Fishing Industry getting hit hard economically due to COVID-19
Social media posts have been bringing attention to local fishermen who have seen sales drop due to restaurants scaling back or closing down altogether.
Hundreds of people have been going to Galilee to buy seafood right off the boat, and there will be more help on the way.
As of Thursday, the catch of the day by commercial fishermen in the Port of Galilee were sold out.
“It's been a process trying to find markets again for our product,” said Captain Brian Thibeault on the Ashley Anne II boat.
Fishermen will be going out again on Friday to haul lobster and Jonah crab, to be sold at wholesale prices dockside Saturday .
Restaurants with dining rooms closed and take-out only has not been enough to keep restaurants or crews on the big trawlers in business for the long haul.
Two thirds of all the catch from the commercial fishing industry in the United States has been going towards the food service industry.
"Restaurants are closed, seafood markets are closed, so they're basically telling their fishermen stay tied to the dock until things change," said Fred Mattera, with the Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island.
At Narragansett Lobster Company, Adam Morse said they have been selling directly to the consumer too.
“We're trying to open up those markets again, we're trying to get back to work," said Morse.
Three hundred million dollars of that $2.2 trillion federal emergency coronavirus legislation will go to the commercial fishing industry with stipulations.
“I think if we can initiate and get people in to buy seafood, there’ll be more opportunity for fishermen to go to sea and make an income.”
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has a seafood sale distribution list to keep the workers afloat through the pandemic.
Caroline Joaquin of Narragansett wanted to buy a lobster Thursday, but there were none left. She said she’ll be back and told NBC 10 News, “we can make it private demand instead of restaurant demand, right? Help 'em out.”