This grant provides funding to The Ocracoke Foundation, Inc. to expand retail and display space in and renovate the employee section of the historic Ocracoke fish house, and to purchase a refrigerated van. The Ocracoke Seafood Company (OSC), a subsidiary of the Ocracoke Foundation, occupies and operates the fish house. Currently there are 19 fishermen with active commercial licenses that sell to OSC. With the expansion of the retail space and increased distribution using the new refrigerated van, OSC can sell more product locally and sell more products wholesale to venues outside of Ocracoke. OSC anticipates that the project will result in adding watermen to the co-op through increased shellfish and mariculture distribution. Revenue is anticipated to increase by 30%. Golden LEAF funds will be used for construction-related costs and a refrigerated van.
