“Man, you all are some kind of fishermen...caught all these big fish
with no pole, and no bait!”

This phrase was repeated in amazement several times by a man helping to unload an ice chest containing 200 pounds of Arctic Char at the local Union Rescue Mission in Martinsburg, WV. That same morning an identical chest was unloaded at the Union Rescue Mission in Hagerstown, MD. According to Sonny Shank, director of the Hagerstown mission, the fish are a welcome alternative to the little bit of red meat and poultry that the mission typically gets.

At 3 to 5 pounds each, the fresh fish were the result of a combined effort between FHFH and the Freshwater Institute of Shepherdstown, WV. In January, MD FHFH Director Josh Wilson was contacted by his friend John Davidson, a Research Associate at the institute, who was looking for groups interested in using fish to feed the hungry. The two began a search for programs that could use the fish directly, as well as processing plants that could filet the fish for use by regional food banks. The initial fruits of this effort include the two rescue missions—both of which can use several hundred pounds of fish each month. A man at the Martinsburg mission said that the fish would be eaten within days, and he expressed hope that there would be more to come!

The Freshwater Institute develops water resource management solutions that are environmentally friendly for a variety of applications. Part of their work involves the development of techniques for the fish farming industry. Eventually the fish that are part of the research become too large and must be removed. The institute is not allowed to sell the fish due to contractual obligations with the commercial industry, so whenever possible they donate them to agencies that feed the hungry.

If you know of any feeding programs or ministries that could use a steady supply of fresh, whole fish, please contact FHFH at 301-739-3000 or email us at staff@fhfh.org. For more information about the Freshwater Institute you can visit them on the web at www.freshwaterinstitute.org.