Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What type of seafood species will get delivered/what are groundfish?
A: The seafood we deliver will be from the Gulf of Maine. The shares will be primarily groundfish. Groundfish swim on or near the bottom of the seafloor—the ground to fishermen. For the most part the groundfish we deliver will be cod, hake, haddock, pollock, whiting and the flatfishes like yelllowtail flounder and grey sole, e.g. (except halibut).

Q: Will the Whole Fish share be gutted and scaled?
A: The Whole Fish share won't be scaled. Whether a species in the Whole Fish share is gutted and gilled depends on that species. The "roundfish" like cod, pollock and haddock have their guts and gills removed. Hake and monktails will be headless and gutless. The "small fish", whiting and mackerel, and the "flatfish"—the goofy looking ones with both eyes on the same side—will be wholly intact.

Q: Why have fish share prices increased from last year?
A: The Whole Fish share is the same price as its similar share of last winter. We increased the price in the winter time as the auction prices (our bench mark for pricing) spike and fluctuate dramatically in those months.

As for this upcoming season, there are seismic changes in how fisheries will be managed by the government. On May 1st the "days-at-sea" system will be replaced by "catch shares."  The industry consensus is that this will keep fish prices at their winter levels and they'll probably go higher. Our fillet price is based on what we charge for whole fish along with processing costs.

As a not-for-profit organization, our goal is to price our offerings so that the program can break-even. Our current pricing structure was the source of many hours of internal debate and the prices were ultimately determined by the bottom-line viability of the program.

Q: What happens to my share if I miss the pickup? Can I get some kind of reimbursement?
A: Any remaining shares at the end of a delivery day are donated to local food pantries or food banks. Because the fish is ordered on a daily basis, if you do not pick it up, we still have to pay for it. Due to this fact, we can not reimburse you if you miss a delivery. Please arrange for substitutes--family, friends, neighbors--to pick up your shares if you can't make a delivery.

Q: When will new delivery sites become available?
A: We wish we had a crystal ball to help answer this question. There are no statewide regulations regarding the approval process of our distribution model. In other words, each town is different and the manner with which the application process is handled differs dramatically from town to town. In some locales we've gotten approval relatively quickly. In others the process has been much much slower

Q: When and if the new sites become available within a current season, can we transfer?
A: For new sites, we will allow you to transfer from an existing location to a new one if it's within the same season. However, we do request that you make notice of the clause in our contract that there's a two week window at the beginning of the season to transfer from one existing site to another existing site.

Q: How many boats does the CAFC CSF get their fish from?
A: We have a core group of about a dozen day boats from which we purchase fish. Day boats are so named because they generally fish for just a day—go figure. Trip boats go out for several days at a time. If we ever purchase fish from trip boats, we make certain the fish we purchase from them comes from the last tow of fish caught to ensure the highest quality of fish.

Q: Are the cod we get through CAFC CSF sustainably caught?
A: In regards to Cod’s sustainability, according to fisheries managers and scientists under the U.S. Dept of Commerce, Gulf of Maine cod is considered healthy enough to allow for certain amounts of fishing. In fact, according to the most recent stock assessment, it is George’s Bank cod that you hear about not reaching biomass targets, not the Gulf of Maine (where the boats that supply the CAFC fish.) This same report indicates that the Gulf of Maine Cod is projected to be fully rebuilt within the next few years. Until that happens, fishermen follow strict guidelines of how much cod can be caught, where it can be caught, and during what time of the year it can be caught. It might be useful to note that the amount of fish permitted to be caught has been steadily increasing as we get closer and closer to a healthy number of cod in our local waters.

In summary, our CAFC fishermen are subject to strict regulations formulated by the Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These regulations are aimed at rebuilding all fish stocks and establishing enduring, healthy ecosystems in the waters they fish. CAFC offers consumers the opportunity to support a small diversified fleet of local businessmen who have a strong personal connection to the sea and are driven by the incentive to protect the ocean environment for future generations. If you have more questions regarding sustainability, please refer to our previous newsletters and/or don’t hesitate to contact the CAFC Staff.

Q: Why are there sometimes worms in the seafood?
A: Worms are a natural occurrence in fish, just as insects are to fruits and vegetables. You don't see them on fish you get from supermarkets, etc. because by the time they get there they've either already been removed or the freezing and storage process has killed the worms. So in an odd way, the worms are a sign that you are getting fresh fish - much like the worms on the broccoli we pick from our gardens or the poop on farm fresh eggs.

Fish become affected when they eat some small crustaceans. Thorough cooking of fish (to an internal temperature or 140’F- fish will flake when poked with a fork and has lost it’s translucent color) renders these parasites totally harmless. Other methods to do this include hard-salting fish (curing) or freezing for 24 hours.

If you want to remove worms prior to cooking, start by holding your fillet up to a light source (sun, light bulb.) This is called candling. In cod or monkfish worms will look like dark round spots, size of 1/4" button. In flat fish they appear as white spots.

To remove, insert the point of knife at the spot and dig out the worm. Chefs often keep a pair of needle nose pliers in the kitchen for this purpose. Most worms tend to reside around the stomach part of the > fillet.

Cooking your seafood is all you need to do enjoy a healthy meal.