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Thriving Coastal Communities
Promoting vibrant working waterfronts and place-based innovations to ensure small boat fishing livelihoods, intergenerational access, and strong local economies.
Current Priorities
1. Promoting and Safeguarding Public Waterfront Access and Infrastructure
Working waterfronts are the economic and cultural backbone of coastal communities. We work to safeguard critical infrastructure by advocating for public investment, supporting community-owned solutions, and helping small ports pursue funding and technical support.
2. Strengthening local Seafood Systems
Local seafood supports food security and livelihoods by keeping fish, income, and opportunity closer to home. We support cooperative and alternative distribution models that strengthen access and affordability.
3. Building Community Capacity for Policy Engagement
Participating in policy decisions takes time, access, and clear information. We help people share their knowledge, attend meetings, and speak up in decisions that affect their future.
4. Strengthening Grassroots Engagement
Collective action strengthens fisheries outcomes. We build alliances among fishing communities, tribes, and partners so local perspectives shape decisions at every level.
Key Strategies & Activities:
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Track funding, policy, and planning processes that affect coastal infrastructure: Monitor state and federal funding opportunities, regulatory changes, and planning efforts that influence access to docks, ports, and other facilities.
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Provide technical support and coordination for community-led projects: Help communities and small ports navigate grant applications, planning requirements, partnerships, and project development.
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Support development of cooperative and alternative business models: Share models, lessons learned, and peer connections related to cooperative infrastructure and seafood distribution.
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Facilitate information flow between communities and decision-makers: Translate policy developments into simple language and relay community perspectives back into management and funding discussions.
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Reduce barriers to participation in fisheries policy processes: Support travel, preparation, and coordination so community members can attend meetings and provide testimony.
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Create and share educational resources: Develop materials, workshops, and briefings that help fishing communities understand how decisions are made and where input matters.
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Convene and connect groups working on shared fisheries and community issues:
Bring together fishing communities, tribes, and partner organizations to coordinate strategy and share information.
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Maintain consistent public communication: Use blogs, newsletters, and outreach to document decisions, elevate community experience, and keep issues visible over time.
How You Can Help:
This work is strengthened by people who stay informed, share their experience, and participate in fisheries and community decisions.
Ways to get involved:
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Sign up for our newsletter to stay connected to current issues and opportunities to engage.
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Read our blog for clear breakdowns of fishery decisions and their impacts on fishing communities.
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When public comment opportunities arise, submit comments or testimony to help elevate community perspectives. Learn how to take action.
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Let us know what you’re hearing or experiencing to help inform our policy engagement.
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