December is a moment where I like to slow down to reflect on where we’ve been this year, and how to prepare for the new year that’s just around the corner. As I shared at our recent community celebration event, 2023 was a year of rebuilding our capacity and structures, while also maintaining programs, tracking fishery challenges and promoting educational opportunities.

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In late September, I had the honor of being a moderator for the Marine Resource Education Program (MREP) workshop held here in Santa Cruz. MREP originated out of the New England region in the 1990s when a group of fishermen got together and created a program to educate themselves and other fishermen about how the science and management process works. The program, now run by Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI), has expanded to all regions and is the most effective way for any fisherman to quickly get up to speed in order to advocate effectively as a co-manager of fisheries.   

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I was struck by a  statement from a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle about the status of California’s commercial fisheries. 

Author Tara Duggan stated “California’s $200 million commercial fishing industry could become the state’s first big casualty of climate change, along with related businesses like charter boat companies and fish processors.”

This made my heart sink. 

I know it’s really tough right now in the fishing industry, but the word “casualty” takes it to a whole new level. Is fishing as a community based, intergenerational and independent industry going away on our watch? 

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It’s now deep summer in Monterey Bay. This is one of the best times of year, when the beaches and roads are less crowded, the days are clear and warm, and the bite of offshore tuna and coastal white seabass energizes many in the fleet. (Photo by @minkmingle, unsplash.com)

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