Commercial fishermen are facing tough times working off Southern California. It I said that their landings of squid are barely more than a quarter of what they were in 2000. Seasonal quotas on other seafood are so low that they can be reached in as little as a week. Still, the most problematic catch for what’s left of a once-flourishing fleet is sometimes encountered on land.
The mina hauls are squid, sardines and mackerel, which are bound for Asia. But first they must be flash-frozen, and freezer space is in short supply, forcing some fishermen to roam as far inland as downtown Los Angeles in search of it. Ron Misetich, a 69-year-old retired fisherman, said that fishermen are facing lots of trouble after catching a couple of hundred tons of fish they have to beg other companies for space to freeze it.
The Port of Los Angeles plans to build a 30,000-square-foot flash freezer on an empty lot near Tuna and Cannery, streets named in an era when the location was home to the largest commercial fishing fleet in the nation. Misetich said that the freezer would be a big deal as it would save us money and time. He added that they wouldn’t have transport costs. And in an economy like this, it would mean a few more local jobs running it too.
The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners has expressed support for the plan, which would cost about $5.3 million. The board would have to come up with $1.1 million for the freezer’s construction. About $4.2 million would come from a grant that would have to be approved by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Port officials say they hope the grant will be approved as early as autumn.
