Monterey Bay's First Fishermen
The original inhabitants of Monterey Bay were many things: artists and engineers, hunters and foragers, healers and collaborators, spiritual seekers and problem solvers, herbalists and songmakers and storytellers.
As much as anything, the area’s indigenous were fishermen and women.
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Noah's Ark Helps Revive Monterey Bay Groundfish Market
For many, trawling remains a dirty word, and not without good reason.
One particular trawler, however, is helping change that in dramatic ways—while also changing the way Monterey Bay is being fished, managed, and understood. Meet the Noah’s Ark based in Moss Landing, CA.
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Fishermen First Aid and Safety Training
Many lessons were soaked up by local fishermen who participated in last weekend’s first annual Fisherman First Aid and Safety Training (FFAST) hosted by Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust in partnership with California and Oregon Sea Grant. Keep reading to learn more!
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Building Community - One Fish at a Time!
The Community Seafood Program was founded amid the COVID pandemic with a win-win ambition: give local fisherfolk steady demand for their catch in unstable times, and provide those dealing with food insecurity fresh, local, nutritious fish.
Al Siekert, Founder of Al & Friends, prepping fish for Sunday's brunch. Photo courtesy of Al & Friends.
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Disaster can be…good.
Disaster can be…good.
Yes, that seems counterintuitive. But talk to insiders about the closure of 2023’s salmon season and that sentiment surfaces. T
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Fisheries Management Is Complicated. Here’s How Fishermen Are Helping.
Fishing is flat-out hard. In addition to being able to find the fish they want to target, commercial fishermen must be part oceanographer, part meteorologist, part marine scientist, part businessperson, and part mechanic. They must be ready for anything to go wrong and hopeful that everything goes right.
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Dungeness Season Is Finally Here and A Great Recipe to Best Enjoy It Courtesy of Cafe Fina
When it came time to properly celebrate the return of Dungeness crab to local markets and menus after its fishery has been closed for so long—and share an incredible crab recipe—the place to go came to mind immediately: Cafe Fina on Fisherman’s Wharf. After all, Cafe Fina does Dungeness in all sorts of different ways.
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A Holiday Treat: Dive into Cioppino (with a Famous Recipe Too)
A lot of delicious flavors are simmering in any pot of Monterey Bay cioppino. That said, around Monterey Bay, some of cioppino’s most intriguing elements are tasty in a different way, namely local history and family heritage. Keep reading to find out more and link to a delicious (and famous) recipe!
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Digging deeper into Dungeness
In the past, this time of year would be when many Monterey Bay locals start planning their menus for Thanksgiving. Dungeness crab—a West Coast seafood delicacy—often tops the list. Whether it’s domoic acid caused by warmer water, the potential risk of entanglements with migrating whales, or tricky negotiations between fishermen and their buyers—the holiday season no longer guarantees fresh crab.
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A Special Halloween Report on Spooky Fishermen Superstitions
With Halloween here, it presents a timely moment to explore how superstitions help prevent spooky—and outright scary—situations on the sea. One is particularly Hallow’s Eve appropriate: Black cats, it turns out, are good luck to have onboard. Sailors with tattoos won’t drown (crosses and heart tattoos recommended), but uttering the word “pig” onboard invites bad luck (go for “sow” or “hog”). Read more to learn about some fun superstitions out at sea!
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Welcome to our new Executive Director, Melissa Mahoney!
The Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust is excited to have one of its co-founders and a west coast fishery expert, Melissa Mahoney, as our new Executive Director. Melissa was instrumental in coordinating early efforts among key community leaders to engage and support the genesis of the Trust. Since then, Melissa has acted as an Advisor and a Board member, participating in the Trust’s growth, challenges, and successes along the way.
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Three Great Fish Tacos Starring Monterey Bay Seafood
Looking for delicious, fresh, local, and sustainable fish tacos? We have some suggestions. Maybe it’s time for a culinary tour in your own town!
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California FarmLink - working to support the next generation of fishermen
In the Monterey Bay region, we are blessed with incredibly productive farmlands combined with an abundance and diversity of seafood. Farmers and fishermen have been feeding our community and the world for decades, and there are many similarities between the two livelihoods. Our team met with staff from California FarmLink to discuss the similarities between farmers and fishermen and the challenges they face and to explore potential opportunities for collaboration. Click here to keep reading and learn more!
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Get Hooked! At Big Sur Bakery, a Review and Beyond
The seafood proved flat-out spectacular, a rich and complex spread. There was smoked king salmon collar and black cod, tender abalone served on the shell with bright edible flowers, and seafood boudin, a French-style sausage packed with Dungeness crab, rock crab, and rockfish. The show at hand was the second installment of the new Get Hooked! Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust dinner series.
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Get Hooked! With Colectivo Felix - Wednesday, May 18th
The Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust's “Get Hooked!” dinner series is coming to Santa Cruz on May 18th! Colectivo Felix will host an outdoor Peruvian-inspired seafood and rice event to benefit our Community Seafood Program.
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5 Chef Hacks to Cook Your Favorite Local Seafood
Chef Colin Moody offers tricks and tips for working with some of Monterey Bay’s most popular and tasty seafood staples.
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