, as only a little girl can be, of my daddy braving Northeast winters and high seas to bring fish to the dock. I verge on the evangelical when it comes to commercial fishing. I want people who have never met a fishermen to see them the way I do - the most wonderful mix of fierce independence and dependable neighbor. Often times they are spellbinding storytellers and mischievous jokesters all wound up in the shell of a weather worn Atlas, bearing the weight of a family (or two or three) on his shoulders. Commercial fishermen are the first environmentalists, stewards of the sounds well before it was hip. They note the slightest change in the waters they fish, and worry about it what it means. These men and women are living examples of faith, never knowing what they will bring home or even if they will make it home. Yet, they set out. And they are tough. They work with gashes and

everyone’s participation to keep us all fishing! If you have fished in the past years, you have already benefit from NCFA’s efforts, please join, or renew your membership to NCFA. Nobody knows what may face the industry beyond today, but rest assured that NCFA will be standing in the NCFA Chairman Brent Fulcher forefront to support and protect whatever challenges the North Carolina Fishing industry may encounter. The Livelihoods of the North Carolinian Fishermen depend on all off us, Dealers, Consumers, Retailers, Restaurateurs and Fishermen. Thank You for your Support, Brent Fulcher bruises and all manner of ailments, sometimes in blinding heat and others breathtaking cold. If you haven’t noticed, they are fascinating paradoxes, because these guys are kindhearted, too. They encourage one another in the tough times and on trips long from home. When one of their own struggles, they are quick to aid. In fact, they stop to help anyone they meet in need. How could you not love them? The commercial industry is important to our state for many reasons. It is a self-supporting industry. It also provides jobs for many others, such as, boat builders, mechanics, truck drivers, refrigeration technicians, dock hands, marine construction workers, retail workers, and the list goes on. Commercial fishing provides a locally, sustainably harvested and safe product. Incidentally, imported seafood is most often not sustainably harvested nor safe. The industry remains a part of our state’s heritage and a proud tradition. But, most importantly, it is more than an industry. It is a way of life that we love beyond measure. It is a family full of lovable and quirky characters. It’s a world that works hard to bring fresh North Carolina seafood to you.

Isn’t It Time You Joined? Visit www.ncfish.org for more information

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Tradewinds

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NCFA Forum A Word (or two) from Jerry This column will be just a little different. In addition to being sent to our members and legislators, this issue of Tradewinds will be distributed at the North Carolina State Fair and the Outer Banks Seafood Festival! The North Carolina Fisheries Association, or NCFA, will be assisting NC Catch with the display at the State Fair providing volunteers, seafood and printed materials for the public to enjoy. For those who may have taken a copy of this publication but don’t know a lot about commercial fishing, I would like to offer some info from our perspective. NCFA is a 61-year-old non-profit trade association that represents the interests of its member fishing families, seafood dealers and processors. In addition to providing representation for commercial fishermen in the General Assembly in Raleigh, we stay engaged in federal issues as well. We also have educational outreach such as this effort at the State Fair. We use Tradewinds as a “newsletter” for our fishing families to keep them abreast of what’s going on in the legislature and regulatory agencies that may affect the way they make a living. We have a Facebook page and will be a little more active in the social media arena too. We are governed by a Board of Directors that are involved with different types of fishing, packing and processing, and have a small staff that does lobbying, produces Tradewinds and other educational materials and public outreach. Although we are small, we try to fill any request for public speaking at schools, churches or service clubs. Commercial fishing is regulated by state and federal agencies. The United States Congress has passed many laws at the federal level and those laws are put into action and enforced by the National Marine Fisheries Service, which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the Department of Commerce. Under them, North Carolina fishermen deal with a number of federal fishery management councils, which are: New England, Mid Atlantic and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. The federal government is responsible for the EEZ or Exclusive Economic Zone, which begins at 3 miles from shore and extends to 200 miles. Charged with enforcement are the US Coast Guard and NOAA/NMFS law enforcement. At the state level, the Division of Marine Fisheries, or DMF, is under the Department of

Got To Be NC! (Seafood That Is!) The Blessing of the Fleet was not only a beautiful service and memorial for those fishermen who have died, but a testament and blessing for those who still are on the water to supply us with fresh, local seafood.

Environment & Natural Resources. The General Assembly passes laws and it’s up to the Department and the DMF to put them in place and enforce them. Our North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission is a 9-member board appointed by the Governor that adopts fisheries policy. It’s up to the Division of Marine Fisheries to implement that policy. Commercial fishermen also need to be engaged with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), which is a compact of 14 states on the Atlantic Coast. So you can see that commercial fishing requires vigilance in the political and regulatory arenas and being engaged in this process is crucial. For decades, commercial fishermen have been part of the process in protecting the environment by being proactive in the development of gear and fishing practices in the name of conservation. For example: helped to establish Primary and Secondary Nursery areas to protect juvenile finfish and other critters; Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in shrimp trawls to protect sea turtles; circle hooks in the longline fishery to protect sea turtles; closed areas and season and taking observers in the large mesh gillnet fishery to protect sea turtles; escape panels in crab pots to allow undersized crabs to escape; escape panels in pound nets to allow juvenile finfish to escape; bycatch reduction devices, or BRDs, to allow finfish to escape shrimp trawls, etc., etc. In addition to the voluntary conservation measures that fishermen help to adopt through cooperative research, it should be noted that are many, many restrictions that fishermen have to live with that they do not agree with or that they don’t think are needed. However, the purpose of this issue of Tradewinds is to celebrate commercial fishing and the fishermen and their families that make it possible for you to enjoy fresh, North Carolina seafood! Recently, we participated in the North Carolina Seafood Festival in Morehead City. The event is held each year, the first weekend in October. On Saturday, for the first time ever, we assisted with The Fisherman’s Village on the waterfront

at Jack’s Bar. Educational exhibits were set up inside with materials, educators and fishermen engaging the public with information about our seafood industry. However, the big hit was the trawler that was right outside at the dock, available for the public to tour. And it was free! The boat owner, Brent NCFA President Jerry Schill Fulcher, the captain and the crew gave tours and the public learned about the nets, the turtle excluder devices, bycatch reduction devices, trawl doors, winches, engine room, wheel house and crew quarters. They even got to view the fish hold with a good supply of shrimp on ice! That same shrimp was taken out of the hold as needed to be cooked and offered as a free sample complete with cocktail sauce. On Sunday morning, hundreds gathered at the Morehead City State Port for the Annual Blessing of the Fleet. This was the 17th year for that part of the Seafood Festival and this year had to be among the best ever! The weather was cool with not a cloud in the sky! It is a spiritual service, so it began with prayer, songs and inspirational messages. Prayers were offered for safety for the boats and crew and a bountiful harvest, all with keeping our faithful departed in our minds and hearts. The boats proceeded in front of the hundreds in attendance while the names of the boats, their captain and homeport and while a wreath was thrown in the water, names of those hearty souls who have passed are announced. Of the forty vessels, the smallest was a 16ft clam boat and the largest was a 90ft trawler. It was not only a beautiful service and memorial for those fishermen who have died, but a testament and blessing for those who still are on the water to supply us with fresh, local seafood. It was truly a great weekend, and we hope that you can help us to continue our celebration of our heritage at the Outer Banks Seafood Festival and the North Carolina State Fair! After all, It’s got to be NC!

Enjoy fresh, local seafood? Join NCFA and support your commercial industry! Visit www.ncfish.org today.

By Michael Graff Photography by Travis Dove (Reprinted with permission, Our State Magazine)

Tradewinds Heritage

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The Men Who Reinvented Fishing

Capt. Ernie is lost. A blue ceiling tops the world laid out in front of him. White clouds etch into the sky. The air smells like diesel fumes and seawater. All of that is normal. And at the bottom of the scene is water, right where it should be, holding him up. But something’s not right. His boat, the Albatross III, grumbles along near the edge of the Pamlico Sound. Capt. Ernie Foster steers to the right of a red marker and left of a green one. He’s trying to find his way out to Hatteras Inlet. He knows this route better than he knows anything else in the world. He’s driven through this tiny break in North Carolina’s outer sand-shell thousands of times, maybe tens of thousands of times. If the state wanted to rename the inlet one day, Foster’s Inlet would be an appropriate name. It’s been 76 years since his dad first started North Carolina’s sport-fishing industry in the tiny community of Hatteras Village. Capt. Ernie’s been alive for the past 68. Fosters have fished these waters for four generations. Capt. Ernie’s dad, Capt. Ernal, was the first person in the state, and maybe the first on the East Coast, to take people fishing and charge them for it. Locals laughed at him. Fishing for enjoyment? But what he started became an industry that changed the way people thought of fishing forever. Humans began fishing 40,000 years ago. Only 600 or so years ago do we see the first accounts of recreational fishing. And even then, only small segments of the world entertained the idea. In the early years of settlement on the Outer Banks, fishing certainly wasn’t for recreation. It was the only way to eat. It was the only way to survive. It was work.

Capt. Ernie Foster is likely the last captain in the original family of sport fishing — his father started the first charter boat in North Carolina in 1937. Now this Hatteras captain works to keep the family fleet that fishes for fun in harmony with neighbors who fish for profit.

In 1937, Capt. Ernal made fishing fun. Everything’s changed since then. People are now more interested in having fun on the water than working on the water. So the Fosters have watched their industry hurt their watermen friends. That’s the burden on Capt. Ernie now. The Albatross Fleet includes three boats with three different captains. It entertains about 250 charters a year. Capt. Ernie is, in all likelihood, the last captain from the original family of sport fishing. He has two grown children, but he’s fairly certain they don’t want the business. And for the moment he’s lost. The inlet isn’t like he last left it. It’s the off-season

at Hatteras, and the dredge is at work, deepening the inlet. The dredge sucks up sand from the bottom and shoots it through a long tube to an island several miles away. Dredging makes everything different. Markers aren’t where they should be. Buoys are where they shouldn’t be. Capt. Ernie is cruising along, headed to that inlet, when suddenly he throttles back. If he keeps going forward, he’s not sure if he’ll run over something or run into a sandbar. He stops. He grabs his hat by its brim and rubs the brim on his head. Continued on page 8

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Tradewinds The Men Who Reinvented Fishing 8

“Good God,” Capt. Ernie says of this place he’s been all his life. “I don’t know where I am now.” Capt. Ernie is worried. Most fishermen are. They don’t want to be rich. They don’t want huge houses. They just want freedom. They’ve fought for it for generations. They’ll fight for it eternally. Freedom is a reason for living. Waking up early, paying big fuel bills, dodging storms and tourists and all the other hazards of the island — all of that vanishes on the water. Lately, though, Capt. Ernie has found himself stuck in a tough spot. He says that sport fishing, the industry his family started, is out to hurt fishermen. The industry is squeezing his friends and neighbors. It’s encroaching upon commercial fishermen. Don’t get him wrong: Capt. Ernie loves taking charters out into the ocean and seeing a young boy catch his first bluefin, or a young woman grab her first striper by the gills, or an old man at sea for the first time. Nothing beats those moments. And he loves his fellow sport fishermen. But he loves commercial fishing, too. It’s quite a dilemma, and he faces it every day. Since those early days with Capt. Ernal, sport fishing has grown into a huge industry. It’s especially big among politicians and businesspeople from cities like Raleigh and Charlotte and Richmond, Virginia, Capt. Ernie says. The industry sells itself on the promise

“I came from fishermen, not just people who thought it was an interesting activity,” he says. “I’m big on sport fishing, but not at the extermination of my neighbors.” that when people drive down here to fish, they’ll catch something. That’s the fun of it. Through legislation and other initiatives, the leaders in the sport-fishing industry want to tighten regulations on commercial fishermen, who catch large amounts of fish to sell. One group of fishermen going after another. Capt. Ernie can barely stand it. He’s worried that legislation limiting commercial fishermen will lead to their elimination. And from any standpoint — from people’s desire to eat fresh fish, to their desire to have heritage tourism, to a fisherman’s desire to work — he just can’t see the value in that. So the son of the original sport fisherman is pushing back against sport fishing. “I came from fishermen, not just people who thought it was an interesting activity,” he says. “I’m big on sport fishing, but not at the extermination of my neighbors.” Underneath the sport of fishing, Capt. Ernie is a commercial fisherman, too. He fishes for sport in the summer when the crowds are coming, and fishes to sell in the winter when they’re not. His dad did the same thing. Most of the captains on Hatteras do the same thing. Most of the captains don’t care how they catch

Continued from page 7 fish or how they make money doing it — they just want to fish for a living. That’s why he’s worried. The people here aren’t out to change the world; the world seems to be out to change them. That’s not freedom. That’s not why they started this. Capt. Ernie is in his seat up on top of his boat, still lost.The Albatross III slows to a stop on the Pamlico Sound where a marker usually stands. It’s no longer here, a casualty of the dredging. He tries to find something familiar. But nothing registers. Someone’s changed the markers, and now he’s in the one position that makes him uncomfortable: stuck.Capt. Ernie pushes his right hand forward on the throttle and cranks the wheel all the way left. He’s going home.He pulls back into the harbor, finds the slip next to the other two Albatross boats, and backs in.Back on land, things are familiar. But then one of the Albatross Fleet’s first mates, Craig Waterfield, informs him of some troubling news from the National Marine Fisheries Service.The service will shut down bluefin tuna season at 11:30 tomorrow morning. Capt. Ernie had planned to send a boat this week to do a little commercial fishing, and now he can’t. Because they told him so. And no matter what, that’s a reason fishermen will never accept happily. He looks down, kicks the grass, and says with a laugh, “I should’ve taken up coal mining.” To read the complete story, The Men Who Reinvented Fishing, please visit www.ourstate.com/ernie-foster/

Isn’t It Time You Advertised in North Carolina’s Only Commercial Fisheries Publication?

Tradewinds Worth Reading Classics That Tell Our Story Title: Author: Publisher: ISBN: Length:

Wetland Riders Robert Fritchey New Moon Press 0963621505, 9780963621504 393 pages

Wetland Riders A wide belt of salt marsh stretches across South Louisiana. As if on a midwestern plain, one’s vision flows across this watery prairie to the horizon. But here grow no amber waves of grain--these wetlands yield the greatest seafood harvest in America. For generations, traditional Cajun fishermen have worked here, supporting their families by catching redfish for the people to eat. Biologists calculate the number of fish that may be safely harvested while leaving enough in the water to replenish the population. But it is politicians who

decide HOW the fish are to be shared. With whom? Exploding numbers of sport fishermen. The recreational fishing industry markets a variety of goods to sport fishermen. Allowing commercial fishermen to harvest fish for the public to eat is viewed by members of the recreational industry as a restraint on its growth. While the hard-pressed fishermen battle this powerful industry, National Fisherman reporter Robert Fritchey seeks an answer to the question, “Who will own the fish?” His search leads him into legislative chambers, onto the coastal marshes an into the hearts of these honest men and women, Louisiana’s WETLAND RIDERS. Order: New Moon Press, P.O. Box 71651, New Orleans, LA 70172.

Men’s Lives “Men’s Lives” is a sad elegy to a lost way of life, a scathing criticism of the lobbyists and misguided bureaucrats that helped destroy it, and a lively, informal history of the shore-fishing industry on Long Island. Some chapters read like interviews, with little in

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Title: Author: Publisher: ISBN: Length:

Men’s Lives Peter Matthiessen Knopf Doubleday 0307819701 9780307819703 352 pages

the way of editing esoteric fishing terms or the informal “Bonacker” language. (The Bonac accent is said to be akin to the spoken language of the working class settlers who came from England in the 17th century; once proudly touted as a method for identifying “true” members of the fishing and farming community, it has now been rendered nearly extinct by the speech patterns of New York City). “Men’s Lives” is a labor of love, produced by an accomplished and talented author. If Matthiessen didn’t write this book, the poetry of such voices may have never been heard.

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By Bill Hitchcock www.RefiningTruth.com

It all boils down to this. You fish on faith and nothing else. You can have the right gear, fresh bait, ideal weather conditions, a great boat and electronics and decades of experience, but none of these things will guarantee you fish in the box. But you still go out and fish anyway because you fish on faith. The evangelist said, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Your faith is the ground floor in which you stand and build towards your intended goal. What you have faith in and the degree of that faith will determine how you think and act. And here is the catch (pardon the pun). How you act will actually guide you in the direction of what you have faith for. You head out in the morning, many of you while it is still dark. You push off, power up and look over the bow. Some may see a flash of green and a flash of red from the channel markers as you head towards the ICW. Others have nothing more than twinkling stars and a faint difference in the shades of black that separate the sky from water in the still dark morning. It is dark, very dark. But you head out in faith with the promise of a catch. It is easy to see why so many fishermen are believe in God for they understand through experience what faith

Tradewinds Inspiration We Fish By Faith is. They know the spiritual significance of, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen” (2 Corinthians 4:18) and believe and have faith in God and the day! We hope for what will be as if it already is. That is faith and true conviction. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Romans 8:24-25). A fisherman’s life is built on the substance of faith, the foundation of what currently is not. It is hope in the day and faith in the good Lord to provide. Fishermen are just like Abraham, “Who against hope believed in hope” of the promise to come. Against all odds and often common sense, we hope in the day. Your catch is the promise to come that you have faith and hope in. It is the motivation within you that gets you up and out the door each morning. A warm bed can’t hold you and bad weather can’t stop you for your faith in the day won’t allow you to do anything but to work towards the promise to come. And although you will face many a trial and tribulation and stare defeat in the face, you will come home with a catch. Why? Because your faith and hope will not deny you. Jesus Christ is the promise to come. It is He in who we have an unshakable faith in. It is the Holy Spirit within us that has quickened our spirit and motivated us to

Bill Hitchcock spent 30 years in the television and film industry concentrating on the marine fisheries and fisheries issues. He is an ordained Minister and Evangelist with Refining Truth ministries. Bill travels eastern North Carolina preaching the Word of God. Refining Truth has a strong online presence with daily news, features and video. Visit online at www. RefiningTruth.com.

continue on in this life. And we have hope and faith in the His promise, “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life” (1 John 2:25). This promise of life comes loaded with its share of trials and tribulations too! But Jesus told us it would. He said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation”. But we have peace because although we will face problems we will not be defeated! “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). We head out each day in hope and faith of the promise of a catch. We live our life in the hope and faith of the promise of Jesus Christ to come. We are fisherman. We fish by faith and we walk through life by faith and not by sight.

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Achievers Ocracoke’s Fisherwoman Crystal Canterbury Courtesy of Ocracoke Current Photos courtesy of OWWC

Tree Ray makes her living from the waters of Pamlico Sound. Ocracoke Island has a long history and proud tradition of living off the water, and the people who, despite increased regulations, continue this tradition and livelihood are called working watermen, and occasionally, waterwomen. What is a waterman? A “working waterman” is a commercial fisherman, clammer, crabber, or oysterman. Tree Ray, who lives on Ocracoke Island, is one of the working waterwomen, and has been commercial fishing for nearly seven years. Tree moved to Ocracoke from Winterville, NC eighteen years ago, to be

closer to her father, artist Bob Ray. She hasn’t looked back. She describes herself as a “tomboy” and has always had a love for nature and desire to work outside, primarily favoring labor-intensive jobs. Before becoming a working waterwoman, Ray was a massage therapist, and while she enjoyed that time, she longed to be outdoors. As a young adult she learned to hunt, live off nature, and create objects, such as journal covers, from animal skins, which she tanned herself. During, what she calls a “transitional time,” she grew to fully appreciate nature and her surroundings, and also realized she was a very strong, self-sufficient person. Tree’s days typically start around 4am, and by 5 o’clock she is out on the water, fishing about a two-mile stretch in the Pamlico Sound called Blair’s Channel. As first mate on Hardy Plyler’s boat,

she has a wide array of responsibilities, which include gathering ice before heading out on the water, setting nets, and doing any net repairs.  Nets frequently get snagged on objects underwater, such as rocks and tree limbs, but most rips are repairable. When a net has been ripped too much to repair, new netting is purchased, which Tree handsews to make them the necessary sizes for what they need. There is more to being a waterwoman than learning how to catch fish. Tree said knowing the weather plays a huge role in what can be caught, and even though fishing here isn’t “like the Deadliest Catch or anything, “ strong winds still pose risks and can hinder a day’s fishing outing. Once the wind reaches 28mph she explained it becomes dangerous to be on the water. Continued on page 12

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Ocracoke’s Fisherwoman Added risk comes with lightning, so in severe weather events she and the captain must return to the dock. Low pressure systems can be a good thing for fishermen and women because it stirs the water, creating movement of the sea-life. To be a successful on the water, Tree said you have to have, “patience, a great work ethic, and be able to think quickly.” Being able to recognize potential problems before they happen and knowing how to either prevent the problem or fix it, if one occurs, is essential to being successful. She went on to say that someone who works in this industry has “got to be a good listener and cannot make excuses. Be there because you want to be there, and know you want to be there.” Around 11 o’clock, Tree and Hardy return to the dock, but have more tasks to complete. Tree cleans the morning’s catch, which is then sold in Ocracoke’s fish house and various local restaurants, and does any booking that needed to either add businesses or keep businesses supplied with fresh, local seafood.   By 2:30 in the afternoon she is usually back out on the water with Captain Plyler, hoping to bring in more fresh fish.  The height of fishing season may be slowly winding down now with cooler weather making its way here, gradually lowering the water temperature, but when the

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water begins to warm in late-April and May, her busy days resume and last through the summer. When the water reaches 72 degrees (F) and warmer, the fish are typically plentiful. A nice westerly wind is also great as it brings in many fish and makes a large catch possible. Once we reach the fall and winter months, fishing declines when the water temperature drops below 60 degrees (F), which is just too cold for the fish to survive. While Tree makes her living from catching, cleaning, and selling fish, she also has the utmost respect for nature. If a sea turtle gets into the netting, for example, she always releases it back into the water.  She will also not hesitate to report a sea turtle that has been stunned by the cold, a fairly common occurrence along the Outer Banks. On one occasion, hundreds of sea horses became caught in a net, along with valuable fish. At that point her primary concern was getting the sea horses out of the net, which she did, and was still able to catch a significant amount of fish. Tree strongly believes that any animal not needed for food should be released back into the water, a belief she sticks to firmly. When Tree isn’t fishing she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and dog, as well as traveling to Morehead City for the annual Seafood Festival to represent the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Associ-

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ation (OWWA). About her choice of career and life on Ocracoke, Tree said, “I love it here! I live everyday like it’s summer camp!” She went on to say that had she not become a commercial fisherman, she probably would’ve joined the Peace Corps or gone to vet tech school in Colorado. For more information about OWWA, you can go to their website: www.ocracokewatermen.org or visit the Watermen’s Exhibit located on the docks at the Community Square along Silver Lake. Visit Ocracoke Seafood Company (the retail store at the fish house) to buy some local seafood for your supper. They can tell you if Tree caught it!

Tradewinds Remembering Blessing of the Fleet - 2014

So God Made A Fisherman And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a provider.” So God made a FISHERMAN. God said, “I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, mend nets, work all day in the Sound or in the Ocean, mend nets again, eat supper and then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the Marine Fisheries board.” So God made a Fisherman. “I need somebody with arms strong enough to yank on a trawl board, and yet gentle enough to cradle his own grandchild. Somebody to call a duck, fix broken machinery, come home hungry, have to wait for lunch until his wife’s done feeding visiting family and tell neighbors to be sure and come back real soon — and mean it.” So God made a Fisherman. God said, “I need somebody willing to sit up all night beside a gill net or channel net, and laugh when it comes up empty. Then rub his eyes and say, “Maybe tomorrow night or the next tide.” I need somebody who can shape an oar or a pull-post from a pine board, pull up a boat with just a block & tackle, tilt a trawler by himself using a just a pry, and who can make a crab-pot out of chicken wire & twine. And who, on a changing tide or mullet blow, will finish his forty ­hour week by Tuesday noon, then, standing or stooping in the cockpit of his boat, put in another seventy-two hours before Saturday morning.” So God made a Fisherman. God had to have somebody who could cross a high shoal on an ebbing tide to get to a set before the wind was to change, and yet stop on his way because he sees a small motor-boat broke-down or run-aground and someone unable to help himself. So God made a Fisherman. God said, “I need somebody strong enough to pull up an anchor laden with mud or lift hundred-pound fish boxes, yet patient enough to pull a bull-rake and recognize the feel of a live clam from a hollow shell, It had to be somebody who could turn tree saplings into net stakes, then drive ‘em deep into the sand before pulling ‘em back up six weeks later. Somebody to set and fish a net, clear a shad, drag a leadline and pull a cork-line, splice & tie a rope, bait a crab-pot, scale a spot, and dry a mullet-roe, and still be ready to go to church on Sunday morning. “Somebody who’d splice and tie, and if need-be, mend a family together with the soft strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh and then Sigh, and then reply, with smiling eyes, when his son says he wants to spend his life doing what Dad does.’ “ So God made a Fisherman. And so it was that when God sent his son to perform one of his greatest miracles by walking across the waves of the sea, those steps were taken towards a boat full of Fishermen. So God Made a Fisherman. (Inspired by Paul Harvey’s 1978, “So God Made a Farmer” changed to “ So God Made a Fisherman” by Joel Hancock 9/18/2014. Read by Bill Hitchcock at the 2014 North Carolina Seafood Festival‘s Blessing of the Fleet at the North Carolina State Port in Morehead City, NC on October 5, 2014.)

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By Maureen Milne Donald While coastal North Carolina is home to a thriving and diverse commercial fishing community ranging from inshore gillnetting to offshore trawling, there is one annual event that embodies the state’s rich fishing heritage like no other. It’s called the Mullet Blow. Long before dawn on a chilly November day, one short stretch of otherwise empty beach is cluttered with a small fleet of pickups. Nearby a group of North Carolina fishermen are gathered on this Atlantic Ocean beach waiting and watching as the sun slowly rises. The men stand around in small groups drinking coffee against the backdrop of modern high-rise condos complexes and surrounded by a beach-front forest of surf poles poking out the sand. Despite the cold, the mood is upbeat today because, as predicted, a brisk Northeast wind is picking up a head of steam. Men rub their hands together to keep warm and stomp their feet in the deeply-rutted sand, moving from one group to another all the while keeping an eye to the north, waiting for a sound, a splash, a change in the water that will signal the reason they are here. The Blow, so named because the mullet run down the beach heading south as the cold Northeast wind cools the water temperature, is a North Carolina

Tradewinds Tradition Bogue Banks Mullet Blow tradition. It is tradition that is kept alive by a handful of fishermen who continue to catch mullet as they have for over a hundred years on Bogue Banks, a barrier island in Carteret County. The season begins in early October and extends to about Thanksgiving. Though its origins are lost in family myths, the fishery has survived to date with two remaining crews who still catch mullet with the aid of two 1940s tractors, a 20-foot dory and beach seines. About 40 years ago, seven or eight crews of 30 men each worked the beaches in this manner, but today the numbers have dwindled to only two crews, each numbering about 15 men. The reasons for the sharp drop in participants are numerous - long hours, hard work, a short season and the very high cost of the gear. Add escalating gear and resource conflicts and the fishery becomes more and more threatened each year. But for those few fishermen that keep the tradition alive, there is nothing quite like the Mullet Blow. Before sunrise, the fishermen run a 400-yard set net straight out from the beach. A dory sits ready on the beach loaded with 650 yards of net (4-inch stretch in the wings and 3 1/4-inch stretch in the bunt), one end of which is secured to a tractor on the beach, while another tractor sits further down the beach.

When the mullet are spotted, the crew launches a dory into the surf pulling the net around the school of mullet and back to the beach where the second tractor is ready. Both tractors then pull in the catch while the other fishermen secure the bottom of the net, or lead line, and holding the top of the net to prevent the mullet from jumping over it. That’s if the mullet run and there’s a successful strike. Many mornings, the temperature are just too warm, the wind too calm and the fishermen are forced to busy themselves with checking nets, cranking up the seemingly ancient red

tractors or simply chatting among themselves for the better part of a day. On this particular November morning, however, there was no shortage of things to do while waiting for a sign of mullet. One of the tractors had a flat tire - a situation that needed an immediate remedy. A four-man team got to work, removing the tire and loading it in the back of a pickup for a quick trip down the beach to a nearby garage. Meanwhile everyone held their collective breath in the hope that the tractor would be ready when and if the mullet started to run.

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Tradewinds On the Road Dewey Hemilright: Ardent Voice for Outer Banks Fishing By Susan West

Outer Banks fisherman Dewey Hemilright took a busman’s holiday this summer and went to Alaska to fish for salmon. The Kitty Hawk native spent seven weeks in Dillingham, set-netting sockeye salmon in the Wood River, which flows into Bristol Bay, and experiencing another dimension of America’s commercial fishing industry. “The fishing was good and the area beautiful and remote, accessible only by plane or boat,” he says. “I plan to go back. It’s good to know more about fishing beyond what happens in my own backyard.” Hemilright’s backyard is the Atlantic Ocean. He runs his boat, Aboard the set net boat. the 42-foot Tar Baby, out of Wanchese through Oregon Inlet to fishing grounds. Built in Dare County by boatbuilder John Bayliss, the boat takes its name from a much larger boat Bayliss built called the Tar Heel. Hemilright fishes for a variety of species. His typical annual round includes longlining tuna and swordfish in the fall, gillnetting dogfish, croaker and bluefish in the winter and spring, and longlining mahi-mahi and tilefish in the

summer. “It’s kind of like the lugnuts on a tire; you have to have each of them to make it work,” he explains. He laughs hard before describing his first commercial fishing job. “I was probably Headfing to the processor. one of the greenest greenhorns ever,” he says. “I was so sick I lost something like 15 pounds on that swordfishing trip.” Despite the rough start, the experience struck a chord with the 21-year-old Hemilright, and he knew fishing was a challenge that matched up to his youthful Smoking Sockeye appreciation for adventure and his expectation of a life well-lived. A quarter of a century later, the affable fisherman is also a dedicated spokesperson for the U.S. fishing industry. He serves on a federal fishery management council and is a member of several state and national advocacy organizations. He also works with scientists studying fish migratory and breeding behavior, carrying teams of researchers on his boat to record information about the catch and to tag fish. For the last nine years, Hemilright has visited classrooms from Montana to New York to tell students about his work and to show them fish hooks, glow

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Dewey caught this beautiful silver salmon on rod and reel on his “day off”.

Set net boat unloading to tender.

Dewey’s “office” on the Wood River during his three-week Alaskan adventure.

sticks and other artifacts of the trade. One story popular with schoolkids is about the time a small kitten crawled out of the cabin on his boat and jumped overboard into the dark, rough sea. The fisherman rescued the stowaway kitten with a dipnet. Hemilright is a member of Outer Banks Catch, a local seafood-branding initiative focused on consumer education, and he often pitches in to fry fish or soft-shell crabs at fundraising events for the program. “Most people don’t know that over 90 percent of the seafood consumed in this country is imported and often comes from countries that have lax conservation and public health controls,” he

explains. He advises consumers to ask waitstaff and retailers about the origin of the seafood they sell. “People always ask me what type of seafood I like best,” he says. “I like whatever is local and in season.” But he says there’s nothing better than “a mess of round-heads,” a reference to sea mullet by one of its regional names. Susan West is a correspondent and journalist, and lives on Hatteras Island. Her husband is a commercial fisherman and she serves on the NC Catch board.

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Bogue Banks Mullet Blow Luck was on the side of the fishermen this cold morning, and the tractor was back into commission without a sign of mullet. But just as the crew once again settled into its watchful mode, all eyes turned to the north. They were coming! The water changed color, the fish were leaping in the air. The excitement mounted as the mullet got closer, the nearby recreational surf fishermen pulled their poles out of the water to stay out of the way and the crew got down to business. Like a well-oiled machine, the fishermen donned wet suits and surrounded the dory, preparing to launch the small boat into the surf. In one fluid motion, the dory glided into the water and the strike net released to surround the school of fish. Other fishermen revved up the tractors and waited for the net to be fully extended. As the dory completed its mission and the end of the strike net attached to tractor, both headed away from the shore, pulling the net heavily laden with mullet onto the

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beach. Everyone takes part in clearing the net, separating red (female) and white (male) roe mullet into baskets. From there the mullet are loaded While the methods have changed little over the past century, the technology has made an impact. Beginning in the late 1800s, groups of fishing families would leave home and set up camps of grass huts along the beach during the mullet season. Wives mended the heavy cotton nets, cleaned fish, cooked and cared for the family. Children helped out with the chores and learned the trade for when they too would test their skill on the water. They thought that motorboats and tractors would scare the fish so nearly everything was done by hand. The crews weren’t even allowed to talk for fear of making too much noise. Families worked together to haul the heavy nets ashore after a strike and clear and salt down the mullet.

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Today motorboats and tractors make the job easier, fishermen return to their homes and families each evening and a hot cup of coffee is just a short hop away at a nearby convenience store. But the essence of the Mullet Blow remains as

much a part of North Carolina’s heritage as fishing itself. For the men who rise early and wait patiently on the shore for the first sign of mullet, there is no greater thrill and no greater pride in fishing for a living.

Tradewinds Your Health Formaldehyde Detected in Supermarket Fish from Asia By James Andrews Food Safety News

A large number of fish imported from China and Vietnam and sold in at least some U.S. supermarkets contain unnatural levels of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, according to tests performed and verified by researchers at a North Carolina chemical engineering firm and North Carolina State University. Around 25 percent of all the fish purchased from supermarkets by researchers in the Raleigh, N.C., area were found to contain formaldehyde, a toxic chemical compound commonly used as a medical disinfectant or embalming agent. All of the fish found to contain the compound were imported from Asian countries, and it was not found in fish from the U.S. or other regions. The researchers only collected samples from supermarkets around Raleigh, N.C., and could not comment on whether or not the same results could be

applied to fish sold nationwide. Formaldehyde is illegal in food beyond any naturally occurring trace amounts. But, according to chemical engineer A. James Attar and his colleagues who conducted the tests, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not test any imported fish for formaldehyde contamination, and only 4 percent of imported fish gets tested for any contaminants at all. “The look on my face when we found this – it was a complete shocker,” said Jason Morton, Attar’s colleague at N.C.based Appealing Products, Inc. Attar, Morton and another colleague at Appealing Products, Matthew Schwartz, came across the alarming revelation when they set out to validate a new formaldehyde test they developed for Bangladeshi clients who needed a cheap way to detect contaminated fish. To verify the accuracy of their test, the team purchased domestic and imported fish from supermarkets around Raleigh, NC, with the intent of purposefully con-

taminating them with formaldehyde and then verifying that their test worked. Instead, they found that about one in four fish was already contaminated with formaldehyde. The commonality between all the contaminated fish? They were imported from Asian countries, predominantly China and Vietnam.

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Not all of the Asian fish were contaminated, but many were, Attar said. The FDA has not had the opportunity to analyze the fish samples tested by Appealing Products, nor has the agency had the opportunity to review the test methods utilized. Continued on page 18

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Formaldehyde in Asian Fish “The FDA’s priority is to ensure that both domestic and imported seafood is safe and that we are protecting consumers from products that can cause illness,” the agency told Food Safety News. “To accomplish this, FDA oversees a comprehensive food safety program designed to ensure the safety of all seafood sold in the United States. This prevention-oriented program includes risk based inspections, product testing, and assessments of foreign countries regulation of aquaculture facilities.” All foods imports entering the U.S. are screened electronically by the FDA. A subset of those foods are physically inspected at rates based on the potential risk associated with them, with some samples undergoing lab analysis. “FDA encourages anyone who has evidence that an FDA regulated product violates food safety laws and regulations

to contact FDA,” the agency added. Attar and Morton stopped short of accusing Asian fish companies of intentionally adding formaldehyde to fish to prevent spoilage, though it appears to be a common problem in Bangladesh, where formaldehyde might preserve fish when refrigerators or ice aren’t available. (Think of frogs preserved for dissection in a high-school science lab.) Attar and his team first uncovered the issue in February 2013, and then spent six months routinely testing samples, finding the same results. Their results were then verified by researchers at North Carolina State. Attar said the sampling was restricted to purchases from Raleigh only and might not reflect fish in supermarkets nationwide. “But, empirically, this is what we found,” he added.

Continued from page 17 Formaldehyde is present in some fish at small, naturally occurring levels. But everything observed in the Asian fish found that they were contaminated with far higher-than-normal or acceptable levels, Attar said. The team tested whether or not levels of formaldehyde increased in cuts of fish as they aged, but the levels remained the same. They also tested the same species harvested from both Chinese and U.S. companies, finding that the Chinese-caught fish contained formaldehyde, while the U.S.-caught fish of the same species did not. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, the U.S. imports approximately 91 percent of its seafood. China alone accounts for approximately 89 percent of global aquaculture production.

Appealing Products’ formaldehyde test costs approximately $1 per swab, which is applied to a cut of fish and turns purple in the presence of formaldehyde. The company has shipped 100,000 tests to Bangladesh and anticipates orders from companies in other Asian countries. More information on the tests can be found at formaldehydetests.com. Documented instances of intentional formaldehyde contamination of food have occurred in China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand. Attar and Morton said that their evidence makes a strong case for improved testing on seafood imports in the U.S., especially from Asian countries. “I cannot say that companies are adding formaldehyde to fish, but our findings are higher than what naturally occurs,” Morton said.

North Carolina Catch (www.nccatch.org) formed in 2012 to support the work of four local seafood promotion initiatives that stretch from Currituck County to Brunswick County. As a nonprofit umbrella organization, NC Catch ties together the work of the local groups to foster collaboration, to strengthen communication, and to enhance the statewide and national presence of fresh North Carolina seafood. We believe that promoting the rich culture, variety of resources, health benefits, and incredible tastes from our shores can help maintain thriving coastal fishing communities and build a stronger appreciation of North Carolina’s local seafood for generations to come. Catch group members include commercial fishermen, seafood markets and suppliers, fisheries-related businesses, restaurants, and others. Each of the groups work independently and with NC Catch to educate consumers about the culinary and nutritional rewards

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of choosing local seafood, as well as the economic, cultural, and ecological benefits for local communities and for the state. From north to south, these local groups are: Outer Banks Catch invites you to experience the variety of seafood caught by Outer Banks commercial fishermen. Our local fishing fleet brings in the best from the ocean, the sounds, and the rivers of northeastern NC. Outer Banks Catch is the only local group that covers multiple counties—Currituck, Dare, Hyde and Tyrrell. www.outerbankscatch.com Ocracoke Fresh reminds you to buy local, fresh seafood. If you don’t know your commercial fishermen, make sure to ask your seafood market or restaurant who caught your fish. Ocracoke Fresh is a brand of the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association. www. ocracokeseafood.com Carteret Catch is proud to promote the high quality

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seafood landed by Carteret County commercial fishermen. We work hard to protect our fishing heritage, marine resources, and the future of our seafood businesses and communities. www.carteretcatch.org Brunswick Catch is built on a seafood heritage that dates back generations. Many of our Brunswick County commercial fishing businesses and the local markets and restaurants that sell their catch are family businesses. Visit www.brunswickcatch.com. Support North Carolina’s commercial fishermen and help fishing communities thrive by becoming a member of the catch group nearest you and always insist on buying the freshest seafood direct from North Carolina waters. To learn more about NC Catch, individual and business sponsorships, promotional opportunities, or becoming involved, contact: Ann Simpson, 919-8180122 or [email protected]

Tradewinds What’s for Dinner? Time for North Carolina Oysters

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Crusty Fried Oysters

1 egg, beaten 2 tablespoons cold water 1 (12-ounce) container fresh Select oysters, drained 1½ cups saltine cracker crumbs Vegetable Oil Combine egg and water. Dip oysters in egg mixture, and roll each in cracker crumbs. Cook in hot oil (375 degrees F.) for about 2 minutes or until golden brown, turning to brown both sides. Drain on paper towels. Yield: 3 servings.

Oyster Stew 4 tablespoons butter ½ cup milk ½ cup chopped onion ¼ teaspoon white pepper ½ cup diced carrots 1 pint oysters, standards 1 10 ½ oz can cream of mushroom soup

Easy Carolina Fried Oysters

Raw oysters 2 teaspoons salt 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon pepper 2 cups corn meal 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon sugar

Drain oysters and soak in eggs. Mix corn meal, sugar, salt, pepper and flour. Dip oysters in corn meal mixture and

fry in deep shortening until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Pepper Baked Oysters Place raw oysters in oyster shells on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Cover oysters with black pepper. Place on low oven rack and broil 10 - 15 minutes or until shriveled. Remove from oven and place a strip of bacon cut to fit on top of each oyster. Return to oven and cook at 350 degrees F. until bacon is done. Remove from oven. Combine 4 Tablespoons melted butter and the juice of 1 lemon and spoon a little over each oyster. Serve at once. Oven Fried Oysters ½ cup butter, melted Salt and pepper to taste Dash Worcestershire sauce

1 pint oysters, drained Dash of hot sauce 1 cup bread crumbs Mix butter and seasonings. Dip oysters in mixture; then roll in crumbs. Place close together in 10×7-inch pan. Pour any remaining butter sauce over oysters. Refrigerate 3-4 hours or overnight. Refrigeration is important. Bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven for 20 minutes. Yield: 4 servings.

More recipes on page 23

Tradewinds More North Carolina Oyster Recipes

Oyster Pie 2 pints oysters ½ pound Cheddar cheese, grated 3 cups thick white sauce 2 (2-ounce) jars pimento peppers Hot pepper sauce Buttered cracker crumbs Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper 2 packages saltines, crushed Heat oysters in a pan. Drain off liquid and reserve. Keep oysters warm over very low heat. Make 3 cups thick white sauce using butter and any oyster liquid in milk measurement. Season with hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. In a greased casserole layer cracker crumbs, grated cheese, pimentos, oysters, and white sauce. Repeat layers and top with buttered cracker crumbs. Put in 400 degree F. oven until

thoroughly heated and the cheese is melted. Yield: 8 servings.

White Sauce: To make a thick white sauce melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan . Add 3 tablespoons flour and stir until blended. Add oyster liquid and milk (equivalent to 3 cups) to butter mixture and stir until thickened. Scalloped Oysters 2 (12-ounce) containers fresh Standard oysters 2 eggs beaten 1 cup half-and-half or milk 2 cups saltine cracker crumbs 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ¾ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon hot sauce ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional) Drain oysters, reserving a cup oyster liquor. Set aside. Sprinkle ½ cup cracker crumbs in a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish. Layer half each of oysters, salt, pepper, butter, and cracker crumbs in dish. Repeat layers.

Combine eggs, half-and-half, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and reserved oyster liquor; mix well. Pour over oyster mixture. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: 6 servings. Oysters and Wild Rice Casserole 3 cups hot wild rice, drained ¼ teaspoon sage ½ cup chopped onions ¼ teaspoon thyme 2 cups chopped celery 1/8 teaspoon black pepper ½ stick butter 2 (8-ounce) cans fresh oysters, drained 3 tablespoons flour Buttery cracker crumbs

23 Continued from page 22 ½ cup milk 1 stick butter, melted ½ teaspoon salt While rice is cooking according to package directions, brown onions and celery in butter. Remove from heat and add milk, flour, salt, sage, thyme, and black pepper. Add well-drained rice to mixture. Pour into 2-quart casserole. Drain oysters and let soak in lukewarm, melted butter for 5 to 10 minutes. Pour oysters and butter over rice mixture and spread the oysters evenly. Top with buttery crackers crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes or until the oysters curl. Yield: 8 servings.

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Tradewinds Did You Know? Commercial Fishing Is a Dangerous Occupation

Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. Many commercial fishing operations are characterized by hazardous working conditions, strenuous labor, long work hours and harsh weather. During 2000-2010, an annual average of 46 deaths occurred (124 deaths per 100,000 workers), compared with an average of 5,466 deaths (4 per 100,000 workers) among all U.S. workers.1 In 2008, over 8 billion pounds of seafood was harvested in the United States earning over $4.4 billion. Species that contributed the most to this revenue include shrimp, Pacific salmon, pollock and lobster. There are approximately 115,000 harvesters in the United States using a variety of different fishing gear and vessels.2 NIOSH maintains the Commercial Fishing Incident

Database (CFID), a surveillance system for workplace fatalities in the commercial fishing industry in the United States. A review of the data from 2000-2010 found that: • 545 commercial fishermen died while fishing in the U.S. • More than half of all fatalities (279, 51%) occurred after a vessel disaster • Another 170 (31%) fatalities occurred when a fisherman fell overboard • Another 56 (10%) fatalities resulted from an injury onboard • The remaining 40 (7%) fatalities occurred while diving or from onshore injuries There were 279 fatalities that occurred from 148 sep-

More North Carolina Oyster Recipes until they are proven safe. Yet the problem keeps happening: In fact, according to test results obtained by NBC News, this year alone 8 percent of the seafood the FDA tested from China was tainted, and 16 percent of seafood tested from Taiwan was tainted. John Connelly, who runs a trade group representing the imported seafood industry, said, “Any unauthorized use of an antibiotic is inappropriate. The vast majority of seafood coming in does not exhibit any kind of problems.”

Connelly said most importers follow the rules, and that the problem is being overblown as a trade issue. “Unfortunately, there are bad actors in every industry,” he said. Federal law requires grocery stores to identify the country of origin of the seafood they sell, but in restaurants, it’s a different story: Most states do not require them to tell patrons where the seafood they serve comes from. Connelly said that “studies do not indicate that Americans are deeply interested in the source of their fish or other proteins.

arate vessel disasters. Of these incidents with known causes: • 40 (28%) were initiated by flooding • 27 (19%) were initiated by vessel instability • 26 (18%) were initiated by being struck by a large wave Severe weather conditions contributed to 148 (61%) of the fatal vessel disasters • Among the 170 fatalities that resulted from a person falling overboard and with known causes: • 90 (57%) were not witnessed • Regardless of cause, none (0%) of the fall overboard victims were wearing a personal flotation device (PFD)

Continued from page 1 “I think that consumers should feel comfortable that the FDA does a good job,” he added. But some officials say that until more seafood is tested, consumers are at risk. “It is a cat-and-mouse game,” Joe Basile said. “They quite honestly don’t care about the health of United States citizens.” And officials say it is not just a health issue. American fishermen who play by the rules say they’re losing their jobs because they can’t compete with importers who cut corners and sell their tainted fish much cheaper in the U.S.

Tradewinds Thank You! Meet Our Associates Buddy Ivey 757-545-5100 Hampton, VA Carl Salamone 585-464-4676 www.wegmanscom Rochester, NY Chadwick Tire Co. 252-728-6960 chadwickstire.com Beaufort, NC Gordon’s Net Works 910-754-9713 Shallotte, NC Gulfstream Steel & Supply Inc. 910-329-5100 gulfstreamsteel.com Holly Ridge, NC J.M. Davis Industries, Inc. 252-247-6902 Morehead City, NC Karin H. Patrick 919-755-3243 www.karin-patrick.com/ Raleigh, NC Locals Seafood, LLC 91 9-675-2722 www.localsseafood.com Raleigh, NC Potter Net & Twine 252-745-5709 Bayboro, NC Tom Walker 252-473-6269 Manteo, NC Barbour’s Marine Supply Co., Inc. 252-728-2136 Beaufort, NC Elwood L. Salter, Jr. (Bud) 252-349-1563 www.salter-marine.com Havelock, NC Homer Smith Seafood 252-728-2944 Beaufort, NC John A. Buck, III 252-745-5483 Bayboro, NC Tim Kelly 252-756-8300 www.clementins.com Greenville, NC Amy Willis 252-633-8247 New Bern, NC Art Smith 252-964-2195 Belhaven, NC Arthur W. Diehl 252-752-3221 Greenville, NC Billy Best Supermarket Harkers Island, NC Dr. Eric Jones 252-568-4807 Richlands, NC Elberta Crate & Box Co. Bainbridge, GA Etheridge Fishing Supply 252-473-6200 Wanchese, NC First Citizens Bank Bayboro, NC Harold C. Knudsen, Jr. Beaufort, NC Iris Fulcher Atlantic, NC Jack Saylor 252-725-3794 Beaufort, NC Jason R. Jones Cove City, NC Jay Spatilson Atlantic, NC Jerry F. Schill 252-514-0381 Cove City, NC Jim & Peggy Stallworth Havelock, NC Joseph Wyatt Rhue 252-671-0020 Swansboro, NC Karen Willis Amspacher www.coresound.com Marshallberg, NC Michael R. Fiorini 252-247-3676 Salter Path, NC Myron A. Smith 919-872-8333 Raleigh, NC Neil Smith 252-354-2500 Swansboro, NC Nona Potter 252-745-5057 Hobucken, NC Pamlico Insurance Services 1-800-726-1228 Raleigh, NC PCS Phosphate 252-322-8136 Aurora, NC Ralph “Ed” McCabe 910-371-3611 Leland, NC Steve Parrish 910-842-9197 Supply, NC Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park 252-473-5867 Wanchese, NC Wanchese Trawl & Supply Wanchese, NC Dennis Wayne Brinson 252-745-4708 New Bern, NC The Prop Shop of Wilmington 910-762-7010 Wilmington, NC

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Tradewinds

Isn’t It Time? Join Us in Protecting Your Right to Make a Living on the Water

Seafood is more perishable then many food items, and the consumer must pay a little more attention to its careful handling. Whether a consumer buys seafood from a market or catches fish and shellfish on their own, proper handling, storage and preparation are necessary to maintain quality and ensure safety. Although there are many types of seafood available from commercial sources or from recreational fishing, all fish and shellfish are highly perishable, and the same basic storage and handling guidelines should be followed: Keep it cold, Keep it clean, Store it quickly, Prepare and cook it properly. Keep Seafood Cold How long your fresh seafood will last depends on the condition of the product when you purchased it (See selecting seafood) and on how well you take care of it. When storing fresh seafood, keep it in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Use a thermometer to make sure your home refrigerators is operating at 40°F or lower. Fish will lose quality and deteriorate rapidly with higher storage temperature – so use ice when you can. Always purchase seafood last during your shopping trip, and bring a cooler to transport it home. Store Seafood Properly Finfish should be stored in the refrigerator and used

Tradewinds From the Kitchen Safe Seafood Handling within 1 to 2 days after purchase. It’s a good idea to store it on ice in the refrigerator to keep it as cold as possible. If the fish won’t be used within 2 days, wrap it tightly in moisture-proof bags and store it in the freezer. Shellfish, such as mussels, clams and oysters that are purchased live in their shells, should be put in a shallow pan (no water), covered with moistened paper towels and refrigerated. Mussels and clams should be used within 2-3 days and oysters within 7-10 days. Shucked shellfish can be placed in a sealed container and frozen. Live lobsters and crabs should be cooked the day they are purchased.  Frozen seafood should be kept frozen, and it is a good idea to date packages of frozen seafood so you can use the older seafood first. For best quality remember the FIFO concept – First In, First Out. Frozen seafood must be thawed properly. It’s best to thaw frozen seafood in the refrigerator overnight. Other thawing methods include: immersing frozen seafood in cold water for a short time in a sealed plastic bag, or microwaving on a defrost setting until the fish is pliable but still icy. Be careful not to overheat the seafood in the microwave or you will start the cooking process. Handle and Prepare Seafood Properly All foods, including seafood, must be handled and

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prepared in a clean area to avoid cross-contamination. Always remember to keep your hands, preparation area and utensils clean. Never let raw seafood come in contact with already cooked or ready-to-eat foods (e.g. salads, fruit, smoked fish). Whether you are storing fresh fish or thawing frozen fish in your refrigerator, make sure that the juices from raw seafood do not drip onto food that has already been cooked or food that will not be cooked. Never serve cooked seafood on a plate that held the raw product without proper cleaning. Store leftovers, properly wrapped, in the refrigerator within 2 hours. Bacteria will grow rapidly in the temperature “Danger Zone” of 40-140°F so keep hot food above 140°F and cold food below 40°F. Cook Seafood Properly To avoid foodborne illness, it is necessary to cook seafood to an internal temperature of 145°F for 15 seconds until the flesh is opaque and flaky. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature in the thickest part to make sure that it is fully cooked without overcooking. When fully cooked, scallops and shrimp will turn firm and opaque. Shellfish like clams, mussels, oysters will become plump and opaque and their shells will open. Lobster and crab shells will turn bright red with a pearly-opaque flesh.

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Thanks to our advertisers for their continued support Page

Barbour’s Marine Supply - Beaufort 29 Beaufort Inlet Seafood Co. - Beaufort 4 B&J Seafood - New Bern 4 Brantley’s Village Restaurant 7 Carteret Catch - Beaufort 9 Carteret County Fishermen’s Association - Davis 23 Chadwick Tire - Otway 18 Coastal Press - Morehead City 29 Core Sound Seafood - Harkers Island 14 Core Sound Waterfowl Museum - Harkers Island 19 Delamar & Delamar - Bayboro 20 Earps Seafood Shack - Raleigh 12 Earps Wholesale Fish - Raleigh 12 Edward Jones - New Bern 22 Emerald Seafood - New Fulton Market 21 Endurance Seafood - Oriental 22 Etheridge Fishing Supply - Wanchese 10 First Citizens Bank 29 Fishtowne Seafood - Beaufort 18 Garland Fulcher Seafood - Oriental 7 Garland Fulcher Seafood Market - Oriental 21 Gillikin Marine Railway - Beaufort 29 Hardison Tire Company - Alliance 20 Homer Smith Seafood - Beaufort 8 Karin Patrick, Northwestern Mutual - Raleigh 11 Locals Seafood - Raleigh 9 Mariner Realty - Oriental 29 Mattamuskeet Seafood - Swan Quarter 27 Mobile East - Alliance 24 Mr. Big Seafood - Harkers Island 14 Nixon Fishery - Edenton 29 North Carolina Department of Agriculture 31 O’Neal’s Body Shop - Beaufort 29 O’Neal’s Sea Harvest - Wanchese 12 Outer Banks Catch 18 Outer Banks Seafood - Beaufort 29 Pamlico Community College 32 Pamlico Family Eye Care - Alliance & New Bern 11 Pamlico Parts - Bayboro 12 Powell Brothers Maintenance - Beaufort 29 R.E. Mayo Seafood - Hobucken 24 Rocky Mount Cord Co. 8 Seacoast Marine Electronics - Oriental 23 Small Business Center - Pamlico Community College 6 Ted & Todd’s Marine Service - Beaufort 29 Tim Kelly - The Clement Companies 26 Wheatly, Wheatly, Weeks, Lupton & Massie - Beaufort 1

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ort! p p u s r you r o f s k n Tha

Maureen Donald, Editor [email protected] P.O. Box 700, Oriental, NC 28571 Questions? Call (252) 675-3128 Or visit www.nctradewinds.com

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Tradewinds Opinion Why Are We Importing Our Own Seafood?

By Paul Greenberg New York Times

In1982 a Chinese aquaculture scientist named Fusui Zhang journeyed to Martha’s Vineyard in search of scallops. The New England bay scallop had recently been domesticated, and Dr. Zhang thought the Vineyard-grown shellfish might do well in China. After a visit to Lagoon Pond in Tisbury, he boxed up 120 scallops and spirited them away to his lab in Qingdao. During the journey 94 died. But 26 thrived. Thanks to them, today China now grows millions of dollars of New England bay scallops, a significant portion of which are exported back to the United States. As go scallops, so goes the nation. According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, even though the United States controls more ocean than any other country, 86 percent of the seafood we consume is imported. But it’s much fishier than that: While a majority of the seafood Americans eat is foreign, a third of what Americans catch is sold to foreigners. The seafood industry, it turns out, is a great example of the swaps, delete-and-replace maneuvers and other mechanisms that define so much of the outsourced American economy; you can find similar, seemingly inefficient phenomena in everything from textiles to technology. The difference with seafood, though, is that we’re talking about the destruction and outsourcing of the very ecological infrastructure that underpins the health of our coasts. Let’s walk through these illogical arrangements, course by course. Appetizers: Half Shells for Cocktails Our most blatant seafood swap has been the abandonment of local American oysters for imported Asian shrimp. Once upon a time, most American Atlantic estuaries (including the estuary we now call the New York Bight) had vast reefs of wild oysters. Many of these we destroyed by the 1800s through overharvesting. But because oysters are so easy to cultivate (they live off wild microalgae that they filter from the water), a primitive form of oyster aquaculture arose up and down our Atlantic coast. Until the 1920s the United States produced two billion pounds of oysters a year. The power of the oyster industry, however, was no match for the urban sewage and industrial dumps of various chemical stews that pummeled the coast at midcentury. Atlantic oyster culture fell to just 1 percent of its historical capacity by 1970. Just as the half-shell appetizer was fading into obscurity, the shrimp cocktail rose to replace it, thanks to a Japanese scientist named Motosaku Fujinaga and the kuruma prawn. Kurumas were favored in a preparation known as “dancing shrimp,” a dish that involved the consumption of a wiggling wild shrimp dipped in sake. Dr. Fujinaga figured out how to domesticate this pricey animal. His graduate students then fanned out across Asia and tamed other varieties of shrimp. Today shrimp, mostly farmed in Asia, is the most consumed seafood in the United States: Americans eat nearly as much of it as the next two most popular seafoods (canned tuna and salmon) combined. Notably,

the amount of shrimp we now eat is equivalent to our per capita oyster consumption a century ago. In fact, shrimp was a doorway into another seafood swap, which leads to the next course. Fish Sticks: Atlantic for Pacific Most seafood eaters know the sad story of the Atlantic cod. The ill effects of the postwar buildup of industrialized American fishing are epitomized by that fish’s overexploitation: Gorton’s fish sticks and McDonald’s Filets-o-Fish all once rode on the backs of billions of cod. The codfish populations of North America plummeted and have yet to return. Just as the North Atlantic was falling as a fish-stick producer, the Pacific rose. Beginning in the 1990s two new white fish started coming to us from Asia: tilapia, which grows incredibly fast, and the Vietnamese Pangasius catfish, which grows even faster (and can breathe air if its ponds grow too crowded). These two are now America’s fourth- and sixth-most-consumed seafoods, respectively, according to the National Fisheries Institute. Alongside them, a fishery arose for an indigenous wild American Pacific fish called the Alaskan, or walleye, pollock. In just a few decades, pollock harvests went from negligible to billions of pounds a year. Pollock is now the fish in McDonald’s Filet-o-Fish. In fact, there is so much pollock that we can’t seem to use it all: Every year more than 600 million pounds is frozen into giant blocks and sent to the churning fish processing plants of Asia, Germany and the Netherlands. And that’s my point. Globalization, that unseen force that supposedly eliminates inefficiencies through the magic of trade, has radically disconnected us from our seafood supply. Of course, there is a place for the farming of shrimp, just as there is a place for the farming of oysters. There is a need for efficient aquacultured species like tilapia and Pangasius, just as there is a need to curb the overfishing of Atlantic cod. There is even a place for farmed Atlantic salmon, particularly if it can be raised so it doesn’t affect wild salmon. But when trade so completely severs us from our coastal ecosystems, what motivation have we to preserve them? I’d argue that with so much farmed salmon coming into the country, we turn a blind eye

to projects like the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska, which would process 10 billion tons of ore from a site next to the spawning grounds of the largest wild sockeye salmon run on earth. I’d maintain that farmed shrimp inure us to the fact that the principal rearing ground of Gulf shrimp, the Mississippi River Delta, is slipping into the sea at a rate of a football field an hour. I’d venture that if we didn’t import so much farmed seafood we might develop a viable, sustainable aquaculture sector of our own. Currently the United States languishes in 15th place in aquaculture, behind microscopic economies like Egypt and Myanmar. And I’d suggest that all this fish swapping contributes to an often fraudulent seafood marketplace, where nearly half of the oceanic products sold may be mislabeled. We can have no more intimate relationship with our environment than to eat from it. During the last century that intimacy has been lost, and with it our pathway to one of the most healthful American foods. It is our obligation to reclaim this intimacy. This requires us not just to eat local seafood; it requires the establishment of a working relationship with our marine environment. It means, in short, making seafood not only central to personal health, but critical to the larger health of the nation.