This post comes from Niaz Dorry, NAMA’s coordinating director.
I lost a friend yesterday. Kim Libby was a rabble-rouser. She
rubbed the right people the wrong way. She was ready to do things no one else
was willing to do or wasn’t yet ready to do. And she made no apologies for it. I
had much to still learn from and share with Kim. But yesterday Kim passed away.
I lost a friend yesterday. Kim Libby was a rabble-rouser. She
rubbed the right people the wrong way. She was ready to do things no one else
was willing to do or wasn’t yet ready to do. And she made no apologies for it. I
had much to still learn from and share with Kim. But yesterday Kim passed away.
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| Kim pictured in the Food Sovereignty brochure doing what she loved: passing out shares of shrimp to the first ever group of CSF shareholders. Read the full document here. |
An advocate and artist at heart, Kim used to call her style of activism as “tilting at windmills.” What she meant was gathering all our strength together to make the changes we felt were necessary often against powerful forces.
Kim and I met in the mid-1990s at New England Fishery
Management Council meetings. I was a Greenpeace oceans campaigner, and, with
only a couple of years under my belt, a greenhorn at the fisheries politics
game.
Kim and I met in the mid-1990s at New England Fishery
Management Council meetings. I was a Greenpeace oceans campaigner, and, with
only a couple of years under my belt, a greenhorn at the fisheries politics
game.
Back then we were amongst those opposing the expansion and
industrialization of the Atlantic herring and mackerel fisheries. Although this battle is now taken up by numerous organizations, back then only a small group of people – mostly fishermen – were raising concerns about this issue. Even some of Greenpeace’s
environmental allies wouldn’t touch it. After all, mathematically, the herring
fishery was not considered overfished. Numbers were advertising major
escalation of the fishery inviting factory fishing operations to try to carve
their way into the fishery. Amongst them the Atlantic Star, a 369 foot factory
trawler whose existence unveiled a whole web of intrigue around the industrial
pelagic fishing industry.
industrialization of the Atlantic herring and mackerel fisheries. Although this battle is now taken up by numerous organizations, back then only a small group of people – mostly fishermen – were raising concerns about this issue. Even some of Greenpeace’s
environmental allies wouldn’t touch it. After all, mathematically, the herring
fishery was not considered overfished. Numbers were advertising major
escalation of the fishery inviting factory fishing operations to try to carve
their way into the fishery. Amongst them the Atlantic Star, a 369 foot factory
trawler whose existence unveiled a whole web of intrigue around the industrial
pelagic fishing industry.
What Kim and other fishermen who dared to speak up at the
time saw was not only the ecological implications of such a bad idea but also
the social and economic consequences. We didn’t have to look too far to know
that factory trawlers and industrial fisheries designed for extraction not
fishing were going to undermine the recovery of this region’s ecosystem. The
home of the sacred cod. The humpback whales. The puffins. The porpoises. The
Bluefin tuna. All of these species feed on small pelagic fish such as herring
and mackerel. Bluefin tuna migrate with their feed. No herring no tuna.
time saw was not only the ecological implications of such a bad idea but also
the social and economic consequences. We didn’t have to look too far to know
that factory trawlers and industrial fisheries designed for extraction not
fishing were going to undermine the recovery of this region’s ecosystem. The
home of the sacred cod. The humpback whales. The puffins. The porpoises. The
Bluefin tuna. All of these species feed on small pelagic fish such as herring
and mackerel. Bluefin tuna migrate with their feed. No herring no tuna.
Back then we argued that because of herring’s role in the
marine ecosystem, and with so many of its predators recovering or in recovery
or listed as endangered species, escalation should be measured. At that time,
the numbers were saying upwards of 540,000 MT can be caught – more than
reported caught at the height of fishery and before its crash in the late 1970s. We were arguing that no more than 107,000 MT should be considered.
marine ecosystem, and with so many of its predators recovering or in recovery
or listed as endangered species, escalation should be measured. At that time,
the numbers were saying upwards of 540,000 MT can be caught – more than
reported caught at the height of fishery and before its crash in the late 1970s. We were arguing that no more than 107,000 MT should be considered.
Ultimately, an unprecedented coming together of fishing
communities and organizations throughout New England and across 13 countries
spoke up against industrial development of small pelagic fisheries in general,
but Atlantic herring specifically.
communities and organizations throughout New England and across 13 countries
spoke up against industrial development of small pelagic fisheries in general,
but Atlantic herring specifically.
Back then we were mocked by should-be-allies and downright
adversaries for even bringing up the idea of 107,000 MT. Wouldn’t you know it…
last year they decided to limit the fishery to 107,000 MT. Go figure.
adversaries for even bringing up the idea of 107,000 MT. Wouldn’t you know it…
last year they decided to limit the fishery to 107,000 MT. Go figure.
Kim and others were amongst those group of fishermen who
could see the bigger picture early on. And she remained that way. Her ability
to see what others didn’t – yet – frustrated her. She would sometimes get
impatient.
could see the bigger picture early on. And she remained that way. Her ability
to see what others didn’t – yet – frustrated her. She would sometimes get
impatient.
I remember one night in 2009 sitting at my kitchen table. Kim
was frustrated and wanted to know why other communities didn’t see the
potential that she did in the CSF movement.
was frustrated and wanted to know why other communities didn’t see the
potential that she did in the CSF movement.
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| Kim smiling while judging the Seafood Throwdown at the Common Ground Country Fair, with her husband and soulmate Gary in the forefront. |
At the time, the first ever Community Supported Fishery
(CSF) – Port Clyde Fresh Catch CSF – had completed its first year. Cape Ann
Fresh Catch CSF was taking life and we were beginning to see some other CSF
conversations start and bloom. We (NAMA) worked with Kim and family to start
the CSF in Port Clyde before I came onboard. We helped get Cape Ann Fresh Catch
off the ground with their advice.
(CSF) – Port Clyde Fresh Catch CSF – had completed its first year. Cape Ann
Fresh Catch CSF was taking life and we were beginning to see some other CSF
conversations start and bloom. We (NAMA) worked with Kim and family to start
the CSF in Port Clyde before I came onboard. We helped get Cape Ann Fresh Catch
off the ground with their advice.
Back then those of us working on creating CSFs, a model
first presented by Susan Andreatta of NC Sea Grant,
were mocked by the status quo. Most of those entrenched in the current system
would talk to us in such a way that you knew they really wanted to reach out,
pat you on the head and say “oh how nice. What a cute idea. Good for you.” And
as you can imagine, Kim would give them a piece of her mind!
first presented by Susan Andreatta of NC Sea Grant,
were mocked by the status quo. Most of those entrenched in the current system
would talk to us in such a way that you knew they really wanted to reach out,
pat you on the head and say “oh how nice. What a cute idea. Good for you.” And
as you can imagine, Kim would give them a piece of her mind!
Kim’s early lessons from the Port Clyde operations were key
to what has since blossomed into a movement of communities working to take back
control of their SEAfood chain. CSFs are popping up everywhere. And we owe it to Kim and
her family for being brave, taking those first steps, and tilting at those
windmills.
to what has since blossomed into a movement of communities working to take back
control of their SEAfood chain. CSFs are popping up everywhere. And we owe it to Kim and
her family for being brave, taking those first steps, and tilting at those
windmills.
Back in the winter of 2007/2008 when I was being considered
for the job of NAMA’s coordinating director, Kim was on NAMA’s board. I was so
glad to see her name on that list.
for the job of NAMA’s coordinating director, Kim was on NAMA’s board. I was so
glad to see her name on that list.
During our first staff and board retreat Kim told me she was
rooting for me to be the new director because “we’re alike. We both like to
tilt at windmills.”
rooting for me to be the new director because “we’re alike. We both like to
tilt at windmills.”
Kim was an activist, an artist, a fisherman’s wife, a
fishing community advocate, a trail blazer, a mother, a sister, a daughter, and
a friend. I’ll miss the strength of her shoulders at those windmills. I hope she can see that her hard work and dedication paved the path for
a lot of strong people who are now part of a movement many believed would never
exist.
Thank you, Kim. Hailey and I say goodbye.
fishing community advocate, a trail blazer, a mother, a sister, a daughter, and
a friend. I’ll miss the strength of her shoulders at those windmills. I hope she can see that her hard work and dedication paved the path for
a lot of strong people who are now part of a movement many believed would never
exist.
Thank you, Kim. Hailey and I say goodbye.