Many harvesters are now selling seafood to consumers through alternative distribution chains such as dockside sales, fish markets, and community-supported fishery (CSF) programs.  (CSF programs are similar to the more well known community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, in which consumers pay a sum at the beginning of the fishing season in exchange for weekly shares of fish.)  My research, in conjunction with LocalCatch.org (a national network of CSFs) and scientists from the National Marine Fisheries Service, focuses on the ecological, economic, and social ramifications of these kinds of alternative distribution chains; does selling this way change fishing patterns?  Does it increase revenue for harvesters?  Does it promote development of social capital among both fishermen and consumers?

Publications

G Cumming, K Hunter-Thomson, T Young. 2020. Local food 2.0: How do regional, intermediated, food value chains affect stakeholder learning? A case study of a community-supported fishery (CSF) program. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences 10(1): 68-82. [link]

Presentations

Building Inclusive Agricultural Value Chains, Online seminar series 2020, Oral presentation: “A spark can cause a huge fire”: Lessons learned and resources to share from a justice-oriented, youth-centered community seafood program” 
(T Young, G Cumming, K Hunter-Thomson, A Carlson)

American Fisheries Society, 148th annual meeting, Atlantic City, NJ, Aug 2018, Oral presentation: “Alternative seafood supply chains as vehicles for mutual learning among stakeholders” (G Cumming, T Young, K Hunter-Thomson, C Norwood)