Monterey's Commercial Fishing Fleet

Monterey Harbor was home to a commercial fishing fleet that once supported the largest sardine fishing industry in the world, flourishing until the late 1940's. Commercial fishing here was pioneered and developed by Sicilian fishermen whose courage and vision contributed significantly to Monterey's history and culture. Monterey Bay continues to rank as one of the major fishing areas on the West Coast. The Santa Maria, an original Monterey-style boat with a distinctive bow and rounded stern, was designed for these waters and is internationally known as a double-ender. Built in 1918, she was skippered by three generations of the Sal Di Franco family, who fished this bay from the turn of the century. In 1975, the Fisherman's Wharf Association purchased the Santa Maria and, with the City of Monterey, created a living tribute to the memory of the fishermen who played an important role in the economic and spiritual growth of the Monterey Bay area.

Monterey, California · United States