Our Goals

We aim to support San Diegans seeking connectivity to the local seafood system.

With a huge diversity of catch landed in San Diego by our commercial fishing community, much of it unfamiliar to a casual seafood diner, we know that learning how to source and prepare local species can be daunting.

We create and share learning resources that will help you feel more confident in your purchases, and more connected to San Diego’s wild seafood.

Vision & Values

What Does “Local” Mean?

In support of San Diego fishing families, Fishful Future defines “local” to mean

“landed by local commercial fishermen and women."

Just like small-scale farmers, the San Diego’s commercial fishing community struggles to compete with corporate-owned, industrial-scale, commodified seafood.

We aim to give their catch greater visibility so that people like you can support them, in a mutually beneficial exchange.

Why Buy Local?

Whatever your motives for eating seafood, locally-landed catch can meet your needs - and make you feel good about your choices.

Seafood From Local Fishers Is…

San Diego commercial fishing practices are rigorously managed with environmental and labor protections in place, in addition to scientifically supported sustainable harvest limits. Buying local seafood in San Diego also shortens the supply chain between fisher and consumer - meaning lower food miles, less packaging, and less wasted seafood along the way.
Over 100 unique species a year are landed by San Diego’s commercial fishing community - that means a lot of available variety to suit anyone’s taste! All around the world, coastal communities have unique culinary relationships with specific types of seafood. Wherever we may hail from, using familiar types of fresh, local seafoods as substitutes for traditional ingredients allows us, as diverse San Diegans, to reconnect with our various cultural backgrounds.
Wild seafood caught off our coastline is rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, & essential macro- & micro-nutrients. Governed by strict U.S. food safety standards and defined by shorter supply chains from boat to market, the transparency of the local system contributes to its trustworthiness.
Eating local seafood ties us to the long legacy of fishing activity that has shaped this region, and fosters our continuing link to the ocean in a fundamental and irreplaceable way. Direct connectivity between our coastal ecosystems and our dietary habits turns us into fond caretakers of where we live. Through good memories of good food, we build appreciation for the provisioning coast.
Purchases of locally-caught seafood, particularly when they are made directly from the fishing community, support San Diego livelihoods and help maintain the industry in the face of mounting pressures from global trade. Local transactions circulate within the economy and have a cascading positive effect on adjacent industries, contributing to community stability and resilience.