Families of Fish

“It’s like a matchmaker for fishermen and chefs,” says Tanner Saraspe of her new networking platform Local Fish, part of Saraspe Seafoods’ latest venture in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

With her lifetime of experience in San Diego waters, third-generation fisher Tanner works to get seafood from boat to chef—a simple-sounding feat that is actually hard to navigate, with a tangled net of regulations and a supply chain that favors wholesalers and exporters. “Chefs need consistency, and fishing doesn’t provide that,” she says. “Fish move, seasons come and go, weather changes.”

Through Local Fish, fishermen create customized business profiles highlighting what they catch, seasonality, and delivery area. Chefs apply to find matches: species to feature, suppliers of certain fish, even fishermen who rush catch to kitchens for a hyper-local, hyper-fresh dish. “It’s a targeted clientele,” Tanner says, “chefs who are able and willing to alter menus for seasonal changes.” Callie’s Travis Swikard is on that list: He hooked up with Janelle Louis and Doug Dirkse, who use deep-set buoy gear to catch swordfish.

Tanner is most passionate about opportunities for younger fishermen to embrace technology to perpetuate their livelihood. “I’ve spent my life building up relationships with restaurants, bringing live shrimp in buckets with air stones through the back of the kitchen. I want to share my fabulous Rolodex of chefs with these young [fishermen] to help them sell direct while telling their own stories.” With both a new baby boy and a commercial fishing boat, Tanner and her growing family continue the tradition her grandfather began in San Diego in the 1950s. “Our family alone can’t meet the demand,” Tanner says. “I’m excited to be a resource for this new generation.”

The next generation of San Diego Seafood’s Strangman family is also taking the helm. Since she spearheaded the merge of SD Seafood with Catalina Offshore Products in November 2023, second-generation fishmonger Brittany Strangman has learned the story behind every product in the market.

“This is Stanley Tucci’s favorite pasta, which pairs really well with our fish,” Strangman says. “These trays of uni are from here in San Diego. Sushi is prepared in-house. And this is my favorite,” she points to a three-inch thick glistening red fillet of toro. “It’s Bluefina bluefin tuna.” It’s “ranched” bluefin—meaning collected from the wild, penned in the open ocean, and fed a healthy diet until harvest time.

Brittany worked alongside mom Kathy Strangman, owner of San Diego Seafood, from an early age to gain this lifelong knowledge. “We had to work our way up, no special treatment,” Brittany says. She and her older brother Tanner Strangman took the lead in the family business in 2021. Brittany does the books, logistics, and PR, and she’s a steadfast presence at COP. Tanner Strangman is in sales, works with local fishermen, and “knows everything about every fish.” Their younger brother Dillan works for SD Seafood while attending UCSD.

Brittany loves that chefs and home cooks post on social media showcasing unusual fish and how to prepare various cuts. “It educates our customers on what’s out there, and we start getting questions about different fish,” she says. Plus, it’s the perfect way to communicate what’s fresh off the boats: “We have always done tuna offloads, but now we’re also able to promote bycatch—like opah, monchong, ono—that we can find a market for.”

Nothing gets thrown away at COP; fishermen use flotsam for bait, compostable shells go to Stehly Farms for fertilizer, and chefs use fish heads and tails for broth. “We get college kids all the way up to people in their 90s [at the shop] wanting to eat healthier. We make sure everyone has access to affordable and sustainable seafood,” Brittany shares.

Jordyn Kastlunger has dedicated her life to local, sustainable seafood. As the third generation of a San Diego commercial fishing family, Jordyn was on the dock with her dad Martin when Tuna Harbor Dockside Market debuted in 2015. She set to work promoting the new market and stuck with it through Covid-19, saving it from crashing by pioneering online orders and curbside pickup. She still runs that program, along with communications for the market, and she’s happy to report that Tuna Harbor ranks in the top three fresh seafood markets in the state. Jordyn joined the executive committee of Local Catch Network in 2019, launched Fishin Chicks in her early 20s, and two years ago took a job as fisheries marketing specialist for Rhode Island’s seafood program. Through storytelling, she connects consumers to fishermen in their communities.

“People forget that fishermen are regular people too,” Jordyn says. “When you hear their stories, it gives people an understanding of where their food comes from.”

Jordyn and her team maintain an interactive map of where to buy regionally sourced seafood, and she’s exploring her new Atlantic coast home by going out on boats with fisherfolk who supply local markets and restaurants.

“Try something new that a fisherman recommends,” Jordyn encourages. “A fisherman would not lead you down the wrong path—and you might find something new you like while knowing who you’re supporting.”
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» getlocalfish.com

» catalinaop.com

» thdocksidemarket.com

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Hero image: Maria Hesse.

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