Rhode Island is known as the Ocean State for good reasons. With more than 400 miles of coastline in the smallest state, seafood is a big part of who we are and how we make a living. Still, for years, much of the seafood on our tables came from far away, while great local fish and shellfish were often ignored. That disconnect is exactly what RI Seafood, a government-led initiative of the Rhode Island Seafood Marketing Collaborative (SMC), is working to change.
The SMC was established by the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2011 with a clear objective: to support local fishermen and small businesses while increasing public awareness and consumption of locally fished species. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) leads the collaborative with support from a 19-member board representing every part of the seafood industry, including state agencies, universities, economists, industry groups, markets, and restaurants, which ensures information that is grounded in science, economics, and the real experiences of those who catch and sell local seafood.
“The goal is to help more people know about, trust, and choose seafood caught in Rhode Island,” says SMC Chair Molly Moran-Ogren. “This supports our fishing industry, small businesses, and working waterfront, while giving residents fresh, tasty options close to home.”
Rhode Island is fortunate to have a robust commercial fishery that supports shoreside businesses, processing facilities, and thousands of jobs. In 2024, the state’s fishery landed over 61.1 million pounds of seafood, adding $72 million to the local economy. From longtime favorites like squid, sea scallops, lobsters, oysters, and quahogs to scup, fluke, monkfish, black sea bass, bigeye tuna, and Jonah crab, Rhode Island waters are abundant with high-quality seafood landed daily. Yet in the marketplace, local seafood often blends in with regional, national, and global products. Consumers browsing menus or seafood counters may not know whether what they’re buying was harvested locally or shipped from thousands of miles away. To address that challenge, the RI Seafood brand was developed to clearly identify seafood landed in the Ocean State.
“When you see the RI Seafood logo, you can be confident the seafood was landed in Rhode Island,” says Moran-Ogren. “We work diligently to educate consumers on where and how to buy local seafood.” Today, more than 160 venues across the state support Rhode Island’s fishing fleet by selling locally caught and landed seafood. “Every bit of this work strengthens our seafood economy. We’re inviting Rhode Islanders to join us by choosing local and supporting our fishermen,” says Moran-Ogren. SMC Board Member Stu Meltzer agrees. Inside his business, Fearless Fish Market in Providence, you’ll find a cooler packed with dozens and dozens of fish, meticulously labeled by species, the name of the fisherman who caught it, the harvest date, and the size. “I want to help people to feel more confident buying, cooking, and trying new seafood,” he says.
Rhode Island’s commercial fishing and seafood industry is diverse, dynamic, and steeped in tradition. It continues to thrive thanks to healthy fishery resources and the thousands of hardworking people who harvest, process, and sell seafood. RI Seafood encourages people to practice flexible consumption and eat what’s in season and plentiful. Farming and fishing depend on the weather, rules, and the time of year. Choosing local means you get the freshest seafood and help support both sustainability and the local economy. Since 1987, Andrade’s Catch on Bristol’s Wood Street has practiced safe fishing methods and worked to educate the community about their beloved industry. Today, the founders’ son Davy Andrade is at the helm. “I was born into this business, and every day I get to see it through start to finish from the boat to the consumer,” he says.
Through its Local Seafood Finder, RI Seafood connects shoppers, home cooks, and diners with more than 160 partner restaurants, markets, and venues across the state that sell or serve local seafood. Those partners play a direct role in supporting the state’s fishing fleet, aquaculture farmers, processors, and wholesalers. “The best food is simple, and it always tastes better when it’s made with local produce and seafood,” says Executive Chef Andrew Gould from the Celeste kitchen in Narragansett.
By looking for the RI Seafood logo and trying local species, you can help keep the state’s waterfront strong for generations to come. Says Moran-Ogren, “Try a local species this week. This simple action supports our local fishers and adds something special to your meals. From dock to dinner, RI Seafood makes it easy to spot, choose, and enjoy what’s landed right here in Rhode Island.” To stay updated on what’s in season and where to find it, follow @RISeafood on Facebook and
@RI.Seafood on Instagram.
One of RI Seafoods flagship initiatives is Quahog Week, an annual celebration of Rhode Island’s most iconic shellfish. This year is the 10th Annual Shell-ebration which highlights wild-harvested clams, the people who dig them, and the restaurants and markets that serve them. With millions of quahogs harvested annually, the fishery supports hundreds of livelihoods and remains deeply rooted in Rhode Island culture. Restaurants and markets throughout Rhode Island will offer special quahog dishes that show off the clam’s sustainability and year-round availability. The week-long celebration will also have two free public events where you can meet wild-harvest quahoggers, try freshly shucked clams, and enjoy dishes from local partners. Learn more at Seafood.RI.gov
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