Facing the Challenges of Commercial Fishing: Why Your Local Port Association Needs You

Commercial fishing families have long been the quiet guardians of our seas, working tirelessly to ensure that tables are filled with wild, healthy and sustainable seafood. We weather both literal and figurative storms, adapting to environmental and regulatory changes while contributing to the economic and cultural fabric of coastal communities.

Sacrifices and challenges on the ocean are simply part of the life of a commercial fisherman. We accept the unpredictable nature of the sea, long hours and tough conditions as part of the job.

But today, the work of commercial fishing can’t be confined to the ocean alone. The issues facing the industry now stretch far beyond the water, threatening the livelihoods of commercial fishing families and the communities that rely on them.

These are battles we didn’t expect, but they demand our attention. Being skilled on the water isn’t enough anymore; staying involved on land is just as important to protect the commercial fishing way of life.

At PCFFA, we’re tracking a wide range of issues—both current and potential—that impact commercial fishing. Our goal is to be a resource for information and provide opportunities for the fleet to address these issues and more with a united voice.

Some of the issues on our radar include:

Offshore Wind

The push for offshore wind farms on the West Coast continues, despite mixed results in other regions. While renewable energy sources could be important, we have significant concerns about their potential impact. The truth is, we don’t yet fully understand how these projects might affect fishing grounds, food production and ocean ecosystems.

In California, industry representatives are participating in the California Offshore Wind and Fisheries Working Group with the California Coastal Commission. Through this process, direct engagement with offshore wind companies, and our port association members in the ports most affected by these projects, we’re working to ensure open and accurate communication on projects in our region.

We also must continue collaborating with partners in other regions to protect commercial fishing interests nationwide.

30×30 Initiatives

California and federal initiatives aim to conserve 30% of land and coastal waters by 2030. We’ve previously expressed our commitment to participating in the California process with the Ocean Protection Council.

In the 30×30 process—and in any effort to protect our environment and address climate change—it’s in our best interest to support meaningful and strong ocean ecosystem and biodiversity conservation measures while always focusing on the non-negotiable need for abundant future wild fisheries.

We believe conservation goals can be achieved without closing any more fishing grounds, but this requires the involvement and insights of those who know the waters best—the fishermen.

We must stay engaged to prove that we’re not the enemy of conservation, but actually its strongest allies, and that commercial fishing and conservation can go hand in hand.

Aquaculture and Other Industrialization

Aquaculture is expanding, with new areas being designated for various types of ocean farming, including finfish and shellfish. While aquaculture may play a role in seafood markets, it is crucial to monitor its impacts on wild food production and the environment.

Farmed fish should never be seen as an acceptable replacement for wild, healthy, sustainably harvested and domestically produced seafood.

It’s important to stay involved in these discussions and keep an eye on other potential industrial projects, like offshore solar farms and fiber optic cables, which also could affect our operations in the future.

Management Processes

Our fisheries are among the most rigorously managed in the world, yet the regulatory landscape continues to evolve and become more and more complex.

It’s vital to stay engaged in these processes at both the state and federal levels to ensure that our perspectives are considered and our ability to produce food for our communities is protected.

Two of our historic California fisheries, crab and salmon, are facing extreme uncertainties. We are working tirelessly to find holistic solutions to address the historic loss of salmon fishing over the past two years.

We’re exploring every avenue to increase salmon populations in our river systems and get more fish to the ocean to boost harvest opportunities and avoid future disasters. Additionally, we are pushing for adequate and timely mitigation measures and relief efforts for the disasters we face.

Five West Coast fisheries—Washington state Dungeness Crab, Oregon Dungeness Crab, California Dungeness Crab, West Coast Sablefish and California Spot Prawns—are heading to a Take Reduction Team in 2025.

This will be a challenging and intense process with long-term implications for the future of trap fisheries on the West Coast. It’s crucial for the industry to stay engaged and informed as this process moves forward.

Environmental Lawsuits

Some environmental groups continue to target commercial fishing to advance their agendas, sometimes using litigation to impose more restrictions on our industry. These lawsuits can be costly and time-consuming, and they may not always align with the reality of sustainable fishing practices or ocean conservation.

By staying engaged and united, we can better defend against these challenges and ensure that our industry’s needs are fairly represented.

Why Join Your Local Port Association?

These are just a few of the challenges we’re tracking. By joining and participating in your local port association, you can stay informed about developments, contribute to strategies that protect your interests and work with others to advocate for fair policies.

Your involvement helps ensure that our collective voice is heard and that we can effectively tackle the issues facing our industry.

PCFFA’s Commitment

As an association of associations, PCFFA is a regional organization that amplifies the voice of the fleet, ensuring that it’s heard in the right forums.

We’re committed to advocating for commercial fishing families and communities. Our mission is to keep the fleet updated with access to relevant and accurate information. We’re continuing to develop and expand our website to be a trusted resource and provide updates to our port association members to share with all of you.

Commercial fishing is not just an industry or a way of life; it’s a vital part of our economy and culture.

Losing access to fishing grounds or facing increased regulations could have severe economic repercussions and alter the character of our communities.

Being a part of your local port association is the best avenue for navigating the current challenges and shaping the future of commercial fishing. Your participation makes a difference and helps us all stay strong and resilient in the face of adversity.

For more information, you can reach out to us at fleet@pcffa.org.     

Lisa Damrosch is the executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA), and comes from a fourth-generation commercial fishing family working from Half Moon Bay, Calif. She can be reached directly at the Southwest Regional PCFFA office at P.O. Box 29370, San Francisco, CA 94129-0370, or lisa@pcffa.org. The phone number for PCFFA’s SF office is (650) 209-0801.