Salmon smolts do amazing things. Full stop. Even after 16 years studying salmon and similar species, partly through his role as director of the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project (MBSTP), Ben Harris still marvels at their dramatic feats.  “As they migrate from freshwater to the ocean, the smolt go through an amazing transformation.Their kidneys change! They go from seeking salt to being able to repel it! Their scales harden!” he says. “It’s a much, much bigger change than human puberty. It’s really quite amazing.” He’s got a point ..read more

Photo courtesy of MBARI By Mark C Anderson, July 8, 2024 An interesting thing happened when Chef Isaiah Cortright left his career in fine dining spots like Michelin three-star Atelier in San Francisco to lead the kitchen at Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula.  He got back to why he is a chef in the first place. “I spent many years putting my soul on a plate to be scrutinized by customers,” he says. “Now I get to rebuild my soul doing something that truly matters in the community.” Chef Roberto Bonefont Jr. has known Cortright for more than a decade, in kitchens and out, since they ..read more

Photo courtesy of MBARI By Mark C Anderson, June 3, 2024 Fact can be crazier than fiction. And that’s the case with a unique challenge facing our region’s  fishermen and marine science experts alike.  That challenge comes to a crossroads with a Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting this month in San Diego.  That’s where a final decision on potential new fishing restrictions will be made after a yearlong scoping process that could add to the woes of the local fleet.  More on that in a second. First, the craziest part. Back in fall 2016, an old dry dock—a large ..read more

By Mark C Anderson, May 6, 2024 The 2024 crab season was many things for area fishermen—a fleeting endeavor, a true lifeline, a preamble for more management decisions.  Now that it has ended south of the Sonoma-Mendocino county line—as of April 8—it’s a good time to look back at how it went, how current experimental permits keep it going, for some, and how potential regulatory changes will affect its future. THE RECENT PAST Looking back at the 2024 season, key takeaways fall into good news and bad news bins.  The good news: Despite being restricted to deploying half their gear, loc ..read more

By Emily Hess, April 8, 2024 After nearly two decades of bouncing around the US following a career in technology, and then banking, Chaps Poduri and his wife moved to Pacific Grove in 2016 to raise their family and live in the beautiful place they had always enjoyed visiting. Since then, he has become a complete convert to coastal living and has become a very active member in the community, committed to a prosperous and sustainable future.  “Early morning jogs along the Coastal Recreation Trail have always been awe inspiring and generally give me a perspective on how beautiful and immen ..read more

By Mark Anderson, April 8, 2024 Photo courtesy of Jared Davis While uncertainty is inseparable from fishing, the mystery surrounding the future for West Coast salmon fishermen gives the uncertainty fresh intensity. That, in turn, comes with complexity. As San Francisco Bay Area charter fishing boat captain Jared Davis puts it, completing a “fully encompassing dive into the challenges faced by the fishing industry would require an Encyclopedia Britannica-type collection of volumes.” So let’s start with what we do know, in basic terms and more complicated frameworks, for better or for worse.&nb ..read more

By Mark Anderson, April 1, 2024 ***Special April 1 report*** The deep sea presents so many mind-bending creatures—and plenty of surprises—that maybe this shouldn’t be a shock. Still, it’s surprising to learn that one of the most famous and fearsome deep sea residents, the giant squid, is now working with Monterey Bay fishermen to clean up derelict gear. Giant squid do offer a helpful set of tools and talents, including the largest eyes of any animal on the entire planet. Up to 10 inches in diameter, they allow the huge gear custodians to spot lost traps, itinerant pots and sunken floats at a ..read more

March 28, 2024 FISHERMEN - Are you looking for additional local markets to sell your catch directly to the public? If so, check out these opportunities for selling at Farmers Markets! EL MERCADO LOCATION: 61 Crestview Dr. Watsonville (April - October) 3pm -7pm El Mercado is a weekly farmers’ market aiming to reduce food insecurity and chronic illnesses by promoting access to fresh produce and wellness resources for Pajaro Valley families. Running seasonally from April – October, El Mercado features fresh produce, ready-to-eat foods, local artisans and monthly family events. El Mercado also ..read more

By Mark Anderson, March 5, 2024 Describing the complexity of challenges facing local small boat fishermen can be a challenge in itself.  Local fishermen confront steep costs for permits, spiking diesel fuel and various offloading fees, while navigating Monterey Bay ports that are short on infrastructure like storage, ice machines and processing facilities.  Then there are competitive disadvantages against big boat conglomerates, cheaper imports and aquaculture; threats from offshore wind development; sale prices artificially depressed by big corporate buyers; a target audience oft ..read more

Wednesday, January 24th, 2024 was a special day for the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust (MBFT), as it marked the first distribution of donated seafood with our new partner, Second Harvest Food Bank (SHFB). As the Fisheries Trust’s sixth food relief partner, SHFB will expand the impact of the Community Seafood Program (CSP)  to provide healthy, sustainably harvested seafood to those in need of food assistance, along with economic support to our local fishermen, food workers, and seafood businesses. Founded in 1972, SHFB was the first food bank in California, and is the second oldest in the n ..read more