Our Ocean Backyard | Holiday dining and our changing seas; examining the future of seafood

For many of us, one of the dining delights of the holiday season is a feast of fresh crab caught right here in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Local fishermen and restaurants have long benefitted from the economic boom of holiday seafood sales and many locals relish the opportunity to enjoy a “homegrown” delicacy with visiting friends and family. The iconic Dungeness crab, Metacarcinus magister, or as they’re called on the dock, “Dungies,” live in nearshore waters from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, all the way south to Point Conception, just north of Santa Barbara. Occasionally, Dungeness crabs are found as far south as Magdalena Bay in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Their name originates from the Port of Dungeness on the Olympic Peninsula, where they were first harvested commercially.

Guest UserNovember 25, 2024CommunitySeafood

When it comes to seafood, what does ‘local and sustainable’ really mean?

The trendiest addition to a seafood restaurant isn’t a coveted oyster or a sought-after filet; it’s the words “sustainable” and “local” printed at the bottom of menus and on “about” pages on websites. More and more chefs in Santa Cruz County, particularly at higher-end restaurants, are choosing to focus on seafood menus that are considered environmentally friendly, motivated by a desire to use the freshest, highest-quality ingredients and a sense of ocean stewardship, they say.

Guest UserNovember 14, 2024CommunitySeafood

California Fishing Grounds Closure Proposed to Make Way for Coral Research

The US' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has proposed closing fishing grounds off California's central coast to allow federal scientists to research and restore coral reefs west of Monterey Bay. [...]

Guest UserOctober 23, 2024CommunitySeafood

Local Fish Deliveries are Hitting Food Banks Across the County This Month

Katie Rodriguez here. I recently spoke with the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust to learn all about their Community Seafood Program. Simply put, it’s a program that plays a powerful role as the middle-man that both helps sustain fishermen and local fisheries, as well as get delicious seafood to lower income folks across Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

According to the 2022 Monterey County Community Health Needs Assessment, over 40% of people living in the county were determined to be food insecure.

Guest UserOctober 17, 2024CommunitySeafood

As Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust turns 10, local seafood is increasingly catching on.

For generations, Monterey Bay’s identity was inseparable from fishing. It was a backbone of the local economy, particularly in the City of Monterey, where it inspired one of John Steinbeck’s most famous novels, Cannery Row. But fishing practices were often unsustainable, and sardine and abalone populations plummeted.

Guest UserSeptember 13, 2024CommunitySeafood

"Bay Area Fisheries Working Against the Tide of Shortened or Canceled Seasons" on KQED

Though one of its most famous attractions is Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco and the Bay Area’s thriving fishing industry is not what it once was. A shortened season for Dungeness crab, a canceled salmon season (the second cancellation in a row), and climate change are taking a toll on fisheries. We talk to people who make their living catching and selling fish and hear how they are surviving and adapting to this new reality.

Guest UserJuly 9, 2024CommunitySeafood

ED Melissa Mahoney on KSQD "Talk of the Bay"

Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust Executive Director, Melissa Mahoney, was recently interviewed on KSQD "Talk of the Bay" with Christine Barrington. You can listen to the 25-minute conversation here, where they discuss the Community Seafood Program, and the Trust's mission to protect and sustain our fisheries.

Guest UserJuly 9, 2024CommunitySeafood