Please Support our
Spring Appeal!
We have some exciting news! We are expanding our programming!
We are launching a Spring Appeal to establish our new initiatives all aimed at keeping our fishing community and working waterfronts strong and stable. Please consider making a contribution to help us get off to a strong start. These new and expanded programs include:
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Increasing the impact of our MV Seafood Collaborative market
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Expanding our Seafood Donation Program
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Improving waterfront infrastructure
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Launching a Community Supported Fishery at the West Tisbury Farmers Market
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Creating a Revolving Loan Fund and more permit opportunities for commercial fishermen.
We hope to raise $250,000 during this Spring Appeal to expand the impact of all of these programs. Read below for more details.
Thank you for your support,
MVFPT Board, Staff, and Fishermen
MV Seafood Collaborative:
New Manager & New Mission
We have a new business model for our Seafood Collaborative this season, with our new manager, Phoebe Walsh, ready to get the season started.
We are focusing on new programs that work to address our core mission—keeping fishermen fishing and providing access to local seafood throughout the island. These programs include our expanded Seafood Donations, new Community Supported Fishery (CSF) shares, and increased waterfront infrastructure (cold storage, ice production, gin boom, and fish lumping—aka, sorting & weighing—services).
Thanks to a Vineyard Vision Fellowship, Phoebe will be running the show this year and will keep the waterfront facility operating smoothly. Phoebe has long family ties to the island and has worked on a Maine oyster farm for the past 3 seasons. She holds degrees in Environmental Studies and Ocean Food Systems, and has a passion for seafood and our island fishing community. Come by and say "Hi"!
Expanding our Seafood Donation Program
This program provides a consistent market for our island fishermen. We purchase the entire catch directly from local boats and donate this high-quality seafood to community members experiencing food insecurity. Without this program, a lot of our local seafood would be shipped off-island, and would not reach many of our community members.
We are partnering with Island Grown Initiative to provide the seafood for their prepared meals program. Thanks to individual donations and a generous grant from Love,Tito's, we can purchase, process, and donate fish to make over 4,000 meals. Please help us grow this number to 10,000 seafood meals!
New Waterfront Infrastructure
New Gin Boom
Thanks to a generous grant from Love, Tito’s, we have a new gin boom right on the dock in Menemsha! A gin boom is a crane-like structure used to move heavy items—including vats full of fish, ice, bait, larger fish, and other equipment off boats to the dock or to the back of trucks. Gin booms are essential for a working waterfront, and our old gin boom was in disrepair. We are grateful to have this new "vodka" boom.
Flash Freezer
Yes, we are flash freezing fish! Thanks to the MV Bank Charitable Foundation, we have a brand new flash freezer. This device is essential to our Seafood Donation program and our Community Supported Fishery shares. It rapidly freezes fresh fish fish—allowing it to be stored and used over time—while preserving the just-out-of-the-ocean fresh taste.
Thank you to Love, Tito's and MV Bank Charitable Foundation!
Community Supported Fishery (CSF)
We have received approval and procured the infrastructure to make our locally landed and processed fish directly available at the weekly West Tisbury Farmers Market this summer. We will be selling seafood through Community Supported Fishery (CSF) monthly shares as well as by the pound throughout the summer and fall.
Our CSF share program increases your direct access to sustainably sourced Vineyard seafood. Visit our CSF page to learn more!
Fishing Permits and
Revolving Loan Fund Opportunities
Fishing Permits
We work with Vineyard fishermen to keep important and highly-desired fishing permits on the island. As fishermen retire we step in to purchase their permits so they can be fished by the next generation. Fishing permits are expensive. In this program we provide fishermen advantageous financing terms, allowing them to fish while making payments.
This year, we are excited to have a Black Sea Bass permit to award to a local fisherman. Black sea bass are plentiful and this permit is highly sought after.
With your help, we can be ready for the next available permit, ensuring these valuable assets remain in the hands of island fishermen and keep local boats on the water.
Revolving Loan Funds
This program was launched this winter and allows fishermen to apply for smaller-sized loans to help them directly purchase permits, gear, or other equipment for their businesses.
We awarded our first loan to a local fisherman, helping him secure a Commercial Black Sea Bass, Fluke, and Tautog hook-and-line permit. We plan to expand these opportunities, especially for young fishermen who are launching their fishing businesses and need help outside of conventional loans.
Fishing permits and gear, often come up for sale suddenly, so having funds readily available to help is critical.