Tips to Eating Life from the Sea: Fish for it Yourself

Hop on a kayak, an SUP, a surfboard or a friend's boat and venture out onto the ocean

Learn what species are common to your area and learn their biology- it is different in different areas, ask around experienced fishermen will know what is common or check RecFIN.org a resource to look back at catch from specific areas.

Allowable limits are just a maximum guideline- don't be greedy, only take what you need, seafood is better fresh! When I go out, I often only take one fish- the rest I let go with the help of the barbless hooks I use.

In general it is more sustainable to take species that are quick to reproduce and quick growing: if you can stomach them, quick growing bait fish like mackerel, sardines, jack smelt, anchovy and sanddabs are a great choice. Mussels are WAY more abundant and quick growing than abalone- choose those things for you dinner. Keep a lingcod, which reproduce after 4-6yrs and live to around 20yrs old, over a vermilion rockfish which takes apx 7-10 yrs to reproduce and can live 70yrs- also one lingcod would provide the meat of 3-5 rockfish.

Take care of your gear: fishing line= deadly plastic in the ocean, either something an animal may get tangled in or eat.

Be gentle with the life you take- kill right away, more humane and fish meat is better quality if you bleed out the fish immediately (cut gills, let blood drain).