Over 90% of the seafood consumed in the United States of America is imported. In San Diego, California, a fleet of dedicated commercial boat captains...and a hard-driving fishmonger, are working to change the way we get our fish. Tommy checks in with Chef Davin Waite over at The Wrench and Rodent Seabastro Pub in Oceanside.
American commercial fishermen harvest sustainable fish responsibly and they have to abide by rules and regulations that international fishermen do not. San Diego fishermen would much prefer a level playing field where farmers of the sea across the globe play by the same set of rules. They have have banded together for a common cause, but there's still plenty of work to be done.
Edible sea creatures that live on the ocean floor are targeted and marketed by San Diego commercial fishermen. The spiny lobsters off the coast of California are different from their cousins in New England, but they're just as delicious. Tommy sits down with Chef Victor Jimenez from the Cowboy Star restaurant in San Diego, for his take on the famous Lobster Roll.
The Pacific Ocean is loaded with delicious fish that you might not have heard of, like Mongchong. Tommy the Fishmonger catches up with a few of his pals at the San Diego Dockside Market and then heads over to Wrench and Rodent where Chef Davin Waite prepares an unforgettable feast for the eyes.
One of Tommy Gomes's favorite sayings is: Good fish isn't cheap and cheap fish isn't good. Tommy explores the cost of American fish and the impact of multigenerational fishing families in San Diego. He sits down with the Hawkins family to talk fishing with family, and Chef Phillip Esteban prepares a traditional dish with Box Crab.
American commercial fishermen are passionate about what they do. Find out why it's best to support them while getting the best seafood on the planet. If you're in San Diego, the Dockside Market is the best place to meet the commercial fishermen and buy fresh fish right off the boat. Tommy talks with Chef Anthony Pascal about why he buys fresh fish daily for his sushi restaurant Saiko Sushi.
Tommy reconnects with an old sea urchin diver buddy. Learn about life with an all-female commercial fishing crew and find out what's being done by commercial fishermen to breathe new life into a former logging boomtown.
Meeting increasing demands by consumers, aquaculture farmers along the central coast of California show Tommy Gomes what it takes to raise oysters and abalone. A Michelin star chef prepares abalone and Tommy makes a Hangtown Fry.
Sitka, Alaska is a typical Alaskan fishing town. Tommy learns what it takes to supply the world with the best wild caught salmon. There's a sense of community and helping out each other. Tommy also explores the culinary side of Sitka.
Tommy Gomes answers questions on how to catch, clean, cook and make the most of your harvested or purchased fish. Joining him is his chef buddy, Chris Logan.
Follow the fish from the Gulf of Mexico to a local restaurant near Mobile, AL. Join a dedicated and passionate crew of 4 whose goal is quit their "regular" jobs and fish full time. Tommy connects with a shrimper with a story to tell.
Tommy heads to Cape May, NJ he connects with the folks at Lund's Fisheries to explore a large-scale operation and a fish called Porgy.
Based in Newport, California, Bear Flag Fish Company does it all. They fish, process, sell to consumers and wholesalers and So. Cal. restaurants. Tommy Gomes connects with Bear Flag to see how it's done.
It's not for everyone, but is it for you? Becoming a commercial fisherman is a challenge to most folks, but it you can handle days at sea, marginal living conditions and sea sickness, you might just have a chance.
Tommy reconnects with John Fee of Lund's Fisheries and they're talking scallops, seafood auctions, the New Bedford restaurant scene, and Tommy gets a private tour of a historic Nantucket Lightship.
Lobster is the bedrock industry for many residents of the state of Maine. It's a sustainable fishery that's been responsibly managed, but faces new and growing threats. Tommy also tests the limits of his ability to eat lobster rolls.
Tommy does a deep dive on fisherman's coops, explores an almost 40 year oyster company, and gets to sample some incredible food from a super secret test kitchen.
Tommy is in Virginia for blue crab, and the highly invasive blue catfish. It's a shocking ordeal to get the blue cats on the dinner plate. There's aqua culture, and a race track.
Tommy goes aboard the Benthic Mariner and behind the scenes of the Atlantic Red Crab company with owner, Jon Williams - a pillar of the American commercial fishing industry.
Tommy joins the folks at Bevan's Oyster Company for a detailed look at how they raise and harvest some of the highest quality oysters in the world. He's got fish oil on the brain, and learns all about the science behind fish protein.
Johnny Shucks, of Shucks Maine Lobster, invites Tommy for a tour of a lobster processing facility like no other. Come for the Big Mother Shucker. Stay for the lobster ceviche.
Tommy is back on his home turf selling fish from his new shop, Tunavilla Market and Grocery. The mad scientists at Wrench and Rodent are up to something good. And Tommy learns about what could be the future of seafood.
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