WHITE OAK RIVER SEAFOOD, PATRICK FINN, AND ELAINE DAVIS

Patrick Finn started life as the son of a Marine Corps officer. His father Robert came from a farming family in Illinois. While serving in the Marine Corps, Robert was stationed at Camp Lejeune in Onslow County. Robert learned about commercial fishing and used gill nets and shrimp trawls to bring in additional income to support his family of six. Pat was about 9 when he started fishing with his father. Robert taught Pat everything he knew about fishing. It is in his blood and he loves life! Pat has now been fishing for over 50 years. He gillnets for fish, trawls for shrimp, rakes for clams, and uses crab pots to catch fresh crabs. Throughout his life, he has been a deckhand, a captain, as well as a lone fisherman. Pat has witnessed tremendous changes in commercial fishing regulations. With the growing mountain of regulations, he has seen it become increasingly difficult to earn a living via commercial fishing. In learning all that he knows, Pat realized he needed to change his methods. In addition to selling at the fish houses, he obtained a dealer’s license and started selling his catch to the public. In 2012 he set up the stand that he now calls White Oak River Seafood. It is located at the Salty Air Open Market in Cedar Point. His business has grown from a humble pop-up tent to multiple metal buildings. In addition to the fresh NC seafood he sells, Pat recently expanded his business to include fresh fruit and vegetables. He calls his business a family affair. Pat’s long-term partner Elaine Davis, their children, as well as their friends have been instrumental in supporting him in his endeavor. You can keep up with White Oak River Seafood on Facebook www.facebook.com/whiteoakriverseafood and on Twitter www.twitter.com/WhiOakRivSeafood