“This whole crisis shows that we need to feed ourselves as close to home as we can.”
-Jason Jarvis, local fisherman
Like most things, Covid-19 wreaked havoc on the RI seafood industry. We wanted to explore this topic to raise awareness to the struggles and try to find some common sense solutions to the challenges (while being mindful of safety and social distancing).
Our DP Tyler Murgo grew up seeing his family harvest seafood from wild places. As everything falls apart, it feels urgent to capture the wisdom and perspectives of local fishermen during this historical moment. Some close to home, with Tyler’s brother Kenny Murgo, and others who have been fighting for change in RI for years like Jason Jarvis. Huge thanks to them for trusting us to tell their story.
During production, on May 1st 2020, an emergency action passed, temporarily allowing fishermen in Rhode Island to sell finned fish directly off the boat to consumers. The hope is to make this emergency regulation permanent.
Producers - Aaron Schurman, Dana Saint, Dan Riordan
DP / Photos / Audio / VO - Tyler Murgo
Additional footage - Jack Ieronimo, Rúni Djurhuus
Post Production - Jack Ieronimo & Jordan Ingram
Sound Design - Jared Blizzard
Here are few steps to move further towards developing a local market for the wild food that lives in our backyards.
1. Go to your local port and try new fish you haven’t tried before.
2. Support small local fish markets that buy from local fishermen.
3. Demand local seafood from the restaurants and markets you go to.
4. Share this video with fellow Rhode Islanders
LEARN MORE:
WHAT fish is local?
EATING WITH THE ECOSYSTEM
WHERE can I buy it?
seafood RI
HOW do I cook it?
delicious recipes
BEHIND THE SCENES
COVID-19 has affected every industry imaginable, and the film industry is no different. When we set out to tell this story, we had many conversations about the challenges of production during these trying times. How do we interact with real people, in a safe and effective way? Not only for this project, but for all future projects we hope to capture in the future.
As we discussed this more and more, we decided to create a safety guide for all productions.
