Maritime Museum dives deep into San Diego’s commercial fishing industry – San Diego Union-Tribune

In the Curator’s Words is an occasional series that takes a critical look at current exhibitions through the eyes of curators.

In the late 1850s, Chinese immigrants who moved to California after the 1848 Gold Rush began settling in San Diego, many flocking here because of the fishing industry.

In the La Playa neighborhood of San Diego — nestled along the bay in the Point Loma peninsula — “they built a thriving community with shipbuilding, drying racks and abundant catches, especially abalone.”

That’s just one of the many historical facts about San Diego’s commercial fishing industry that can be found at the Maritime Museum of San Diego, where a longtime exhibition called “Harvesting the Ocean” recently got a refresh.

Kevin Sheehan, the Maritime Museum’s collections manager, curator, archivist and librarian, talks about the exhibit and the history of the fishing industry in San Diego.

In the exhibiting “Harvesting the Ocean,” the Maritime Museum of San Diego explores the history of San Diego’s commercial fishing industry. (Maritime Museum of San Diego)

Q: The exhibit “Harvesting the Ocean” takes a look at the rise and fall of San Diego’s commercial fishing industry. Briefly tell us what it was like during the heyday of that industry in San Diego. 

A: In its heyday in the mid-20th century, the commercial fishing industry in San Diego was a major employer, both at sea and also on land. Dozens of fishing boats, with crews that were often associated with specific cultural identities — for example, Italian or Portuguese — were homeported here in San Diego.

The fishermen themselves found inspiration in ancestral labor traditions that had been imported from homelands far away and adapted to a new life in California.

There was also significant cross-cultural communication and adaptation associated with this industry. For example, the practice of bamboo long-pole fishing was developed and introduced here by Japanese fishermen and then rapidly adopted by others.

On shore, canneries employed hundreds of workers. Whole families cooperated together, with different generations contributing to one or other aspect of the fishing industry — catching, cleaning and canning, marketing and sales, as well as boat and net maintenance.

Looking north along the Embarcadero in front of the County Administration building, you would have seen dozens of fishing boats tied up. That vista is now gone, but the memory lives on in the fishing community of San Diego.

Q: This exhibit, I hear, is not new but has recently been refreshed. What was done most recently and why? 

A: The newer aspects of our “Harvesting the Ocean” exhibit focus on the relationship between community, fishing and seafood. The museum has, in fact, been doing this for decades, not only through our exhibits, but also in collecting and preserving material culture associated with the local fishing industry, and publishing extensive histories and narratives in our journal “Mains’l Haul.”

We have indeed been the community memory for generations. This latest iteration of the fishing exhibit seeks to add new life and color to our displays paying tribute to the fishing industry in San Diego.

Food has a way of creating both identity and also building bridges between peoples of different traditions and customs. The dynamic, adaptive nature of the local seafood industry clearly demonstrates this. Part of the inspiration for this exhibit came from the recent publication of a cookbook that tells the story of seven distinct groups that have been vital in the evolution of fishing and the production of seafood in San Diego: Kumeyaay, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, Mexican and, finally, the multicultural environment we all live in.

Featuring local fishermen, community leaders, scholars and chefs, “San Diego Seafood: Then and Now” was produced with the assistance of the California Sea Grant. This cookbook is, in fact, much more than a collection of recipes. It provides a clear overview of the history of the main communities associated with fishing in San Diego and also highlights their seafood cuisine. Its authors also advocate for sustainable fishing and seafood consumption. The cookbook is on sale in the museum gift store.

Q: What are some of the most surprising things you learned when you were curating this exhibit? 

A: First up, while I was very much involved as curator, I consider this a community effort. We relied on experts and authors from many different groups. The text, images and material culture we were able to gather and present demonstrate both continuity and also dramatic change and evolution.

Personally, I never realized the importance of the Chinese and Japanese communities for the development of fishing in Southern California. I also gained a new appreciation for the history and memory associated with what might be considered fairly mundane artifacts — industrial tools in a sense — that are currently used in the fishing industry or have been over time.

Perhaps one of the most enjoyable aspects of curating this exhibit was meeting some of the community leaders in the local fishing industry, too — people like Tommy Gomes and Peter Halmay, for example.

Q: What do you hope visitors will take away from seeing this exhibit? 

A: I hope visitors come away with a few impressions. Firstly, we have a fairly gritty video playing that shows where the fish on your plate comes from. Fishing is arduous and sometimes dangerous work. Visitors should realize that sustainability is an ongoing challenge, and that they need to look carefully on the labels on their food, informing themselves of where it was caught and by whom.

Supporting the local fishing industry might be a little more expensive, but the quality and freshness of the catch is guaranteed. Plus, you’re connecting with local people and supporting their commitment to the industry, and their livelihoods.

I’d also hope that the exhibit and the cookbook encourage visitors to be a little adventurous. Try some new recipes and taste something different. Finally, be aware that you’re connecting with many different local traditions, spanning generations, but also very much alive in the present.

In the exhibiting “Harvesting the Ocean,” the Maritime Museum of San Diego explores the history of San Diego’s commercial fishing industry. (Maritime Museum of San Diego)
Maritime Museum of San Diego presents “Harvesting the Ocean”

When: Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the last entry at 4 p.m.

Where: 1492 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego

Tickets: Adults $28; military and seniors 62 and above $20; youth 6 to 17 $15; children 5 and under free.

Online: sdmaritime.org