Here’s a great photo album from Flickr. I had a great time squid fishing this season. Check out my photos here.
The Faces of California Fishing is a new initiative to promote the real stories and people behind California’s fishing communities. Consumers can support them and get great quality fish by eating safe, fresh local seafood.
One common thread binds all commercial fishermen, the spirit of independence. California fishing communities are struggling at this time to remain just that, fishing communities. Stringent regulations and the inability of the regulatory process and scientific analysis to consider the economics of family owned fishing businesses have made local supplies of seafood hard to come by.
Commercial fishermen are the first environmentalists. If they don’t take care of the ocean they will not make a living. It’s that simple. Many people just don’t understand how strongly commercial fishermen feel about protecting their environment while at the same time dealing with ever tightening regulations. A full 95% of California’s fishermen are small family-owned businesses, not the factory trawlers that are common in other countries. They don’t clear-cut a swath on the ocean floor. That form of fishing is outdated. In an ongoing effort to protect the environment, fishermen are constantly trying to implement new ways to fish that are productive and safe.