The last remaining fish house on Ocracoke Island straddles the water on a sliver of land on Silver Lake. Ocracoke Seafood Company is where tourists get a crash course in seafood and buy tonight’s dinner fresh off the boat.
Tom Payne remembers what he calls the good ole days. “When you first came here years and years ago, there were 3 fish houses, you could walk down to the dock anytime and buy a fish. Everybody took for granted that it was always going to be here.”
Like other coastal areas, development could have swallowed up the landmark. Instead, the Ocracoke Working Waterman’s Association, a group of about 35 full and part time commercial fishermen, found a way to chart a different course.
Longtime fisherman Hardy Plyler explains, “Two years ago we were facing the prospect of losing our fish house. It had been here 30 years; the tradition on Ocracoke had been established for over 100 years.”
The fishermen landed a North Carolina Rural Development grant for 325 thousand dollars, enough money to buy the existing business and lease for the next 70 years. Together, the members share the dock, and retail space allowing them to make profits from selling locally.
Without the grant, “we wouldn’t have had a fish house here; the fishing industry would have probably died,” says Plyler.
Like a skilled surgeon, Plyler cleans his catch and explains why the grant effects more than just the fishermen. “We were very relieved and very happy that state government had seen the importance of this fish house not only for generating income and economic development for Ocracoke, but also to reflect the fishing heritage in North Carolina, and to help maintain the industry.”
The fish house also helps sustain other local communities.To borrow a phrase from one of the local fishermen, Ocracoke is the life jacket that keeps this county afloat. A majority of retain sales tax and property tax for Hyde County comes from this small, but busy island.
When Vince O’Neal isn’t cooking for tourists at the Pony Island restaurant, he’s busy trying to catch fish. He does both to make a living. “A lot of people fish part time, it gives people a place to work, and that money is pumped right back into the economy. You take one fish. It’s caught, and cleaned, put into the retail market, the money stays here.”
The fishermen insist they need all the help they can get.
“Most of us are in our 50’s, there’s not much youth recruitment in the fishing industry.” Plyler says, “A generation or two ago, you climbed on the boat with your daddy or grand daddy and that’s what you did now with fuel prices and regulation a lot of the young men are not getting into fishing.”
One thing that would help, the fisherman insist, is if consumers make sure they buy the local catch, and pass on the imported seafood.
With the future of the fish house secure for now, the Ocracoke watermen now have one major advantage. “Ocracoke is different from most places in commercial fishing… we don’t have competition down the street, so it’s support this or don’t have anything.” Plyler concludes.
Watch the NC Now Feature
An interview with Captain Plyler