Documentary Filmmaker Farhod Family Sheds Light on New England’s Struggling Groundfish Industry
WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) August 5, 2013 — Brooklyn-based filmmaker Farhod Family has released a teaser for his yet-to-be-titled documentary film, in which he chronicles the hardships faced by fishermen in New England’s groundfish industry.
Mr. Family began working on his self-funded documentary in September of 2012 after the federal government declared the New England groundfish industry to be in a state of economic disaster. Since then, Family has reached out to the National Science Center (NSC), attended New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) meetings, and met with the fishermen whose livelihoods are being threatened by cuts to their allowable catch.
Mr. Family’s film will provide an in-depth look at the groundfish industry, from the efforts of New England’s fishermen, young and old, to fish processors, and ice companies, all of whom play an important role in coastal communities and waterfront business throughout Massachusetts.The film will explore ports in Gloucester and New Bedford, as well as the town of Scituate, Massachusetts, a small fishing community that is on the brink of losing its entire fleet.
Mr. Family began his journalism career covering the 2009 presidential elections in Iran. Since returning, his work has appeared in PBS Frontline, The New York Times, Washington Post, Global Post, NHL, NFL among others. He holds a BA in history and French from the University of Hawaii, and an MS in digital media from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.
Good Morning Gloucester 
Very powerful.
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Impressive. Terrifying. Necessary.
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Heartbreaking very hard to listen too for me, and seeing the impacts of a vital vote by many who do not have an ownership interest like those who strike out each day to make a living for their families and those who they employ. I would like to share a small portion of the issue of those here before us have tried to say and taught many ways it’s from Kent Nerburn’s Book “Wolf at Twilight.” Full of the same wisdom these fishermen bring forth on a way of life and future impacts of those who have gone before and hopefully those who follow!!
(Quote)
Perhaps now you will listen to us. Perhaps now you will open your hearts to what we have to share.” “The greatest weakness of your people is that you do not know how to listen. You have closed your ears to other voices. Not just the voices of other people, but the voices of all creation. This is wrong. The Creator has placed knowledge in all things. Just because we humans have been given the gift of being able to stand outside ourselves does not mean that our knowledge is superior. We are not at the center of creation; we are just a part of creation.
(Unquote)
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Are there enough fish to sustain an industry or aren’t there enough fish? Also the stories, albeit a fishing story that the sizes of the fish are a lot smaller than they used to be. The larger the fish, the larger the spawn so they say. If that’s true and the fish size is smaller in size than they used to be…doesn’t that say something about the future of fishing? The gray sole was huge and the haddock was huge back in the day even in the 1970’s. Now they’re a mere shadow of what they used to catch. Right? I hear that all the time. So what’s the story? Keep the fishing industry going because they may be smaller but they can still be caught? Until what…they are the size of gold fish? Or am I looking through the wrong end of the telescope? The NOAA folks say they want to charge every F/V to put a spotter on the vessels and the boat owner has to pay $800/day for that nonsense. For what? From the sounds of all the miserable profit that may be the days pay for the boat. I’ll be damned if I have to pay $800/day to anybody who’s dead weight on my boat if I were a Captain. All of the closed fishing areas are probably ripe for the catch. Can foreign vessels come in? or is it restricted to everyone? The whole story smells fishy to me.
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no offense dave but what did you say? did you say anything?
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Steve I with you here! No offense taken! This is a roundabout way of saying – some in government cause issues by their controls and not always holding up to what is said keeping promises -sort of like the chameleon effect change color to suit needs. This book is full of broken promises and a lost way of life sorry I be more direct next time!
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Not sure exactly what the crux of this movie is, but it could be interesting. Is it about a way of life that has passed? The depletion of fish from the North Atlantic? That the increased technology and mechanization of fishing has led to less and less people being employed in the fishing industry? Big business = yes / Small business = no? Does anyone know? Joey?
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