Martha's Vineyard Fishermen's Preservation Trust
Our Purpose
In 2021, the Martha’s Vineyard Seafood Collaborative (MVSC) was launched by the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust (MVFPT). MVSC’s overarching goal is simple but profound: to safeguard the island’s working waterfront and fishing heritage by ensuring fair, local markets for fishermen. Initially, MVSC served as a nonprofit wholesale buyer, purchasing local catches and and distributing them. Later on, MVSC introduced the Community Supported Fishery (CSF), a subscription model selling seafood shares directly to locals through farmers markets, strengthening fishermen’s income, broadening consumer connections, and supporting marine sustainability. The MVSC offers vital infrastructure in Menemsha: shoreside sorting, ice, cold storage, and a landing hub to support over 100 fishing enterprises. Recognizing island food insecurity, MVSC also launched a Seafood Donation Program, flash‑freezing local fish for donation to dozens of community food partners, yielding tens of thousands of meals. Operating under the MVFPT umbrella—a nonprofit founded in 2011 with a mission to preserve the Vineyard’s small-boat fishing heritage, protect marine stocks, and educate the public—MVSC embodies a broader vision. Our work ensures that local fishermen maintain economic viability, community ties deepen, high-quality seafood remains on-island, and future generations can sustain this way of life.