Background

Commercial fishing activity has a long history on San Diego Bay. Over the past several years, the commercial fishing industry has declined, due to competition from other areas and a variety of regulatory, economic and environmental factors. To reverse this trend, in April 2008, the Port, together with its partner the State Coastal Conservancy, hired a professional waterfront planner with experience in commercial fisheries strategic planning to create a comprehensive plan.

The proposed plan will address how to support commercial fishing at the two commercial fishing facilities on San Diego Bay: Driscoll’s Wharf in America’s Cup Harbor in the north bay and Tuna Harbor, at G Street Mole near downtown San Diego. With the emphasis on Driscoll's Wharf, the planning effort will include a study of the fisheries markets from the San Diego Bay perspective and the development of a fisheries marketing plan and preliminary concept designs for the enhancement of the two commercial fishing facilities. The plan will also include ideas for increased and enhanced coastal public access to and along this active element of the working waterfront of San Diego Bay.

The plan will be completed by May 31, 2009.  Key milestones include:

• May 2007 - State Coastal Conservancy awarded a grant to the Port of San Diego in the amount of $450,000 for a commercial fisheries revitalization plan (Agreement effective 6/28/07-5/31/09);
• November 2007 - Request for Qualifications (RFQ) released for consultant services to develop a Commercial Fisheries Revitalization Plan;
• March 2008 - Board of Port Commissioners approved recommendation from the Commercial Fisheries Core Committee to enter into an agreement with Lisa Wise Consulting, Inc.;
• December 2008 - Background & Existing Conditions draft report to be issued.