Vineyard artist Abe Pieciak is opening a pop-up gallery for his art business, Lure Fish, at Nevin Square in downtown Edgartown.

Born and raised Menemsha fisherman Capt. Jeff Lynch said he relied on his fishing skills gained on the Island when he caught a 700-pound bluefin tuna in Cape Cod Bay last weekend. The giant fish was shipped to Japan to be sold at a fish market.

Visitors streamed into Menemsha on Thursday evening for a rare look inside the Island’s commercial fishing industry. The first event drew a young, vibrant crowd to the harbor, where most of the Island’s commercial fleet was docked and fishermen offered demonstrations in their trade.

The Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust hosts its first Meet the Fleet event at Menemsha Harbor next Thursday. Most of the Island's commercial fleet will be on hand, plus historic ships and crab racing. The event is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on August 6.

There are a few months to go before the fishing derby, but David Gagnon, 12, reeled in a winner last week in Menemsha: a 23-pound, 42-inch striped bass.

The decline of the Vineyard's fisheries has little to do with a lack of fish and more to do with lack of access, Island fishermen say. A new regulatory system tends to favor larger companies that can afford to purchase quota from other fishermen and reinvest in equipment.