Plan Suggested for Supporting Commercial Fishing Industry

Monday, 07 February 2011
Contact: John Gilmore (619) 341-5684

Dockmaster Dave Bassham swears there’s nothing better than eating fresh locally caught swordfish.

“When you see a swordfish come off a boat, you’re going to get hungry,” said Bassham, who helps fishermen unload their catch at Driscoll’s Wharf, on Shelter Island. “You never had anything better.”

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That is just what the Port of San Diego and commercial fishing interests are recommending -- establishment of a fishermen’s market where seafood can be sold directly to the public. The recommendation is one of several being advanced to revitalize an industry that has seen its workforce and revenue decline because of regulations, market factors and environmental considerations.

“If we don’t support the San Diego fishermen, demand is going to shift to other nations with little or no regulation,” said Scott Peters, Chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners. One consequence, Peters said, will be a product that is inferior and has higher environmental impacts than seafood caught locally.

Port's Proposed Plan

The recommendations for supporting the industry are incorporated in the Commercial Fisheries Revitalization and Coastal Public Access Plan that has taken three years to complete. The Board of Port Commissioners recently directed the Port staff to begin implementation of the plan, which will require several million dollars that has yet to be identified and will take several years to implement.

The plan was prepared by representatives from the Port, Driscoll’s Wharf, commercial divers and fishermen, former state Senator Denise Ducheny’s office, a consultant team lead by Lisa Wise Consulting, Inc. and the California Coastal Conservancy. The conservancy provided a $450,000 grant to the Port to analyze the commercial fishing industry around San Diego Bay and for preparation of the revitalization and access plan. The Port contributed $50,000 in cash and $50,000 of in-kind services.

Besides selling fresh fish directly to the public, recommendations for bolstering the industry include several infrastructure improvements at Driscoll’s Wharf and Tuna Harbor, where local fishermen unload their catch. The work would be done in phases. At Driscoll’s Wharf, the projected cost ranges from $18 million to $23.7 million, depending on the extent of the improvements. At Tuna Harbor, the cost ranges from $2.4 million to $8.4 million.

Improvements at Driscoll’s would include a new public event space, removal of a dinghy dock, acquisition of a new crane, the renovation of the offloading facility and the eventual construction of a new offloading facility, purchase of an ice machine, improved truck access, possible replacement of the existing dock and a new area where the fishermen’s market would be located.

Fish Catch

Within the San Diego region, there are more than 130 commercial fishermen whose catch include swordfish, California spiny lobster, red sea urchins, sharks, rockfish, spot prawns, albacore tuna, rock crab, white sea bass and the California halibut.

Fishermen unload their catches in four regional areas that account for virtually the entire commercial landings – the Port-owned Tuna Harbor, located near Seaport Village, and Driscoll’s Wharf in Point Loma, which leases the area from the Port. The other two locations are located in Mission Bay and Oceanside.

At Tuna Harbor, 35 percent of the space is occupied by commercial fishing boats. The Port is proposing to allow for a mixed use of non-commercial fishing vessels. The additional revenue could be directed to sustain and improve the local fishing industry. Some of the revenue could be directed for improvements to Driscoll’s Wharf, which dates to the 1950s and is in need of more repairs and improvements than Tuna Harbor.

The Port District has committed about $250,000 in its capital development program to fund the initial phase of the revitalization. The money will help pay for infrastructure improvements, signage, event space and offloading facility upgrades at Driscoll’s Wharf, located in America’s Cup Harbor in the Point Loma area.

In addition, the effort includes creation of a plan to market the commercial fishing industry and the start of the fishermen’s farmer’s market near Driscoll’s Wharf.

Talk with Driscoll’s Wharf manager Cathy Driscoll and it doesn’t take long to recognize the need for improvements.

Driscoll's Improvement

For starters, there’s the dinghy dock that is next to Driscoll’s offloading facility. Several small boats are tied to the dock that is within feet of Driscoll’s 137-foot long by 15-foot wide pier. The tight squeeze between the boats and the pier prevent commercial vessels from tying up on that side of the pier to offload. Relocation of the dinghy dock is a top priority.

The pier’s length also restricts the size and number of vessels that can unload catches. The revitalization plan calls for extending the pier and possibly deepening the channel.

“If we could get 20 to 25 more feet, we would get the larger vessels,” said Driscoll, who oversees the five piers and 135 slips that comprise the wharf.

The pier also needs restoration work so it can accommodate larger vessels and landings. And to accommodate the increase, a larger crane is needed to hoist the catch from the vessels. Purchase of a new hoist along with the pier extension is included in the proposed plan.

Other proposed improvements include new docks and slips, an offloading and repair area, demolition of buildings, renovation of the promenade, dredging, expanded restrooms and new public event venues. 

In 2008, nearly 2.5 million pounds of fish were unloaded at the four regional commercial docks. That same year, the sale of commercially caught seafood provided fishermen with more than $6.7 million in income.

Industry Decline

Over the years, the commercial fishing industry has experienced declines in revenue and employment. The causes include regulatory changes that make it more difficult for fishermen to earn a living. In turn, a drop in the industry revenue means a decline in Port revenue that may be available to support fishing infrastructure.

Despite the falling revenue, overall demand for seafood is rising, along with support for family-owned operations.

An analysis of the industry that was conducted as part of the three-year revitalization effort concludes: “The trend speaks to the value of retaining and enhancing the San Diego commercial fishing fleets and harbors.”

Said Driscoll: “I’m so glad the Port is supporting the commercial fisheries. These are good, hard working people and it breaks my heart to see this industry decline.”

For years, commercial fishing has figured prominently in the cultural and historical heritage of the San Diego waterfront. Tuna fishing was a mainstay for the region, and the waterfront area was once dotted with tuna canneries and purse seiners until the mid 1980s when the fleet moved to other countries partly because of stringent U.S. regulation.

Fishing for a Living

Clifton Hawk, 50, started diving for sea urchins when he was 18 years old. At age 20, he was captain of a boat making decent money and “digging the life style, lovin’ being on the ocean out there with the sun, the birds, the fish and seals and working hard”.

On a recent, cold and blustery morning, Hawk waited along Driscoll’s dock to unload 325 pounds of urchins, caught earlier that day on a trip cut short by rough seas and an approaching storm.

The global marketplace has taken its toll on his company. Fifteen to 17 years ago, Hawk said he was earning roughly $2.50 a pound for the urchins.

“Today, that price is unheard of,” Hawk said. “Now, if you get $1.60, that’s a good price.”

Hawk attributed the price drop partly to global competition. Russia, where Hawk once trained urchin divers, is providing the delicacy to markets world-wide.

“The competition has decreased the profit margin,” Hawk said.

The urchins Hawk harvested that cold day came from an area about two miles off San Diego’s coast and 10 miles north. Diving roughly 70 feet with his large baskets that can hold up to 300 pounds of urchins, Hawk spent about four hours gathering the urchins from the ocean floor.

His catches are processed by Catalina Offshore Products, one of the area’s fish processors. His bounty is shipped first to the San Diego market, then east to Houston and on to New York. West-bound shipments can be sent as far away as China or Japan. In Japan, the delicacy can be distributed to more than 100 markets.

And Hawk likes to brag, fresh urchin is just the best: “They are so good. When you get fresh urchin, oh my goodness, it’s like candy.”