In 2009, the per-pound value of lobster was 15% less than a lobsterman’s average cost during the previous three years. More lobsters were landed than ever before, yet revenue and profits were still on the decline.

Like many people, Damon Frampton was losing hope for business as usual lobstering. But later that year, he decided to take matters into his own hands, opening up a small lobster pound, naming it The Portsmouth Lobster Company (PLC).

The pound’s business plan puts the lobstermen at the top of the pyramid. Damon is continually looking for ways to market lobsters for the three to eight boats in ways that send more money back to them.

Around the same time, people in the fishing industry and local community formed the Portsmouth Fishing Committee to publicize the challenges faced by the local seafood industry and the availability of locally caught lobster and fish. Since 2009, the committee has produced both the Portsmouth Fish and Lobster Festival, which is known as “Fishtival” and held each year in Portsmouth in September, and the “NH Fresh and Local” seafood brand.

In forming the Portsmouth Lobster Company, Frampton boldly waded into the processing and distribution side of lobstering, and his education about the complexities and challenges of the lobster industry off the boat began.

In the summer of 2011, PLC identified a clear problem they needed to deal with, culls. These one clawed lobsters can be upwards of 20% of the total catch for NH lobstermen, and they are a problem because they bring down the price significantly.

But how to get rid of them was the question? Can you believe ravioli?

PLC hatched the idea and then decided to dive headlong into exploring the creation of a value added product line for their lobsters.

They approached Kevin Cambridge, founder of Terra Cotta Pasta Company in Dover NH to see if it could be done. Cambridge immediately liked the idea and the first batch of lobster ravioli was made on September 15th, 2011.

Portsmouth Lobster Co, looking for a buyer, brought the product to the Common Man Restaurant in Portsmouth. The Common Man is a family of 18 restaurants throughout the state of NH. In order to get the ravioli to the Common Man, PLC works with Tides Fish Market in Rochester NH to process the lobster. There the lobsters are separated into meat and bodies.

Enter yet another local business, the Portsmouth Chowder Company. PLC works with the company to use the bodies to make lobster corn chowder, which the Common Man also sells. The Common Man is one of a growing list of businesses selling seafood with the NH Fresh and Local seafood brand. The brand tells consumers that they are supporting local fishermen and eating the freshest seafood possible.

Portsmouth Lobster Company has cautiously moved forward while respecting their neighbors and working together to promote and develop a value chain that directs more money to the boats. In the end PLC has successfully helped several small businesses through local branding and cultivating relationships among business men and woman who care about supporting local seafood harvesters, who, in turn, sell to customers who also care about supporting local fisherman and want responsibly harvested, locally caught, fresh seafood.