Fish boats coming to the Flats: Thousands of pounds of freshly-caught fish delivered dockside

CLEVELAND - Proof that Lake Erie's ecosystem has made big comeback strides in recent years, commercial fisherman are now making non-stop deliveries of fresh fish on the Cuyahoga River for the first time in decades.

The fish will be distributed to northeast Ohio restaurants and supermarkets. 

Fish boats will be unloading thousands of pounds of Lake Erie yellow and white perch, white bass, and catfish right at dockside in the Flats Tuesday.

Cantanese Classic Seafood Co. started direct-to-the-dock deliveries this past August, after spending hundreds of thousands of dollars upgrading the derelict dock bulkheads at its Flats headquarters, located next to the Center Street Swing Bridge, at 1600 Merwin Ave.         

By using trap nets, all fish caught by the commercial fishermen are hauled aboard alive, making more fresh fish available to the company's customers across Ohio.  

Classic Seafood's president, James Cantanese, started deliveries of fresh fish directly to his company's dock on the Cuyahoga River.

"Because we had the distribution network already in place. All we needed was to replace those broken-down bulkheads."        

The seafood wholesaler and retailer delivers fresh fish to restaurants clubs, hotels and supermarkets throughout Ohio.  It also has a retail store at its Merwin St. headquarters, and also sells fish at one of its three food stands at Cleveland's West Side Market.