My last experience on Fogo Island was meeting Janice Thompson and Tony Cobb. Tony is Zita Cobb’s brother and they run an organization, called Fogo Island Fish, which is a social business which promotes hand fishing of cod. This is the equivalent of let’s say, free range cattle, but instead, the cod are caught by hand by fisherman and the fishermen are paid double the market price and can make a living out of it. They are just not allowed to catch huge numbers, and these fish are then sent to high quality, renowned restaurants in Toronto and other parts of Canada and sold for a high price because the fish are killed quickly, bled and frozen right away so that it yields better flesh. The flesh is more firm and white and free of imperfections that can be found in mass produced fish. The organization’s goal is to help the economy grow and provide a beacon of hope and an example for the out port communities in Newfoundland so that they don’t become extinct. It’s sad to note that some places that rely heavily on fishing have now dwindled to low populations because no one can find work, and the only people left in those communities are elders. This is a common issue throughout Newfoundland, and Fogo Island is doing its best to survive and thrive by using its art and the Shorefast Society’s business ventures.