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Commercial Fishing Facts

Demand for local, sustainable seafood is growing.
Personal interviews with local San Diego restauranteurs, retailers, and processors revealed increasing consumer interest in access to fresh locally caught seafood. According to a 2007 survey by Responsive Management, 82% of Californians say they would buy California seafood over imported seafood if informed that California has more conservation safeguards in place than other countries. The study also showed that 90% of Californians do not see family-run commercial fishing boats as a threat to marine waters.

Global demand for seafood more than doubled over the past 30 years.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the global appetite for fish doubled from 45 million metric tons in 1973 to more than 91 million metric tons. The average American eats about 17 pounds of seafood per year, up from 12.5 pounds in 1980 (National Oceanic and Atmoshperic Adminstration).

The California commercial fishing industry is one of the most heavily regulated and most compliant in the world.
A 2009 article by Boris Worm and Ray Hilborn confi rms that regulated, well-managed fisheries can be sustainable. Measures such as area closures, gear restrictions, permits, licensing, and catch limits already make U.S. fish among the most responsibly caught in the world. San Diego commerical fishing operations are fully compliant with regulations and can off er a fresh sustainable product to the local community.

The California commercial fishing industry earns over $100 million.
Commercial fishing represents a signifi cant component of the California economy. In 2008, commercial fisheres earned $113 million in EVV (ex-vessal value; the price paid to fishermen).

San Diego commercial fishing earnings total nearly $200 million from 1985 to 2008.
The four San Diego ports earned nearly $200 million in the period from 1985 to 2008 (in 2009 dollars). In 2008 alone, commercial fishing brought in nearly $7 million in EVV. In 2008, EVV at Tuna Harbor was $2.32 million and EVV at Driscoll’s Wharf was $703,000.

San Diego commercial fisheries jobs are expected to rise by more than 30% by 2016.
Commericial fisheries support hundreds of jobs, both directly and inderectly. According to projections, the number of fishery-related jobs in San Diego County should rise from 130 to 170 jobs in 2016 (California Occupational Guide, 2008).

If we don’t support the San Diego fishermen, demand will shift to nations with little or no regulation.
The U.S. imported $13.5 billion in seafood 2007. Our major seafood trading partners are Canada (a well regulated fishery), China, Indonesia, and Thailand (less regulated). 40% of our imported seafood is farmed.

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