A commercial fishing apprenticeship launched in San Diego to help rebuild the region’s shrinking fleet has underscored just how difficult it has become to enter the industry, according to a recent report by CalMatters.
The fishing apprenticeship, launched in 2020 by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Sea Grant program, was designed to help train new commercial fishermen through classroom instruction and 1,000 hours of on-the-water experience. But while several participants completed the program, only about half a dozen ultimately remained in commercial fishing, with others finding it too difficult to earn a living.
The story traces the decline of San Diego’s once-thriving commercial fishing industry. Once known as the “tuna capital of the world” and home to more than 40,000 fishing-related jobs, the city’s fleet has dwindled to approximately 130 commercial fishermen, according to CalMatters.…