Salmon Aid  June 20-21 at Jack London Square in Oakland

Along with the Central Coast Women for Fisheries, The Faces of California Fishing will be hosting the children’s activities at Salmon Aid. Children can explore with a hands on gear and fish display, make a fish necklace, create their own ocean with stamp art and listen to specially selected Children’s entertainment.  bring your children by to learn about the commercial fishing world.

Check out this article on fish vs. water in the Sacramento Bee – “Agribusiness puts subsidized crops ahead of people”

Check out The Faces of California Fishing’s New Brochure – Includes recipes

Check out hundreds for photos that tell the real story of California fishermen and seaood on The Faces of California Fishing  photo archive

Smithsonian Magazine wrote a great article on the plight of salmon and commercial fishermen.  To read the article click here.  The Faces of California Fishing Lori French spoke with the reporter about California fishermen and salmon.

Read this great opinion piece from Ben Platt on commercial fishing in Fort Bragg.

With the devastating closure of the 2008 salmon season, consumers looking for healthy, local seafood can turn to albacore tuna. 

 The Faces of California Fishing, an initiative to promote the real stories and people behind California’s fishing communities, urges consumers to support our fishing heritage and get quality fish by eating safe, fresh local seafood.  But, with the 2008 closure of the West Coast salmon season, consumers don’t have as many options.  One great option for seafood lovers looking for other varieties of local fish to serve their families is Pacific Albacore, the troll-caught tuna rated as a “Best Choice” by Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch.  Pacific Albacore might just be a silver lining in the black cloud of our salmon closures.  Wild Pacific Albacore is caught in temperate waters off Washington, Oregon and California from now until late October.  This low-impact method – where small, barbless hooks are used to catch albacore one at a time – is healthy, local and sustainable.

Albacore is high in heart-healthy Omega 3s, with a firm texture and a mild flavor.  The troll-caught wild Pacific Albacore is sold in loins (ranging from 8 – 32 oz) and smaller medallions, as well as premium custom-canned.  A ready supply of wild Pacific Albacore sells for around $6 per pound for loins. 

Albacore is easy to prepare and perfect for grilling, broiling, smoking, barbecuing or as sushi.  It is an ideal fish for those who do not like the “fishy taste” of some fish, and children love it. 

The flavor of a light teriyaki basted, grilled wild Pacific Albacore loin has made fish lovers out of the biggest skeptics at the Annual Morro Bay Harbor Festival for years. 

Another great recipe featured on The Faces of California Fishing website is Medallions of Albacore Wrapped in Bacon.

Many American fishermen have started high end, top quality small canning operations for their Albacore.  This is not the old tuna sandwich our moms put in our lunch boxes.  To learn more and to purchase these premium products go to www.pacificalbacore.com. 

 To learn more about supporting California fishing communities and get seafood recipes, visit www.thefacesofcaliforniafishing.com.

A special report by David Sneed features community efforts to preserve fishing heritage, including a profile of The Faces of California Fishing.  To read the article click here.

Being married to a commercial fisherman is – in the eyes of the world – supposed to make me knowledgeable on every aspect of fishing.  In reality, I learn something every day from my husband, he’s the expert. But since I am the one who is seen around town, I get asked questions about fishing every day.  In the past few weeks the “collapse” of the salmon fishery is the topic at the grocery store, post office, gas station, gym and bank.  People want to know what caused this latest disaster, what will Jeff (my husband) fish for this summer instead of salmon, where should they go to buy salmon and what can they do to help.

What caused this disaster?  I don’t know.  In my opinion, this was all brought on by mismanagement and Mother Nature.  Uncontrolled sea lions, too much water out of the river systems, changing ocean temperatures etc. – It all happened.

As for what will Jeff do this summer instead of fishing salmon.  I don’t know.  I’m worried.  There is talk of disaster relief, but somehow I don’t think it will arrive in time to pay the electric bill and buy groceries.  Jeff would rather fish than take a handout….period.  He would like to try some ideas he has, but will he be able to?  Most likely not as the regulations in place are to the point of strangulation.  In the old days he would have changed fisheries, plain and simple.  If you didn’t catch salmon you changed to rock fish or halibut. 

I tell people to buy wild Alaskan salmon until we can get back on our feet.  Don’t buy farmed fish, please!  We all know that a wild caught product is far superior. 

If people want to help the California Salmon Fleet, please buy other local fish.  Help us out when it comes to voting on some of these regulations.  Fishermen are one of the strongest stewards of the oceans.  It makes sense that the people who depend on the ocean for their livelihoods will protect it.  Listen to them.

I invite you to share your thoughts on the collapse of the 2008 California Salmon season.

Thank you and be careful out on the big pond.

 Lori French

The Faces of California Fishing

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.

To support the commercial fishermen of this country, ask for a local product.