Our Community

Fisherman, fishermom and commercial fishing advocate

Few people in the Monterey Bay fishing community have a resumé quite like Kathy Fosmark. Feeling that fishermen weren’t adequately educating themselves about their rights and how to navigate the complex web of bureaucracy that directly affected their livelihoods, she quickly became a fearless and respected advocate of fishermen.

Businesswoman & Fishermom

In the mid-1940s Elaine Pennisi met a fisherman, Giuseppe Pennisi, who emigrated to the United States following his father who split time between Monterey and Sicily. She raised 8 children, all of whom grew up working on the family’s boats and in the family’s businesses.

Fisherman & “Deck Boss”

Joeleen lives off both land and sea. When she’s not working on her ranch in Carmel Valley, she’s wrangling the team on the light touch trawler, the F/V Pioneer, alongside childhood friend Giusseppe ‘Joe’ Pennisi. She’s a relative new commer to the industry but picked up the ropes very quickly. Her potent combination of determination and charm is hard to forget.

Plant Manager

Jacobo, 33, grew up in Michoacán, Mexico and came to the United States when he was 19 years old. He now lives in Salinas with his wife and two children. He has worked for the Deyerle family for 8 years and has been a manager for 5 years.

Business Owner, Fisherman

Andrew Hippert, manager of Moss Landing Boat Works, provides a tour of his boatyard and discusses projects underway and large investments in local infrastructure in the pipeline.

Aquaculturist, Professor

Dr. Mike Graham, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories professor and owner of Monterey Bay Seaweeds, shows how aquaculture can complement commercial fishing in Moss Landing.

Fisherman, Fishmonger

Vicki Crow can be found on Dock A in Moss Landing most days selling fish and crab from her boat, the Beticia. She tries to carry what’s in season but has a freezer stocked with the local catch to keep up the supply when fishing’s slow.

Restaurateurs

At Wild Fish in Pacific Grove there’s never any question about where your seafood comes from: the name of the boat and, often, the name of the captain are included in a fish’s description on the menu.

Fisherman

Walter Deyerle is the quintessential waterman. When the 30-year-old is not making a living catching halibut, rockfish, sablefish and Dungeness crab on the Monterey Bay, he’s surfing, diving, boating and sport fishing. He’s even paddled out and caught waves at Mavericks, a monstrous break just north of Half Moon Bay.

Chef

For chef Pamela Burns at The Wild Plum in Monterey “fish of the day” means just that: fresh, local fish recently brought to the dock by someone who lives along the same shore as she. It’s not a placeholder for fish long forgotten in the freezer with a source obscured by time and middlemen.

Fisherman

There are few people who are as excited to get up in the morning and go to work as David Toriumi, 36, a Watsonville native who fishes out of Santa Cruz. Toriumi made his passion a profession and still hasn’t lost his youthful enthusiasm for the sea in doing so.

Wholesale Buyer, Fisherman, Retail Market, and Community Supported Fishery (CSF)

Seventeen years ago, before seafood was called “sustainable”, fisherman Hans Haveman was selling his catch at Monterey Peninsula farmers' markets and telling people why they should buy local fish. “I saw that there was real passion in organic food,” he said. “And I liked being a part of that.” 

Harbormaster

The Santa Cruz harbormaster’s job is as multi-faceted as the harbor itself – from the fuel dock to the swimming beach and boatyard- it has a lot of moving parts and requires thinking on your feet. Latisha Marshall took on the position of harbormaster in January of 2015. 

Fisherman & Fishmonger

Brendan Pini is co-founder of Fished and Foraged, a Santa Cruz based company that provides fish from the Monterey Bay and mushrooms from the Santa Cruz mountains to local restaurants and markets.

Deckhand

Lorenzo grew up in Watsonville, but much of his education took place in Moss Landing and on the Monterey Bay. Starting at about the age of five, his father took him to the jetty and beach to fish, and then out on a motorboat to where they spent weekends baiting hooks and casting.

Fisherman

Skylar Campbell is a commercial fisherman by day and drummer by night. “I’m sure I’m living somebody’s dream,” he said. “I admit, sometimes I fantasize about a steady income, but really, I know I’m blessed to live like this.”

Harbormaster

Linda McIntyre has been the harbormaster in Moss Landing since 1999. She came to this position with a background is in government and law.

Wholesale Fish Buyer & Seller

Roger Whitney has been part of the Monterey Bay fishing community since he was a child. He grew up fishing for albacore, salmon and smelt in the Monterey Bay with his father.

Community Supported Fishery (CSF), Fishermen

Having met each other in school, Ian Cole and Charlie Lambert began exploring their passion to make fresh, local seafood accessible to their communities. The goal of Ocean2Table is to deliver fresh fish (within one day of being caught), while also educating the consumer about where their fish is coming from.

Fisherman

Born into a fishing family, Jerid grew up on the ocean. Starting at the age of five, he spent his childhood fishing with his dad on albacore boats.

Fisherman

Scott Fosmark is a fifth generation commercial fisherman from Monterey. He came of age learning how to wrestle salmon, albacore tuna, and even swordfish onto the deck and into the hold. 

Jane DeLay has always been motivated by her love for the ocean. In 2001, she coordinated the "Fisherman's Forum on Marine Protected Areas",  a three-day conference to explore options for establishing MPA's on the central coast.

Executive Chef

Matthew Beaudin spent years honing his palate by working around the world. From Hong Kong to Rwanda, the West Indies and Cincinnati, he plied his trade and learned local spices and traditions. He’s found a home at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and doesn’t plan on leaving any time soon.

Fisherman & Fishmonger

When Jerry Wetle was 12 years old, he would ride his skateboard around Monterey and often end up at the harbor. One day, a fisherman who was tying off asked for Jerry's help with a line. 

Retired Monterey Harbormaster & Consultant to Coastal Communities

Steve was the harbormaster in Monterey for 22 years before retiring in in February 2017. Prior to this, he was the harbormaster in Santa Cruz, where he first got to know commercial fishermen and learn about what they needed in a working harbor.

Fisherman & Fishmonger

Calder Deyerle fishes for Dungeness crab, King salmon, California halibut, black cod and rockfish on the Monterey Bay. He grew up crewing for his father Richard and uncle Daniel Deyerle, owners of Sea Harvest restaurants and a wholesale seafood business by the same name.