Our Community Initiatives
At the San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group (SDFWG), our mission extends beyond the docks. We believe that fresh, local seafood should nourish not only our coastal economy but also the people who call this region home.
Through partnerships with local nonprofits, food banks, and grant-making foundations, we’ve created community programs that bring high-quality, sustainably caught seafood to San Diegans in need. From meals prepared for seniors and homeless shelters to fresh-frozen seafood packages for families, these initiatives strengthen the bond between our fishing community and the broader public.
Together, we’re proving that supporting local fishermen also means supporting food security, health, and resilience across San Diego.
Fish to Families
At the beginning of the pandemic, the San Diego Fisherman’s Working Group (SDFWG) saw the need to help the region’s food insecure. The group created a program called “Fish to Families” to provide nutritious meals featuring local seafood as the primary protein source.
The program reached the community through support from a series of grants from San Diego Foundation and a partnership with local nonprofit Craft Meals to prepare and distribute the meals. The SDFWG worked with a couple dozen local fishermen to provide a variety of fresh, locally-landed seafood, including yellow and blue fin tuna, albacore tuna, opah, rock fish, swordfish and more.
Additional grants were awarded from Catch Together (Walton Family Foundation), the Dr. Seuss Foundation, the Aqualia International Foundation and The Gerald T. & Inez Grant Parker Foundation. The SDFWG is grateful to these granting foundations which enabled the SDFWG and Craft Meals to distribute approximately 72,000 complete meals to senior and homeless centers, and to recent-immigrant communities.
According to SDFWG President Pete Halmay, “The Fish to Families program is a great way to connect the region’s commercial fishermen with the community.” The SDFWG is applying for additional grants to continue Fish to Families.
Supporting Our Community
The Fish to Families initiative connects San Diego’s local fishermen with hunger-relief programs, ensuring fresh, healthy seafood reaches families in need. By bridging the gap between the docks and the community, this program strengthens food security while supporting our working waterfront.
Learn more about this impactful program through these features:
Jacobs and Cushman Food Bank Partnership
The SDFWG has partnered with the Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank to provide fresh-frozen, packaged seafood for distribution through the Food Bank through a $100,000 US Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant. 7,148 fresh-frozen seafood packages were delivered for distribution by the Food Bank.
“Our partnership with the San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group brings more than just food to the table—it brings high-quality fish directly from our coast to individuals and families who need it, especially as one in four San Diegans are nutrition insecure,” said Casey Castillo, chief executive officer of SDFB. “The Food Bank is proud to support the local fishing industry, which is integral to San Diego.”
The SDFWG hopes to continue this program in 2025 and beyond as additional funding is made available.