San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group (SDFWG) and Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank have established a partnership to provide fresh fish caught by local fishermen for families and individuals experiencing food insecurity in San Diego.

Through February 2025, the collaboration will expand the Food Bank’s offerings, ensuring that more San Diegans have access to nutrient-dense seafood.

“We want all San Diegans to enjoy locally sourced seafood, and partnering with the San Diego Food Bank creates that opportunity,” said Pete Halmay, president of the SDFWG and longtime San Diego commercial fisherman. “Our hardworking fishermen look forward to supporting the community with healthy, sustainable food for their families. Plus, buying local seafood leads to a shorter supply chain, reduces our carbon footprint, and provides the healthiest fish.”

Each month, SDFWG will supply approximately 1,400 pounds of fish — including tunas, swordfish, and halibut — which will be distributed through the Food Bank’s network of nonprofit partners and their feeding programs. San Diego Foundation’s Community Food Grant Program staff played a critical role in bringing together the partnership.

“Our partnership with the San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group brings more than just food to the table — it brings high-quality fish directly from our coast to individuals and families who need it, especially as one in four San Diegans are nutrition insecure,” said Casey Castillo, chief executive officer of SDFB. “The Food Bank is proud to support the local fishing industry, which is integral to San Diego.”

This partnership is part of the San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center and the San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group’s concerted effort to increase local fish purchasing and support area fishermen through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service as part of its Local Food Promotion Program to support the livelihood of local fishermen. It builds upon numerous other efforts in the works to support San Diego fishermen.

Funding for the Community Food Grant Program is made possible through a partnership with the County of San Diego. In 2021, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved the framework for using American Rescue Plan Act funding that guided the development of the Community Food Grant Program.

SDFWG

The San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group (SDFWG) was formed to provide a unified voice for commercial fishermen of all gear types in the greater San Diego region. We are a 501-c-3 non-profit organization, purposed to bring the collective views of commercial fishermen to fisheries science and management, and to any public process that may impact the success of our fisheries. The SDFWG is led by a nine-person Board of Directors, representing the various important gear types and fisheries in the region.

FOOD BANK

Established in 1977, the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank is the regional food safety net for all of San Diego County, providing food to people in need, advocating for the hungry, and educating the public about hunger-related issues. In FY 23/24, the Food Bank distributed 50 million pounds of food to individuals and families through a network of more than 540 nonprofit partner organizations that work alongside the Food Bank to alleviate hunger throughout the county. Visit SanDiegoFoodBank.org for more information. For more information, visit sdrpic.org/.