Michael & Anna Svedise - Old Wharf Smokehouse

How did you become a fisherman?

It’s been in the family for generations. My grandfather and my father were both fishermen and my uncle owns Vince’s Shellfish and Seafood Company.

What and where do you fish?

I fish California halibut, California Wild King salmon, cod, Dungeness crab, and Albacore tuna. I’m fishing mainly out of Bodega Bay. I’ll go from Pt. Reyes to the Farallon Islands to Fort Ross, Drakes Bay and Bolinas. I’ll take my smaller 26 ft. boat, the “Ocean Farmer,” out in Santa Cruz for Salmon.
With limitations on what you’re able to fish, what are the criteria for fish that you have to buy?

Well, the most important thing is to buy local as much as I can. I buy a lot of fish from friends and family… people I’ve known for a long time that I can trust have quality product. You can pay more when you buy from independents, but it’s the good stuff. We’re really picky, and will refuse a lot of product. If there’s something that I wouldn’t want to eat myself, then I don’t buy it. The general rule is… fresh fish doesn’t smell like fish.

What problems do local fishermen face today?

There’s a lot going on right now. The National Marine Fishery, which is federally run (not run by Fish and Game), has restricted each vessel to a limit of 75 fish per week. As prices for fuel and equipment go up, prices offered by wholesalers go down. We’re paying for our berth, deckhands (which usually get about a 25% take), food, all of our gear: hooks, weights, lines, leaders, etc. and we don’t see a strong enough return. When selling to a wholesaler, your price is getting dictated to you. You may have a good set price before salmon season begins, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Large buyers and other privately owned companies can pull the market order, leaving fisherman with no place to sell their fish. Their only alternative is to give in to selling at a lower price.

Also there’s really no fish where we’re allowed to fish, they’re all on the other side of the line. The Fish and Game generally open the whole coast in May. Eureka down to the Mexican Border is pretty much as far as the salmon go. This year, we are allocated the area from Pigeon Point (between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz) and down, and Point Sur and down. The reason behind this is that the National Marine Fishery doesn’t want anyone to catch Klamath River fish. The problem there is that farming has flowed too much of that water into agriculture, decreasing the levels so much that they’re killing off the salmon in that area. When the water level drops, the water heats up and bacteria begins to grow.

Sport fishing doesn’t get affected by these same restrictions, they have access to areas that we don’t. It makes you question why. They pull in just as many, if not more, fish as the commercial guys. On a recreational vessel, you could have anywhere from 20 to 40 hooks in the water, with a 2 fish per person limit. These guys can catch their limit in the morning, come back, fill up with more people, and go out again, even twice if the conditions are right. Each person on these boats has paid a considerable amount of money to go out for a day, or a half a day… they make quite a profit.

Federal fishing management gets involved in local issues that should be taken care of by the Fish and Game, who should be allowed to manage their own territory. We have too many bureaucrats not knowing what they’re talking about. They’ve never been on the water and have no idea what it is that we do.

What about concerns for over-fishing or endangering marine habitats?

I would say that the best thing that the Pacific Fishery Management has done was 5 years ago when they took drag-boats off the ocean. These vessels would basically plow the sea floor, killing the benthic habitat. I used to work on one years ago, and it was probably the most destructive thing I’ve ever seen. Everything that came up was dead, and a good 75% of what did come up got dumped over the side for not meeting certain requirements (size, etc.).

Legislation for our waters has pretty much taken its cue from the East coast where the Atlantic was stripped. They pretty much learned their lesson when restrictions weren’t in place as a preventative measure. Moderation is the key.

Why is it important to keep local fishing alive?

It’s very important. Not only is it part of my heritage and my life, it's part of our culture. A lot of lives are at stake… it’s a chain reaction for the people that this dilemma affects. This industry, no matter what scale, provides a lot of jobs. Whether it’s the fisherman, the deckhand, or the guy who catches the bait we use, there’s a significant number of people and their families involved.

How long have you been selling at the Marin Farmers Market?

Six years

Do you have any special memories of the market?

Just meeting people in general. I like making new friends and enjoy the community atmosphere. I’ve got customers I’ve known for years. My wife Trudy and I have great memories of our kids all working on the boat and at the market. Everybody knows my daughter, Anna. She’s 15 years old and pretty much runs my kitchen. I’ve got my whole family here.

What should a customer look for in your product?

Our specialty is that we smoke-roast our salmon. We’re the only ones that do that – we call it “smoasted.” We’re also cooking live crab and smoking it right there. Quality, freshness, and good service are our trademarks.

Why should people support farmers markets, rather than shopping at the grocery store?

You're supporting the local family man. Everyone you buy from is knowledgeable about their product and it’s the freshest stuff available. With my fish, we’ll catch it, cook it and pack it Saturday. We take it to sell on Sunday. When you deal with supermarkets and the commercial side of the business, it could be up to 5 days before the fish gets on display and they’re going to sell you what they’ve already got before you get the new stuff. Plus it’s an experience just going there. The atmosphere is great and the variety is incredible.