Tag: tuna harbor

Tuna Harbor Dockside Market’s grand opening!

Fresh fish on display await customers at dockside market.
Fresh fish on display await customers at new dockside market.

The new Tuna Harbor Dockside Market had its grand opening on the Embarcadero this morning! The fresh seafood market, which will be open Saturdays from 8 to 1 on the pier adjacent to Tuna Harbor (between Seaport Village and the USS Midway Museum), is San Diego’s attempt to recreate Seattle’s famous Pike Place Fish Market and San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. It appeared to be a modest but very popular beginning!

There were tables and tanks of fresh fish and invertebrates caught locally by fishermen from the large fleet of boats docked nearby. The ocean off San Diego offers a bounty of healthy and sustainable food that can now be more affordably purchased by the public, direct from the source.

The catch this morning included stone crab, box crab, sea urchins, top snail, kellet’s whelks, black cod, ling cod, rock fish, sand dabs, bluefin, yellowfin, yellowtail, sheepshead and even octopus!

According to what I read on the internet, Tuna Harbor Dockside Market is the production of the San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group, which was established in 2010 to promote commercial fishing in San Diego. With the assistance of the Port of San Diego, these hard-working fishermen are adding to the vitality of an already extremely active waterfront!

A huge line of customers was still growing well before the market’s morning opening. Looks to me like they’ll need more fish!

County Supervisor Greg Cox checks out a tank full of crabs.
County Supervisor Greg Cox checks out a tank full of crabs.
Lots of fresh fish sold to the public on San Diego's Embarcadero.
Lots of fresh fish sold to the public on San Diego’s Embarcadero.
Fisherman takes fresh catch from ice in cooler.
Fisherman removes fresh catch from ice in cooler.
Television reporters and San Diegans await opening of dockside market!
Television reporters and San Diegans await opening of dockside market!

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Delightful heaps of junk on a working pier.

Solitary float on a pile of rusted rebar.
Solitary float on a pile of rusted rebar.

Tuna Harbor’s G Street Pier is one of my favorite places in San Diego.  The views of downtown and the bay are magnificent.  There are birds for company and swaying boats on all sides.  There are lobster traps stacked, nets in huge mounds, and heaps of amazing junk.

Take a look!

Ropes and chains in a delightful tangle.
Ropes and rusted chains in a delightful tangle.
Just a bunch of junk on Tuna Harbor Pier.
Just a bunch of junk on the Tuna Harbor pier.
Looking beyond colorful garbage at boats in the harbor.
Looking beyond colorful garbage at boats in the harbor.
Broken pallets lean against mound of nets covered in plastic.
Broken pallets lean against mound of nets covered in plastic.
Detached boat structure on pier frames San Diego skyscrapers.
Detached boat structure on pier frames San Diego skyscrapers.
Colorful floats scattered on Tuna Harbor Pier.
Colorful floats scattered on the public pier.
Adopt a Beach garbage can overflows on a pier.
Adopt a Beach garbage can overflows on the G Street Pier.
A working pier can resemble a chaotic junkyard.
A working pier can resemble a chaotic junkyard.
A leaf rake lies atop a ball of nets and ropes.
A leaf rake lies atop a ball of nets and ropes.
A large weed grows out of old nets on a working pier.
A large weed grows out of a small hill of old nets.
A beautiful image of sinuous yellow floats.
A beautiful image of sinuous yellow floats on a seine net.

Watch commercial fishermen unload their catch.

People walk down San Diego's Embarcadero.
People walk down San Diego’s Embarcadero.

watch commercial fishermen unload their catch

A great place to watch small commercial fishermen unload their catch or load up with ice is the dock just north of Seaport Village, opposite the Chesapeake Fish Company. Folks walking past can also peer through a glass window nearby and see workers in a refrigerated room cleaning and processing the fresh fish that ends up at restaurants throughout the region. I once heard the Chesapeake Fish Company is the largest fish broker west of the Mississippi.

The sign in this photograph details the history of San Diego’s fishing industry–tuna fishing and canning in particular. At one time San Diego had the largest tuna fishing fleet in the world. Many of the fishermen were Italian migrants, which gave rise to the Little Italy neighborhood, about a mile to the north on downtown’s waterfront.

Tuna Harbor, adjacent to this dock, now is home to a ragtag group of local fishing boats. It’s also a great place to spot sea lions!

Working Waterfront sign shows photographs from San Diego's rich fishing history.
Working Waterfront sign shows photographs from San Diego’s rich fishing history.
1915 photo shows immigrants cleaning and canning locally caught fish.
1915 photo shows immigrants cleaning and canning locally caught fish.
Sign contrasts abundant catch of 1980 with the decline of tuna fishing in mid 80's.
Sign contrasts abundant catch of 1980 with the decline of tuna fishing in mid 80’s.
Fishing boat passes by the dock and crane.
Fishing boat passes by the dock and crane.

San Diego skyline and Tuna Harbor boats.

Fishing boats in Tuna Harbor and downtown skyscrapers.
Fishing boats in Tuna Harbor and downtown skyscrapers.

The above photograph was taken near the public pier that stretches into San Diego Bay from the G Street Mole. It can be found next to the top rated Fish Market restaurant, a bit south of the USS Midway. The picturesque skyline rises behind a number of inactive fishing boats in the always interesting Tuna Harbor this fine sunny summer day.

San Diego’s Tuna Harbor decades ago was home to the largest tuna fishing fleet in the world. That was before fishing regulations and tuna populations shifted, sending most of the boats away. The American Tuna-Boat Association office is still located near the foot of the pier.

Here are a variety of pics taken at different times…

Fisherman heads to a boat in Tuna Harbor.
Fisherman heads to a boat in Tuna Harbor.
Ramp down to docks in San Diego's Tuna Harbor.
Ramp down to docks in San Diego’s Tuna Harbor.
Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton rise behind Tuna Harbor fishing boats.
Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton rise behind Tuna Harbor fishing boats.
A number of fishing vessels docked inside San Diego's Tuna Harbor.
A number of fishing vessels docked inside San Diego’s Tuna Harbor.
This typical small boat is part of the large local fishing fleet.
This typical small boat is part of the large local fishing fleet.
Colorful floats of different sizes tangled over the railing at edge of Tuna Harbor Pier.
Colorful floats of different sizes tangled over the railing along edge of the G Street Pier.
Fishing boats docked in Tuna Harbor next to downtown San Diego.
Fishing boats docked in Tuna Harbor next to downtown San Diego.
Lobster traps lined up on a Tuna Harbor dock.
Turning a bit to the right.  Lobster traps are lined up on a Tuna Harbor dock.
Fishermen sort sea urchins from large tank, to be sold at nearby public fish market.
Fishermen sort sea urchins from large tank, to be sold at nearby public fish market.
Gazing down one dock at a line of fishing vessels in San Diego.
Gazing down one dock at a line of fishing vessels in San Diego.
Small boat painted with various names, including Rambo!
Small boat painted with various names, including Rambo!
A clutter of work gear all along the wooden dock.
A clutter of work gear all along the wooden dock.
Downtown highrises in the blue sky behind a Tuna Harbor boat.
Downtown high-rises in the blue sky behind a Tuna Harbor boat.
USS Midway aircraft carrier museum can be seen beyond the fleet of fishing vessels.
USS Midway aircraft carrier museum can be seen beyond the fleet of fishing vessels.
Sun, wind, salt water and frequent use take a toll on these hard-working boats.
Sun, wind, salt water and frequent use take a toll on these hard-working boats.
Old navy boat has been converted for civilian purpose.
I believe this is an old Navy boat which has been converted for civilian purpose.
A couple more fishing boats tied up in beautiful San Diego Bay.
A couple more fishing boats tied up in beautiful San Diego Bay.
Many boats are out on Friday afternoon, seeking fresh fish for Saturday morning market.
Many boats are out on a Friday afternoon, seeking fresh fish for Saturday morning market.

That shiny cylinder-like drum will be mounted on the rear of a fishing boat, and used to unspool then haul in a very large net!