Fulton Fish Market
Encyclopedia
The Fulton Fish Market is a fish market
in The Bronx
, New York
, United States
. It was originally a wing of the Fulton Market, established in 1822 to sell a variety of foodstuffs and produce. In November 2005, the Fish Market relocated to a new facility in Hunts Point
in the Bronx, from its historic location near the Brooklyn Bridge
along the East River
waterfront at and above Fulton Street
in Lower Manhattan
, New York City
.
During much of its 183-year tenure at the original site, the Fulton Fish Market was the most important wholesale East Coast fish
market
in the United States of America
. Opening in 1822, it was the destination of fishing boats from across the Atlantic Ocean
. By the 1950s, most of the Market's fish were trucked in rather than offloaded from the docks. The wholesalers at the Market then sold it to restaurateurs and retailers who purchased fresh fish of every imaginable variety. It was possible for fish to be rushed from fishing ports in New England
to wholesale buyers at the Fulton Fish Market, who might then resell it to retail markets and restaurants in the very same towns where the catch originated.
Prices at the Fulton Fish Market were tracked and reported by the U.S. Government. In its original location, it was one of the last, and most significant, of the great wholesale food markets of New York. It survived major fires in 1835, 1845, 1918, and 1995. In its new location it handles millions of pounds of seafood daily, with annual sales exceed one billion dollars, and is second in size worldwide after Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market
.http://www.newfultonfishmarket.com/about.html
. In 1988, the U.S. Attorney's Office filed a suit under federal racketeering laws to appoint a trustee to run the market. A trustee was appointed, but the extent to which he was able to limit organized crime influence was limited. Since 2001, the market has been regulated by the City of New York's Business Integrity Commission in an effort to eliminate organized crime influence.
The move had been delayed due to legal problems.
The last-minute dispute was between a company which had had a ten-year monopoly on delivering fish from trucks to individual sellers' stalls, versus the cooperative of sellers who wanted to do the task themselves in the new building. When the feuding parties agreed to continue as they had been for another three years, the last obstacle to the move was removed and packing began.
The move from the historic Manhattan site was due to a number of factors:
The move brought 650 workers from the market's former location into the Bronx, with an additional 5500 diesel truck trips through Hunts Point per week (according to the NY Metropolitan Transportation Council - bringing the weekly total to 60,000.
The facility generates over $1 billion in yearly revenue, and allows seafood distributors to store their goods in temperature controlled warehouses with easier transportation access due to its proximity to the Bruckner Expressway. The 400000 square feet (37,161.2 m²) facility has better access to major highways in Hunts Point; however, it makes no use of its waterfront location to take advantage of barge access to the LaGuardia Marine/Air terminal or other water borne transport potential.
The Fulton Fish Market is one of the oldest fish markets in the United States, in competition with the smaller Maine Avenue Fish Market
in Washington, D.C. The Fulton Market was claimed to be the oldest in continuous operation in one place (since 1822) until it was relocated in 2005. The Maine Avenue Market in D.C. (since 1805, in various incarnations) is now considered the oldest continuously operating open-air market that still survives on the East Coast. However, the Fulton Fish Market is the oldest institution that still retains a primarily wholesale function; although its original public market on South Street is now closed.
describes a "kid from Cape Cod" who came to New York City to join the opera: "Sing Rigoletto
his wish. At the Fulton Market now he yells 'fish!'"
The Fulton Fish Market is referred to -- without being named -- in Peter Schickele
's Iphigenia in Brooklyn: "And lo, she found herself within a market. And all around her, fish were dying. And yet their stench did live on."
The Fulton Fish Market is referenced in the Steve Earle song, "Down Here Below".
Fish market
A fish market is a marketplace used for marketing fish products. It can be dedicated to wholesale trade between fishermen and fish merchants, or to the sale of seafood to individual consumers, or to both...
in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was originally a wing of the Fulton Market, established in 1822 to sell a variety of foodstuffs and produce. In November 2005, the Fish Market relocated to a new facility in Hunts Point
Hunts Point Cooperative Market
The Hunts Point Cooperative Market, a wholesale food market located on 60 acres in New York City's South Bronx district, is the largest food distribution center in the world...
in the Bronx, from its historic location near the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
along the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
waterfront at and above Fulton Street
Fulton Street (Manhattan)
Fulton Street is a busy street located in Lower Manhattan. It is in New York City's Financial District, a few blocks north of Wall Street. It runs from Church Street at the site of the World Trade Center to South Street, terminating in front of the South Street Seaport...
in Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
During much of its 183-year tenure at the original site, the Fulton Fish Market was the most important wholesale East Coast fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
in the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Opening in 1822, it was the destination of fishing boats from across the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. By the 1950s, most of the Market's fish were trucked in rather than offloaded from the docks. The wholesalers at the Market then sold it to restaurateurs and retailers who purchased fresh fish of every imaginable variety. It was possible for fish to be rushed from fishing ports in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
to wholesale buyers at the Fulton Fish Market, who might then resell it to retail markets and restaurants in the very same towns where the catch originated.
Prices at the Fulton Fish Market were tracked and reported by the U.S. Government. In its original location, it was one of the last, and most significant, of the great wholesale food markets of New York. It survived major fires in 1835, 1845, 1918, and 1995. In its new location it handles millions of pounds of seafood daily, with annual sales exceed one billion dollars, and is second in size worldwide after Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market
Tsukiji fish market
The , commonly known as the , is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and also one of the largest wholesale food markets of any kind. The market is located in Tsukiji in central Tokyo, and is a major attraction for foreign visitors....
.http://www.newfultonfishmarket.com/about.html
Organized crime
During most of the 20th century the market was associated with one or more New York Mafia familiesFive Families
The Five Families are the five original Italian-American Mafia crime families which have dominated organized crime in America since 1931. The Five Families in New York remain as the powerhouse of the Italian Mafia in the United States.-History:...
. In 1988, the U.S. Attorney's Office filed a suit under federal racketeering laws to appoint a trustee to run the market. A trustee was appointed, but the extent to which he was able to limit organized crime influence was limited. Since 2001, the market has been regulated by the City of New York's Business Integrity Commission in an effort to eliminate organized crime influence.
New Bronx facility
On November 14, 2005, nearly 4 years after the $85 million structure was completed, the Market opened at its Bronx location.The move had been delayed due to legal problems.
The last-minute dispute was between a company which had had a ten-year monopoly on delivering fish from trucks to individual sellers' stalls, versus the cooperative of sellers who wanted to do the task themselves in the new building. When the feuding parties agreed to continue as they had been for another three years, the last obstacle to the move was removed and packing began.
The move from the historic Manhattan site was due to a number of factors:
- cramped location
- lack of modern amenities, such as climate control
- increasing real estate value of Manhattan site for retail and residential use
- redevelopment pressure due to desirable proximity to the South Street SeaportSouth Street SeaportThe South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is a designated historic district, distinct from the neighboring Financial District...
and the Fulton/East River area
The move brought 650 workers from the market's former location into the Bronx, with an additional 5500 diesel truck trips through Hunts Point per week (according to the NY Metropolitan Transportation Council - bringing the weekly total to 60,000.
The facility generates over $1 billion in yearly revenue, and allows seafood distributors to store their goods in temperature controlled warehouses with easier transportation access due to its proximity to the Bruckner Expressway. The 400000 square feet (37,161.2 m²) facility has better access to major highways in Hunts Point; however, it makes no use of its waterfront location to take advantage of barge access to the LaGuardia Marine/Air terminal or other water borne transport potential.
Nineteenth century
The Fulton Fish Market was one of New York's earliest open-air fish markets. From a New York newspaper dated 1831:
In New York, there are a number of Markets. Those called Fulton and Washington Markets are the largest. Fulton Market is at the East end of Fulton Street near the East River...The first was formerly situated in Maiden Lane on the East River side, and was called Fly Market.
The Fulton Fish Market is one of the oldest fish markets in the United States, in competition with the smaller Maine Avenue Fish Market
Maine Avenue Fish Market
The Maine Avenue Fish Market of Washington, D.C., also known as "the Wharf" or "the Fish Wharf", is one of the few surviving open air seafood markets on the east coast. In operation since 1805, it is the oldest continuously operating fish market in the United States, 17 years older than New York...
in Washington, D.C. The Fulton Market was claimed to be the oldest in continuous operation in one place (since 1822) until it was relocated in 2005. The Maine Avenue Market in D.C. (since 1805, in various incarnations) is now considered the oldest continuously operating open-air market that still survives on the East Coast. However, the Fulton Fish Market is the oldest institution that still retains a primarily wholesale function; although its original public market on South Street is now closed.
In popular culture
The song "What a Waste" from the musical Wonderful TownWonderful Town
Wonderful Town is a musical with a book written by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Leonard Bernstein...
describes a "kid from Cape Cod" who came to New York City to join the opera: "Sing Rigoletto
Rigoletto
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s'amuse by Victor Hugo. It was first performed at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851...
his wish. At the Fulton Market now he yells 'fish!'"
The Fulton Fish Market is referred to -- without being named -- in Peter Schickele
Peter Schickele
Johann Peter Schickele is an American composer, musical educator, and parodist. He is best known for his comedy music albums featuring his music that he presents as music written by the fictional composer P. D. Q...
's Iphigenia in Brooklyn: "And lo, she found herself within a market. And all around her, fish were dying. And yet their stench did live on."
See also
- Rungis national interest marketMarché d'Intérêt National de RungisThe Marché International de Rungis is the principal market of Paris, located in the commune of Rungis, in the southern suburbs. It is the largest wholesale food market in the world....
The Fulton Fish Market is referenced in the Steve Earle song, "Down Here Below".
External links
- Up at Lou's Fish, 2005 documentary with limited distribution, following the lives of the Fish Market community as they prepared for their relocation to Hunt's Point in the Bronx. Directed by Corinna Mantlo and Alex Brook Lynn.