On a blustery November day, in choppy waters somewhere off the western shore of the Island, Capt. Otto Osmers winched in his first conch pot of the day. At its peak in 2011, 1.4 million pounds of conch were harvested in Dukes County, with a monetary value of over $3 million.
As the hard-hit Massachusetts fishing industry works to get back on its feet from the pandemic, the state Division of Marine Fisheries announced last week the release of another $23.8 million in CARES act money to assist with recovery efforts.
With champagne served in quahaug shells and smiles all around, the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust celebrated the grand opening of its new seafood wholesaler.