Don Carter works on land, but makes his living off the sea.
Carter, 50, of the Erma section of Lower Township, is one of many people in southern New Jersey who found a niche catering to the fishing industry, starting as a welder and then expanding to all sorts of boat repairs. His Erma-based company, Northeast Industrial & Marine Equipment Supplies, also sells a variety of marine equipment, including winches, pumps, motors, propellers, hydraulic systems and other gear. It is one of several marine supply stores in the Port of Cape May, all supplying year-round jobs.
Carter also is an example of why nobody has a real figure on what the fishing industry is worth to New Jersey’s economy.
The sales value of the seafood has been pegged at about $1 billion per year as it moves from fishermen to retailers, wholesalers and consumers.