TWO GUYS, A BOAT, A WHOLE LOT OF FISH
…AND A DREAM
Sounds like the start of every Ole' Fishing Tale ... but it's truly how Barnegat's Best Seafood came to be. Owners James (Jamie) Dopkin and Andrew Cohalan are just regular guys, who like to fish.. who work the water, enjoy a time with family, and good laugh, they heard about a fishing boat that was for sale...and they decided to partner up and bring in fresh catches of Black Sea Bass, Lobster, and more. They started doing just that after purchasing The FV Searcher. Once they began, the idea evolved, as ideas often do... another boat was added and the team got to thinking about how our local Ocean County, NJ community thrives off of our fishing industry, yet so much of the seafood sold both wholesale and retail locally isn't really “local or fresh” Much of what is local has been frozen, shipped out and back, instead of being sold fresh caught. So to our intrepid fishermen it seemed like a no-brainer to start selling it locally, direct from the boats. Thus Barnegat's Best Seafood was created.
Jamie laughs that his Wife Colleen who owns her own business, is a planner..."she planned every aspect of her business...and I just have relied on an idea, luck , and learning on the go" but that serves as a lesson for their kids... - if you have an idea - go for it, if you fail it's ok but don't be scared to try. It's something most people tell their kids but Jamie and Colleen are truly showing their kids everyday through their businesses.
Andrew is no stranger to new things either, he went from a professional maritime career to working on a fishing boat.... he enjoys adventure and has just started a new one... Marriage.
Both owners clearly have a lot going on but they are dedicated to their idea, every week they bring freshly caught Black Sea Bass in from the Atlantic Ocean to Barnegat's Docks and they sell whole fish or filets and whole fresh Lobsters direct to the public and to local restaurants. Making some of our local bounty available to their neighbors and community members that don't have direct access on their own.
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For the Team at Barnegat's Best Seafood it's not just about a profitable business...it's also about educating the public on what amazing resources we have at our disposal locally for healthy “unprocessed” foods, they are also looking to teach future generations of locals about sustainable fishing, and providing other members of the area's fishing fleet with another venue to reach the public not just with fresh catches but with information regarding the industry that has been a part of Barnegat's coastal history for generations.
The idea keeps evolving as these two guys learn to navigate the business world, and they may make a few twists and turns along the way ...and it might not always be smooth sailing as they go...but they do promise a tasty journey ahead for any seafood lover.
