Celebrating Where We Came From: Cannery Worker’s Tribute
The depths of San Diego Bay are filled a rich history of commercial fishing. Take a brief dive into our famed, “Tuna Capital of the World” title and the Cannery Worker’s Tribute located along the beautiful Barrio Logan Bayfront.
Our Commercial Fishing Origins & Where We Are Today
In 1909, the first cannery was opened and at one time, San Diego was known as “The Tuna Capital of the World” with two of the country’s three biggest tuna canneries based along San Diego Bay.
Today, due to a variety of environmental, regulatory and economic factors the tuna fleet now focuses on the waters of the Western Pacific but fishermen still sail from the Tuna Harbor Basin to catch such species as swordfish, lobster and sea urchins.
Did You Know: In the 1960s, tuna was city’s third-largest industry with almost 40,000 employees who caught, sold, or processed fish from the major fleet moored at its docks.
About the Cannery Worker’s Tribute
The Cannery Worker’s Tribute consists of three life-size figurative bronze sculptures, an archway comprised of albacore tuna fish fabricated in stainless steel (Albacore Fish Arch), a 34-foot diameter circular mosaic tile artwork (Mosaic Sun) inlaid in pavement encircling a historic coral tree and a tiled circular seat-wall, five historical bronze plaques mounted on salvaged metal cannery artifacts, two park benches, and colored concrete walkways.
The Port of San Diego’s Tidelands Collection & Our Commitment to the Arts
The Port of San Diego is focused on creating a vibrant destination with innovative public art, cultural programming, and activation opportunities that enhance the cultural richness of San Diego Bay. To find more public art along the waterfront, visit our Art on the Tidelands, self-guided tours. To learn more about how Maritime is woven into our bay of life, visit our Maritime Month page.