Ocean to Doorstep: Connecting Local Fishermen and the Community
Big eye tuna being offloaded from the F/V Gutsy Lady 4 by Carlos Stivalet. Image courtesy of Jordyn Kastlunger.
Our vessel, the F/V Kaylee H, had been at sea for about 30 days when the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown order went into effect. She returned to port to a ghost town and a nonexistent market - nowhere for her 20,000 pounds of fish to go. It was a mad scramble to find buyers - most of the middlemen, processors, wholesalers and restaurants, were stagnant. The dynamic of the market had to change, and fishermen were in charge of their own fate. We had to think about the survival of our fishing vessels and being able to sell our catch during a global crisis.
Early on in the pandemic, through media exposure and word of mouth, we received a wave of Facebook messages from San Diego locals hoping to get affordable, fresh and locally caught fish delivered to their doorstep. People started to hear about how the local fisherman were struggling and were seeking to support us by any means necessary.
We began recruiting people to help us deliver our fish all over San Diego County to meet this demand. We began delivering as a means to support our captains and crew members and had no idea that this would also turn into a great opportunity to educate people on local fisheries and preparation of different parts of the fish.
Although many of our customers were excited about their fresh fish delivery, the beginning of our direct to consumer deliveries came with many challenges. People didn’t know exactly what they would be receiving, just the name of the species and a price. What people expected to receive was what they saw at supermarkets - perfectly filleted fish without a bloodline, skin, or bones, weighted exactly right and handed across a counter.
Ben Stephens, Captain of the F/V Gutsy Lady 4. Image courtesy of Nick Haworth.
People weren’t expecting to learn that there are different cuts of fish, there is a bloodline, the skin should be removed and that different cuts can be used for different preparations. There was, and still is, a big disconnect between the fish we catch and the fillets arriving on people’s doorsteps. Since the start of our delivery service, we’ve been working on ways to communicate what we offer and educate our customers on how to prepare what they receive, because every part of the fish can be used in a multitude of ways. With tuna, some cuts are better for sashimi, others are perfect for poke and the cuts closer to the tail can be great seared on the grill or used to make a tuna burger!
Along with delivering fillets and loins, we began selling whole fish. With a whole fish, people can learn to prepare them whole, teach themselves to fillet, use heads to make soups and stocks, use collars for grilling, and bellies for sushi. Along with whole fish, we also sell these secondary cuts of fish individually - people have the option of purchasing just the heads, bellies, and collars. We love providing this option, because it allows people to get comfortable with utilizing different cuts without committing to breaking down the whole fish, and encourages progress towards a zero-waste seafood system.
By selling the secondary cuts, which are often not available at the retail level, we create an opportunity for customers to try something new, and meanwhile provide extra financial support for each boat. We also encourage full utilization of the fish we catch by providing scraps for people to compost in their yard, to feed their animals and for other local fishermen to use as bait.
Every day we continue to work on ways to excite San Diego locals about buying fish directly from the fisherman. We’ve created a unique experience. When people buy fish from us, it’s much different than picking up a prepackaged fillet at the supermarket. It’s not only about seeing the boat, the captain and the crew at the dock, but also about learning where the fish comes from, how it’s caught, how it’s filleted, and understanding the best way to prepare different parts of the fish for your family, friends and neighbors.
As we continue to grow, we hope to keep educating people about the fish we catch so that they can explore new ways to enjoy locally caught fish.
Resources:
Visit Haworth Fish Co here for more information and to order delivery.
Visit Tuna Harbor Dockside Market in person on Saturday mornings at 598 Harbor Lane, San Diego, CA, or online here. Online ordering for curbside pickup is also available.