NAMA is a fishermen-led organization building a broad movement toward healthy fisheries and fishing communities. We build deep and trusting relationships with community based fisherman, crew, fishworkers and allies to create effective policy and market strategies. NAMA was born in 1995 by a group of fishermen and fishing community advocates to explore an alternative management structure. They believed there had to be a better approach to protecting our oceans and manage marine resources. With Captain Craig Pendleton at the helm, NAMA set out on a decade-long pursuit of collaborative research and visioning toward realizing community and ecosystem based management. With the departure of Captain Pendleton in late 2007, the board of trustees set out to hire a new director and established new programs that drew their strength from the strong foundation already laid.
"'Who Fishes Matters' was selected as the first option for its preferred tag line in NAMA's branding. The short, yet powerful statement invokes the viewer to think of questions that he/she is affected by, in terms of fishing industry practices, etc. The contrasting images of the dark, looming commercial ship and the bright, local boat represent big corporation fishing vs. local fishermen. This fight to protect the local fisheries is emphasized with the strong contrast of color as well."