Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA)

About us

Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA) is a fishermen-led organization that promotes small-scale, community based fisheries. NAMA was born in 1995 because, at the time, there was a critical mass of people in New England who believed there had to be a better approach to protect our oceans and manage marine resources.

We advocate for policies and practices that will sustain our fisheries. We:
• Transform markets: Our programs and events facilitate direct connections between consumers and fishermen.
• Influence policy: We work with fishery managers to make the case for supporting small-scale, community-based fishers through policy decisions.
• Build community: We build coalitions with like-minded fishing communities, food and farming activists, and anyone interested in knowing where their food comes from.

The Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance´s mission is to restore and enhance an enduring marine system supporting a healthy diversity and an abundance of marine life and human uses through a self-organizing and self-governing organization.

Our Work
• Who Fishes Matters Campaign: To ensure diversity of the fishing fleet and prevent excessive consolidation for the well being of the marine ecosystem, our fishing communities and our source of seafood.
• Community Collaboration: Local Fishermen´s Solutions for Current and Future Generations
• Ecosystem Protection: NAMA is working for holistic management in marine ecosystems that addresses fisheries, habitat alteration, food-web concerns, pollution, and climate change all together.
• Market Transformation: NAMA believes by creating and expanding market appreciation for locally caught seafood, the fishermen can have a better return on smaller catch and offer higher quality seasonal seafood.
• NAMA Weighs In: To facilitate the transformations we seek, we often have to communicate with policy makers.
• The Transition Framework: We believe using the Transition Framework in our effort to implement our purpose allows us to pay attention to the personal pathways various stakeholders must take to get to their respective new beginnings.

Niaz Dorry is the Coordinating Director of the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA).

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.