March 2024 - Director's Corner
I probably sound like a broken record talking about the challenges our fishing industry is facing on the California coast. But since our mission depends on a viable fishing community, I can’t help but try to put into perspective what this latest closure of the nearshore fishery means for our local fleet.
The best analogy is that of a 3-legged stool. When all three legs are sturdy, one can sit on the chair and feel supported and safe. Our local small boat fisheries—salmon, crab, and rockfish, are like the three legs of that stool. The total value of these three fisheries to the Monterey Bay region in 2022 (the latest year for which data are available) is in the neighborhood of $5.5 million ($4.2 million for salmon, $825k for crab, and $1.6 million for nearshore rockfish, CDFW data portal). By comparison, for crab in 2014, over 1 million lbs, valued at over $4 million were landed in Monterey Bay ports. The economic losses to the port are felt directly by seafood workers, fishermen, and the families they support, not to mention revenue losses for our ports and harbor facilities.
In 2023, salmon was completely closed, and is likely to remain closed through 2024. For six years in a row, Dungeness crab has not opened until after the lucrative holiday season, hampering profitability but with the same or higher costs to operate. Last fall, the nearshore fishery for rockfish was closed on the central coast due to concerns over one species, quillback rockfish. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recently re-opened a narrow stretch of water between the shore and 120 feet (20 fathoms) for those with nearshore permits, but many others who target rockfish under the open access sector can no longer fish in state waters (0-3 miles). This amounts to all three legs of the stool either missing, or wobbly at best.
What does this mean for your ability to purchase fresh, wild, local seafood in Monterey Bay? Unfortunately, it means that when crab season closes (likely late March/early April) there will be less fish coming across the docks than in previous years. Yes, we will still have California halibut in the summer (a species managed separately from other groundfish), but take of incidental rockfish and blackcod will be limited.
We are working with the local fleet to estimate the number of vessels and subsequent businesses that have been affected by the nearshore fishery changes, coming ON TOP of already challenging circumstances. I hear there are other species of rockfish whose abundance is showing signs of concern, so we may be in this situation for a while. The MBFT is doing its best with a small team to stay informed of the process, and to ensure fishermen are in the know about when and where to add their voice to the ongoing conversation.
Thank you for supporting our local fleet however you can, whether it’s going down to the docks or just asking for what’s local at your market or restaurant.