It should come as no surprise that small-scale fishermen (and women) find it difficult to maintain profitability due to many factors, including high costs of owning and maintaining boats and crew to bigger issues related to unfair competition from wealthy industrial fishing operations. Competently narrated by journalist Mark Bittman and directed by JD Schuyler, this thought-provoking film travels between both coasts to profile fishermen who often are carrying on traditions passed down from earlier generations. In Maine, Tim Rider has found success by offering his daily catch to local restaurants and purveyors as he continues to build his clientele, even if he can’t always cover expenses. In Alaska, we meet a variety of anglers, including jig boat fisherman Darius Kasperzak who volunteers as a community organizer to advocate for the interests of community-based fishermen because “people at the top are making the rules and money.” Tiny Port Orford, Oregon’s policies restrict boat size and limit the fleet to 40 and St. Paul Island and other Alaskan ports require foreign fleets to stay 200 miles offshore.
While the program shows the big divide between big business and small fishing operations, it also educates viewers on types of fishing (gill net, jig fishing, hook-line, and more), introduces conservation practices, and explains the seafood supply chain in which it is not uncommon for fish to change hands seven times between capture and consumer. Sometimes U.S. caught seafood is shipped to Asia where labor is cheaper. The fish is frozen, thawed, and refrozen before returning to the U.S. where it is labeled as a foreign caught fish. Statistics claim that 90% of the seafood we eat is imported and some fish, such as rockfish from Oregon is intentionally mislabeled and sold as red snapper. Rustic coastal ports and scenic views of fishing fleets and dedicated fishermen are eye-catching. Viewers will come away not only appreciating the dedication and perseverance of the featured anglers but with increased knowledge about the importance of seeking out correctly labeled, locally caught seafood when possible. Recommended. Aud: C, P.