Page 43 - 2023 Southern NJ Vacationer

FISH ALLEY – SEA ISLE CITY
Commercial fishing heritage creates modern attraction
INSPIRED BY THE CANALS of Venice, Charles Landis envisioned beautiful canals along the bay when he started to develop Sea Isle City more than a century ago. By 1908 dredge work on the canals had started, led by Landis’ son, Charles Jr., and before long the local commercial fishing industry took up residence on the new docks along the north end of Park Road. Sea Isle quickly became known for its fishing fleet which ultimately resulted in the moniker “Fish Alley.”
Throughout the 20th century, countless fishermen, many of Italian heritage, worked on the boats and docks of Fish Alley. Pound fishing, drag fishing and pot fishing provided a livelihood for local families and even during the Great Depression, the workers of Fish Alley were able to support their families and put food on the table.
When trains linked Sea Isle and the outside world, fishermen would return to the docks of Fish Alley, pack their day’s catch in ice, then rush their fish to the Sea Isle City train station for immediate shipment to waiting markets – including Philadelphia’s Italian Market, New York’s Fulton Fish Market and other well-known places of commerce.
For years Fish Alley was home to privately- owned fishing companies – Shallow Water Fishing Company, the Union Fishing, Freezing & Cold Storage Company and Sea Isle Ocean Fisheries – with much of their catch shipped directly to Pennsylvania, North Jersey and elsewhere. One of the original fish houses, dating to around 1910,
is now a popular restaurant.
During World War II, several men from
Fish Alley made international news when they rescued the crew of The Varanger, a Norwegian freighter torpedoed by Nazi U- boats near Sea Isle City on a cold January night in 1942. Local fishermen onboard The San Gennaro and The Eileen rescued all 40 men before the freighter broke apart and sank.
In the 1980s, the city purchased a large stretch of Bayfront land along 42nd St. adjacent to the commercial area and developed a municipal marina, public boat docks and a modern bayside boardwalk.
Fish Alley is still home to a modest fleet of
commercial fishing boats, one of the few places in South Jersey, with fishermen working throughout the year.
The city’s famous Fish Alley sign at base of Park Road welcomes vacationers to the resort and the visitor center provides plenty of information about seafood markets, restaurants, kayaks, stand-up-paddle boards and other small craft rentals, scenic bay cruises and more.
So, walk along the bayside boardwalk, observe commercial fishermen in action, and take in a bit of history. It’s the ideal place to spend time with your family or enjoy a romantic evening with someone special. www.visitsicnj.com G
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