Bluefish help power New England’s blue economy
From Cape Cod charters to Boston smoked fish, local waters fuel jobs, flavor and sustainability.
INDUSTRY, AND IT’S GROWING. WHEN YOU HEAR SUMMER BLUES, YOU MIGHT THINK OF A BITTERSWEET SONG OR A MOODY SKY BEFORE A THUNDERSTORM. BUT IN NEW ENGLAND, SUMMER BLUES ARE SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE. DEEP OCEAN BLUES, SCHOOLS OF BLUE FISH AND THE RISING TIDE OF THE BLUE ECONOMY. IT’S THE NAME FOR AN ECOSYSTEM OF JOBS, INDUSTRIES AND INNOVATIONS ALL CONNECTED TO THE WATER. THERE ARE JOB OPPORTUNITIES AS CAPTAINS ON BOATS. THERE’S JOB OPPORTUNITIES AS DECKHANDS. THERE’S COMMERCIAL FISHING, THERE’S RECREATIONAL FISHING, JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND FISHING SHOPS, OR AS GUIDES AND FOR HIRE OPERATIONS. THERE’S OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK AT MARINAS, EITHER AS MECHANICS. ANYBODY YOU KNOW, IN A FRONT OFFICE AT A MARINA ON CAPE COD, THE BLUE ECONOMY IS BEING NURTURED BY THE CAPE COD BLUE ECONOMY FOUNDATION, A NONPROFIT WORKING TO STRENGTHEN THE REGION’S MARITIME WORKFORCE, SPARK INNOVATION AND PRESERVE THE COASTAL ENVIRONMENT THAT DRIVES THE LOCAL ECONOMY. ON CAPE COD, THE BLUE ECONOMY COULD BE EVERYTHING. I MEAN, REALLY, CAPE COD IS THE WATER. EVERYTHING GOES BACK TO THE WATER. PATRICK CASSIDY SITS ON THE BOARD OF THE FOUNDATION AND IS THE OWNER OF CAPE COD. ON THE FLY, A SALTWATER FLY FISHING CHARTER BUSINESS. I’VE BEEN FISHING CAPE COD FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS NOW. IT WAS JUST COMING UP AS A RECREATIONAL ANGLER, AND I ALWAYS KNEW I KIND OF WANTED TO DO SOMETHING LIKE A CHARTER BUSINESS. SO, YOU KNOW, TOOK THE LEAP TO DO THIS FIVE DAYS TO SEE THE SKY SO BLUE. SALTWATER FLY FISHING IS AS MUCH ART AS SPORT. WHEN YOU’RE FLY FISHING, IT’S REALLY THE LINE THAT’S THE WEIGHT, AND THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE CASTING IS THE LINE. IT IS DIFFERENT FROM SPIN FISHING OUT ON THE WATER OFF CHATHAM WITH CASSIDY. THE REAL CATCH ISN’T ALWAYS THE FISH, IT’S THE STORY YOU BRING HOME. YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO COME HOME WITH A STORY TO TELL. THAT’S REALLY WHAT I’M TRYING TO DO WITH CAPE COD ON THE FLY. HAVE THEM WALK AWAY WITH A STORY TO TELL, MAYBE SOME PICTURES OF SOME GOOD FISH. FISHING IS GOOD, BAD, INDIFFERENT. AT LEAST THE CONVERSATION HOPEFULLY IS GOOD. BLUEFISH. ACCORDING TO CASSIDY, MAKE YOU WORK WHEN REELING IN THEIR BEAUTIFUL FISH. THEY OBVIOUSLY GET THEIR NAME FROM LOOKING BLUE IN MANY RESPECTS, BUT THERE’S SOME IRIDESCENT SORT OF COLORING THAT GOES ON THERE AS WELL. AND THEY’VE GOT THESE YELLOW EYES. AND I ALWAYS SAY THAT WHEN YOU GET A BLUEFISH AND YOU GET IT INTO THE BOAT, THAT BLUEFISH LOOKS AT YOU WITH THOSE EYES AND IT IT SAYS TO ITSELF, I’VE GOT THIS PERSON RIGHT WHERE I WANT THEM BECAUSE THEY, THEY LOOK LIKE THEY’RE READY TO FIGHT YOU IN THE BOAT, AND YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING BUT RESPECT AN ATTITUDE LIKE THAT IN A FISH. AND ALTHOUGH WE SET OUT TO CATCH SOME THIS TIME, IT WAS STRIPED BASS THAT SHOWED UP. WHETHER IT’S BASS OR BLUES, THERE IS ONLY ONE THING LEFT TO DO AFTER REELING THE FISH IN. EAT. BLUEFISH ARE A GREAT TASTING FISH. SOME PEOPLE THINK THEY TASTE TOO FISHY, BUT REALLY IT DOES A GREAT JOB OF HOLDING UP TO A LOT OF SPICES AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT THROW INTO IT. WHEN IT COMES TO EATING BLUEFISH, IT’S A BIT, SHALL WE SAY, CONTROVERSIAL. IT IS DEFINITELY A CONTROVERSIAL FISH, BUT IT IS OUR MOST POPULAR ITEM. AND I’LL TELL YOU, WHEN YOU SMOKE THE BLUEFISH, IT CUTS A LOT OF THAT OIL OUT. A LOT OF THAT GAMINESS AND FISHINESS THAT PEOPLE MAY KIND OF PAUSE AT, AND IT MAKES IT SUPER APPROACHABLE TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT TASTES. AT BOSTON SMOKED FISH COMPANY, BLUEFISH OFTEN OVERLOOKED AND UNDERAPPRECIATED, ARE GETTING THEIR MOMENT TO SHINE. ONE THING, PARTICULARLY WITH BLUEFISH PATE, IS THAT BLUEFISH IS STILL AN UNDERUTILIZED FISH, AND WE’RE REALLY GOING THROUGH QUITE A BIT OF IT, SUPPORTING THE LOCAL FISHERMEN’S BOATS THAT ARE COMING RIGHT HERE TO THE FISH PIER AND ALL THE HARD WORKING MEN AND WOMEN ON THE FISH PIER. MATT BAUMANN, A LAWYER TURNED FISH SMOKER, RUNS THE OPERATION OUT OF THE BOSTON FISH PIER, MAKING THE BLUEFISH. PATE IS A MULTI-STEP PROCESS THAT STARTS FIRST WITH THE BRINE. I WENT THROUGH 72 DIFFERENT BRINE RECIPES TO GET TO WHAT WE USE ON ALL OF OUR FISH TODAY. THEN THE SMOKING AND MIXING THE FRESH INGREDIENTS. IT’S TWO PARTS BLUEFISH TO ONE PART CREAM CHEESE, SO IT’S SUPER FULL OF THE FISH, HERBS, LEMON, RED ONION AND A WHOLE LOT OF BLUEFISH. IT’S ALSO REALLY JUST THE TIME AND CARE OF HAND MIXING. IT KEEPS A NICE CHUNKY, RUSTIC TEXTURE TO IT, WHICH OUR CUSTOMERS REALLY ENJOY. HESITANT TO TRY IT, BAUMANN SAYS MOST PEOPLE ARE, BUT JUST A TASTE TENDS TO TURN NAYSAYERS INTO CONVERTS. GETTING BACK TO THE FARMERS MARKETS. WE DO TASTINGS, WE DO SAMPLING, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL COME UP AND SAY, I DON’T LIKE BLUEFISH. IT’S TOO FISHY. THEY TASTE IT. 99 OUT OF 100 IMMEDIATELY CONVERTED BECAUSE THEY’RE EXPECTING THAT STRONG FLAVOR, BUT BECAUSE OF THE SMOKING PROCESS, CUTTING THAT OIL OUT OF IT, THEY’RE SUPER SURPRISED TO SEE HOW TASTY IT REALLY CAN BE. AND MATT, FROM BOSTON SMOKED FISH COMPANY SAYS A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK OF SMOKED FISH AS AN APPETIZER, BUT IT CAN BE MUCH MORE. HE SUGGESTS REPLACING THE TUNA WITH BLUEFISH PATE IN A TUNA MELT AND BACK TO CAPE COD ON THE FLY. PATRICK CASSIDY SAYS MOST PEOPLE WHO COME ON BOARD HAVE SOME FLY FISHING EXPERIENCE, BUT IF THEY DON’T,
Bluefish help power New England’s blue economy
From Cape Cod charters to Boston smoked fish, local waters fuel jobs, flavor and sustainability.
The blue economy is a name for an ecosystem of jobs, industries and innovations all connected to the water. On Cape Cod, the blue economy is being nurtured by the Cape Cod Blue Economy Foundation, a nonprofit working to strengthen the region’s maritime workforce, spark innovation and preserve the coastal environment that drives the local economy.One of many businesses tied to the Cape’s blue economy is Cape Cod on the Fly, a saltwater fly fishing business. This type of fly fishing is as much art as it is sport, and there is always a story to bring home after a day on the water. Bluefish is a New England staple, and Boston Smoked Fish Co. is turning the controversial fish into a delicious bite with its smoked bluefish pate.
The blue economy is a name for an ecosystem of jobs, industries and innovations all connected to the water. On Cape Cod, the blue economy is being nurtured by the Cape Cod Blue Economy Foundation, a nonprofit working to strengthen the region’s maritime workforce, spark innovation and preserve the coastal environment that drives the local economy.
One of many businesses tied to the Cape’s blue economy is Cape Cod on the Fly, a saltwater fly fishing business. This type of fly fishing is as much art as it is sport, and there is always a story to bring home after a day on the water.
Bluefish is a New England staple, and Boston Smoked Fish Co. is turning the controversial fish into a delicious bite with its smoked bluefish pate.