How It Works

Your Guide to Cape Ann Fresh Catch

What is a Community Supported Fishery (CSF)?

Cape Ann Fresh Catch is one of the largest Community Supported Fisheries in America.

A Community Supported Fishery (CSF) connects seafood lovers directly with local fishermen. By shortening the supply chain and eliminating unnecessary middlemen, fishermen receive a fair price for their catch while members enjoy fresher, higher-quality seafood than is typically available in grocery stores.

Inspired by the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model, our CSF gives members access to locally harvested seafood while supporting a more sustainable and transparent food system.

Why Join Cape Ann Fresh Catch?

Freshness & Quality

Enjoy seafood that was swimming just hours before it reaches your table. Each share is packed with the freshest catch available and delivered to convenient pickup locations throughout Massachusetts or directly to your doorstep.

Supporting Local Fishermen

Your purchase helps Gloucester's fishing families earn a fair price for their catch while supporting a sustainable and resilient local seafood economy.

Strengthening the Local Economy

Keeping your seafood dollars local helps support fishermen, processors, markets, and other small businesses throughout our coastal communities.

Traceability & Transparency

Know where your seafood comes from. We believe in connecting members to the fishermen, boats, and waters that provide their food.

Environmental Stewardship

Supporting local seafood reduces food miles and helps promote responsible fishing practices that protect our marine resources for future generations.

How It Works

Getting fresh local seafood is easy.

1. Create Your Account

Click Create an Account to get started.

2. Choose Your Seafood Plan

Want fresh seafood throughout the season? Select a Fish Share and choose the weeks you'd like to receive seafood.

Prefer complete flexibility? Shop Extras from the Dock and order exactly what you'd like, whenever you'd like.

There are no subscriptions, contracts, or automatic renewals—just fresh local seafood on your schedule.

3. Select a Pickup Location or Home Delivery

Choose the Pickup Location that works best for you. The pickup location you select determines the day and time you'll receive your seafood.

Prefer delivery? Select Home Delivery and provide any special delivery instructions during checkout.

Not sure which delivery day serves your area? Use our Home Delivery Day Finder.

4. Select Your Weeks

Choose the week or weeks you'd like seafood by checking the boxes that match your share.

One of the benefits of Cape Ann Fresh Catch is flexibility. Going on vacation or unavailable one week? Simply choose the weeks that work best for your schedule.

Our system automatically verifies that the number of weeks selected matches your share, so you don't have to worry about making a mistake.

5. Enjoy Fresh Local Seafood

We'll send you a Catch of the Day Email before each pickup or delivery with details about that week's catch, recipes, and cooking tips to help you make the most of your seafood.

What Fish Will I Receive?

Each week, our fishermen land a variety of fresh local seafood from the waters of New England. Rather than focusing on a single species, our Community Supported Fishery is designed to support local fishermen while providing members with the best seafood available that week.

Depending on the season and the catch, you may receive haddock, cod, hake, pollock, monkfish, grey sole, yellowtail flounder, dabs, redfish, whiting, and other local species.

We'll send you a Catch of the Day Email before each delivery with details about that week's catch, information about the species, storage recommendations, and cooking tips.

Looking for something specific? Extras from the Dock offers a variety of additional seafood options available for individual purchase throughout the season.

Weekly Seafood Specials

Throughout the season, Cape Ann Fresh Catch offers exclusive Weekly Seafood Specials featuring premium and seasonal seafood not typically included in our regular fish shares.

Past specials have included Sockeye Salmon, King Salmon, Black Cod, Lobster Meat, Striped Bass, Mussels, Steamers (soft-shell clams), Blue Crab Meat, and other limited-availability favorites.

Weekly specials are announced in our seasonal newsletter and emailed directly to current-season shareholders. When available, specials can be purchased through our Weekly Specials section and added to your regular seafood order for convenient pickup or delivery.

Because many of these items are seasonal, locally sourced, or available in limited quantities, availability may vary throughout the year.

What Size Share Is Right For Me?

½ lb Share

Perfect for individuals looking for a smaller portion of fresh seafood each week.

Please note: ½ lb Shares are available for pickup only. Home delivery is available when combined with additional seafood purchases that meet our minimum delivery requirements for that week.

1 lb Share

Perfect for individuals or couples who enjoy seafood regularly.

2 lb Share

Great for families or households that want larger portions or leftovers.

Whole Fish Share

Ideal for adventurous cooks who enjoy preparing whole fish and experiencing the full variety of New England seafood.

Still Have Questions?

We're here to help.

Before placing your order, you may find the answers you're looking for in the resources below:

Whether you're new to local seafood or a longtime member, we're committed to making fresh, local seafood easy, accessible, and enjoyable.