July 16, 2013 — Innovation is a relative term. It all depends on where you're starting from. Here are three examples from New England's diverse fisheries:
1. Don't Fix What Ain't Broke
Weir fishing is a tradition that dates back to the Native American inhabitants of Cape Cod. The circular nets anchored with rough-hewn hickory poles look like something out of a history or anthropology textbook. Ernie Eldredge has been weir fishing in Chatham for fifty years, like his father before him. In fact, he still uses some of the same gear. He says they've tried different woods, but hickory is the only one that's strong enough and heavy enough to do the job. He does have a motor on his skiff, but otherwise, he says about the only "innovation" his industry has seen was the switch from cotton to nylon nets several decades ago.
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