News
The Faces of California Fishing
Faces of California Fishing is
a new initiative to promote the real stories and people behind
California's fishing communities. Consumers can support them and get
great quality fish by eating safe, fresh local seafood.
One common thread
binds all commercial fishermen, the spirit of independence. California
fishing communities are struggling at this time to remain just that -
fishing communities. Stringent regulations and the inability of the
regulatory process and scientific analysis to consider the economics of
family owned fishing businesses have made local supplies of seafood hard
to come by.
Commercial fishermen are the first environmentalists. If they don’t take
care of the ocean they will not make a living. It’s that simple. Many
people just don’t understand how strongly commercial fishermen feel
about protecting their environment while at the same time dealing with
ever tightening regulations. A full 95% of California’s fishermen are
small family owned businesses, not the factory trawlers that are common
in other countries. They don’t clear cut a swath on the ocean floor.
That form of fishing is out dated. In an ongoing effort to protect the
environment fishermen are constantly trying to implement new ways to
fish that are productive and safe. To support the commercial fishermen
of this country, ask for a local product.
Mercury in Seafood
The fishermen of Morro
Bay sell tuna, salmon, shark, and swordfish to the public and are often
asked about mercury in their catch. There is a well-funded movement to
persuade consumers to boycott certain types of fish because of mercury
content and the possible related health issues. This anti-fishing
coalition has their own agenda and tells only the part of the story that
supports their goal of eliminating commercial fishing in California.
Please visit
FishScam.com for
answers to any questions you might have about the safety of including
fish as a regular part of a healthy diet.
Study Results Show Strong Support for
California's Fishing Industry(www.cafisheriescoalition.org)
MONTEREY, Calif. (April 11, 2007) -
A recent study of 801 Californians, conducted by Responsive Management,
a nationally recognized public opinion and attitude survey research
firm, on behalf of the Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries
(ACSF) showed overwhelming support for local, sustainably harvested
seafood and family-run fishing operations. The telephone survey
evaluated Californians' opinions on and attitudes toward commercial and
recreational fishing in coastal areas of California, the ecological
health of California's coastal fisheries and wildlife, and fisheries and
wildlife management along the coast.
Central
Coast Women for Fisheries, Inc.
is pleased to announce its Fishing
Heritage Scholarship Program, for the benefit of the California
commercial fishing community and its descendants.
While
geared to help SLO county fishermen, residents of other counties are not
automatically excluded, especially talented students who have been an
active part of the fishing community.
For more
information, guidelines and applications, please visit
www.womenforfish.org/scholarship.htm
Start-up
funding for this program was generously provided by a grant from the
Central California Joint Fisheries/Cable Liaison Committee.
Barbara Stickel,
Director
