Over the past few weeks, I’ve been focusing on local partnerships, development, and programs, keeping my head down amid the relentless national headlines. In the spirit of building local community, we hosted our second Get Hooked dinner with the fantastic team at Hook + Line in Santa Cruz. The sold-out evening was uplifting—just the counterbalance I needed to the troubling news cycle
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The start of 2025 has been tumultuous, marked by challenges that underscore the growing impacts of climate change and technology sector risks. In Southern California, devastating wildfires fueled by intense Santa Ana winds have destroyed thousands of homes and lives, costing billions of dollars with years of recovery ahead. With no rain in sight, these fires continue to rage, serving as a grim reminder of the intensifying effects of a changing climate. Our hearts go out to the families, businesses, and communities as well as the wildlife whose suffering often goes unnoticed.
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Happy New Year!
I hope everyone enjoyed time with family, rest, and reflection over the holidays. This time of year reminds us that slowing down is not only necessary but beneficial. As I look back on the end of 2024, I’m filled with gratitude for our Monterey County Gives donors, who helped us raise over $XX,XXX to support our programs, and for the other generous year-end donations we received—thank you!
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Winter has arrived, bringing a rhythm of heavy rains interspersed with calm, sunny days. Whales continue their majestic visits to the bay, while fishermen, facing uncertain times, ponder their futures.
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It’s a warm, sunny morning in Santa Cruz. I can smell the crisp, salty smell of the ocean mixed with eucalyptus. It’s warm, a stretch of days in late August reminding me why this is my favorite time of year. The kids are back in school, the crowds are few, and every visit to the bay is like a nature show.
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As we move toward the milestone of our 10-year Anniversary in September, I’m reflecting on the early days of the Trust and how we came to be…
In 2013, the City of Monterey approved its first Fishing Community Sustainability Plan, and one of its key recommendations was to establish a Community Quota Fund (CQF). A CQF is an entity that holds fishing rights in ‘trust’ for the benefit of the community.
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Hopefully you read last month’s newsletter article about deep sea coral research and restoration efforts by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), which involved a request by the National Marine Sanctuary Program to prohibit bottom contact fishing gear in three areas currently used for targeting blackcod and other groundfish. This regulation was needed, they said, in order to conduct valuable deep-sea coral research and monitoring in the MBNMS.
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One of the most powerful ideas I have ever known is this: the best way to predict the future is to create it.
Guided by the northstar of our 2024-28 Strategic Plan, we developed a new 2-year Initiative, “Food from the Sea: Developing a Shared Vision for Monterey Bay Ocean-Based Food Systems”. In partnership with Regenerative California, Real Good Fish, the University of California Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology, the City of Monterey, and the Moss Landing Harbor District, we submitted a funding proposal to the USDA’s Regional Food System Partnership program to lead a community-based process that will result in a shared 10-year vision for a resilient and regenerative ocean-based food economy in the Monterey Bay region.
Why local seafood is hard to find…
The most common question we get asked is “Where can I get local seafood?” You’d think that would be as easy as searching online, going down to the harbor, or to your local fish market. Especially living on the Monterey Bay, where fishing has been part of our culture for centuries, why isn’t it more obvious where to find and buy fresh, local seafood?
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March saw a whirlwind of action leading to positive outcomes for the Monterey Bay region’s beleaguered fishing community. Here’s a run down of the action…
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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.
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Of all our key accomplishments over the last year, I am the most proud of our new 5-yr Strategic Plan. In just 10 pages, we lay out our history, how the fisheries and oceanscape are changing and what we can do about it, the necessary partnerships and levers, and a roadmap for how to get there.
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Just like waves on the beach…the last year recedes, and another year rolls in.
The start of a new year beckons hope, yet with all that’s going on, this year also invites worry. Multiple wars, climate disruption, and political strife are affecting us globally. Closer to home, our fisheries are facing a calamity of closures, threats, delays, and nearly a total loss of ‘on the water’ income. An industry that was once thriving is now in dire straits, threatening our food security, heritage, and community fabric.
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