Fisherman's Processing, a new operation on the water not far from Fisherman's Landing, is impressive, and it's open for business. It's owned and operated by four equal partners: Frank LoPreste, Randy Toussaint, Tim Ekstrom and Sean Sebring. The first three are well-known skippers. Sean is the man who runs the canned albacore trade, the summer trimming and bagging operation and the ice sales at Fisherman's Landing, where his helpers are known as "the redshirts."

Tim Ekstrom explained the thinking behind the new plant, which looks big, clean and new at 2837 Historic Decatur Road, off Cushing Road in the recently-converted Naval installation off North Harbor Drive, the one landmarked by the landlocked training ship most people see driving past on the way to the airport or the landings.

"After Anthony's Processors closed a couple of years ago, we saw a need to get three good operations available again," Tim told dock reporter Bill Roecker. "During the peak of the season, so many boats were coming in with fish that the processors were swamped with same-day orders, and some of the anglers were frustrated with long waits. We felt we wanted to improve the same-day turnaround.

The new business was waiting to start work on some of the fish coming off the Royal Polaris on May 10 when Ekstrom was interviewed. A tour of the plant offered a viewing of the like-new landscaped exterior, with a dock outside for access by private boaters.

Inside, the 4700-square-foot plant has new fish-cutting tables and vacuum-packing stations, a giant freezer running at minus ten degrees, a smoker and a huge refrigerator to hold fish for cutting and smoking. There's a forklift and truck dock on the opposite side from the water. The office takes a corner of the big waiting room, which has a card table on one end and a big-screen TV and lounges with a magazine table at the other. A gallery of Bill Boyce's work is featured.

The boat dock is on the end of the building where the waiting room is, and there's ample parking on the far end for anglers arriving by car. So now there should be no more overlong waits for anglers who want same day fish preparation done by professionals. Fishermen will be met at the dock by three processors once again, and they'll be comfortable while their fresh-caught fish is made ready to eat.

Fisherman's Processing is close to the airport, Shelter Island launch ramp, the landings and is on the water of the bay itself. The website is www.fishermansprocessing.com and Ekstrom says the plant will ship processed fish anywhere, by air.