San Diego Area Commercial Fishing
Harvesting the Ocean chronicles the rise and eventual decline of San Diego’s commercial fishing industry—once hailed as the tuna capital of the world. This exhibit explores the dynamic history of an industry that transformed the local economy and left an enduring mark on the cultural fabric of the region. Visitors will discover how innovative fishing techniques and technological advancements fueled rapid growth, and how shifting economic conditions, environmental change, and evolving regulations later reshaped the industry.
Through a rich collection of artifacts, historic photographs, and personal narratives, Harvesting the Ocean offers an intimate look at the people and machinery that powered this once-thriving waterfront. The exhibit has recently expanded to more fully illuminate the multicultural communities and living traditions that helped define San Diego’s commercial fishing story.
Fishing Communities of San Diego
Building on the broader history, the expanded exhibit highlights the fishermen, cannery workers, and families whose lives were intertwined with the sea. New displays and interpretive panels bring forward firsthand voices and community stories, showing fishing not only as an industry, but as a way of life shaped by skill, cooperation, and traditions passed from one generation to the next.
Newly added sections recognize the vital contributions of San Diego’s Mexican, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, and Chinese fishing communities. Each brought distinct techniques, innovations, and cultural knowledge that helped shape local fisheries—from tuna and sardines to abalone and rockfish. Neighborhoods such as Barrio Logan and Little Italy, along with coastal fishing camps, docks, and canneries, became centers of labor and cultural exchange where the rhythms of the working waterfront influenced daily life ashore.
The exhibit also traces the evolution of fishing practices from early hand-line and baitboat methods to modern, regulated fisheries shaped by environmental awareness and sustainability. A featured short film, Tides of Tradition, connects past and present through firsthand narration and archival imagery, honoring the resilience of fishing families and the enduring relationship between San Diego and the sea.
