The fishermen-owners of our co-op fish using traditional hook and line methods. Line-caught seafood is prized both for its quality and for being environmentally friendly.
Hook and line fishing is the opposite of industrial fishing. Hook and line fishermen give the utmost of care to each fish. How a fisherman cares for each fish–i.e., bleeding and gutting the fish soon after catch–will have a greater impact on the quality of a fish than any other step on the path from boat to plate.
By catching fish on hook and line, One Fish At A Time, our fishermen see that each fish is unique in its own way. Some of our fishermen, like Charlie Wilber, say that they put so much attention into handling each fish that they have a name for each one when they’re done. We believe each fish deserves to be treated with a singular devotion to quality and the respect due to a wild creature, all the way to the consumer. In the same way that our fishermen consistently give individual attention to the fish they catch, catching and processing One Fish At A Time, our personal touch and focus on quality and service are the difference.
We small boat hook and line fishermen catch and process each fish One Hook, One Fish At A Time. This is a traditional way of fishing that results in an extremely high quality fish. Our fish are caught, bled, processed and put on ice within minutes of being caught. Our catch method and handling procedures are unparalleled in the industry.
This video illustrates what is special about fishing with hook and line methods and our cooperative.
Here’s how it works:
Each of us hook and line fishermen have techniques that we have gained over many years and sometimes passed along in families through generations of fishing. Using our knowledge of where freely migrating fish might be, we fishermen head out and, once at waters we deem to be appropriate for weather and tide conditions, troll with lures or baited hooks at slow speeds. Typically, we try to troll at the speed that the fish we are catching would be swimming. This not only makes the lures more appealing but minimizes stress on the fish, making for a better quality fish. Through years of trial and error, we fishermen have found the right combination of line, lures and boat speeds to find the right fish.
We hook and line fishermen have a deep connection with the ocean and an expansive knowledge of where and how to find the biting fish. Once a fish is on the line, we know what type of fish it is and its size. We minimize bycatch with our knowledge of where to fish and by pinpointing species with the right lures. We bring the fish to the boat and deliver it onto the boat at the exact moment to avoid any damage to the fish. Once aboard, we bleed and gut the fish immediately. We then quickly ice or freeze the fish capturing the fish in its freshest state so that you can enjoy the highest quality seafood on land.
Nobody has a closer connection to our waters than hook and line fishermen. Living by our motto, “One Hook, One Fish At A Time,” not only guarantees that our customers receive quality seafood but safeguards our fisheries for future generations of cooperative members. It’s important that our grandchildren can fish the same way that we do. That is the very definition of sustainability.
Only a small percentage—much less than 5%—of seafood comes from hook and line methods, but what line-caught fish lack in quantity, they more than make up for in quality.
Line-caught seafood is the pinnacle of quality. No fish is handled with more care from the time it leaves the water until it is delivered to a customer than a line-caught fish. We are particularly fastidious with our handling procedures, and you’ll notice when you taste how delicious our fish are.
Our One Fish At A Time philosophy produces the best quality fish and is good for the overall health of the fisheries. Here’s a video on our Good Catch.
