Our Story
The Saraspe family has been servicing the San Diego area since the early ‘50s. The family’s fleet was established in 1952 when Lauro Saraspe built his first skiff. Unlike the average college student, he fished the early mornings before class and would drive around selling that morning’s catch to restaurants and wholesalers at lunchtime. He was one of the first fishermen in San Diego to supply Chesapeake Fish Co. and Anthony’s Fish Grotto.
The fascination with fishing all started with Lauro, a father to three children, and grandfather to seven. Lauro’s children accompanied him on many of his fishing trips to San Clemente Island, sometimes for weeks at a time. His two daughters, Elizabeth and Alexandra and his son Andy maintain a true love for the ocean that was imprinted at a young age.
Adapting over the years, Lauro Saraspe decided to venture into new fisheries. He transitioned to Spot Prawn fishing in the early 1980s and has been trap fishing for prawn for over 38 years. The Spot Prawn fishery in California is limited to 16 permits making it an extremely regulated limited-entry fishery. Today, Andy holds one of the 16 Spot Prawn permits in all of California.
As a family, we are determined to change the way local products are marketed. In 2015, we shifted our family business from selling straight to distributors and instead built a brand that is geared towards serving the greater community and supporting sustainable food systems. Living in a multi-generational fishing family, we hold onto a tenet that all fishermen know; suffering is temporary, but the pride in our work and gifts of our experiences are long-lasting. As a family fleet of artisanal fishermen we understand the importance of preserving our resources for the next generations to come. It is our goal to make our locally-caught products more accessible for the direct consumer, allowing them to get a taste of real freshness.
MASTERS OF OUR CRAFT
We take pride in the three-generations of commercial fishing in San Diego. We dare you to find a family who has been doing it longer.
APPROVED BY THE FUTURE
Our fishing techniques and commitment to sustainable harvest methods ensure our children will be able to carry on our fishery into the future.
FAMILY OWNED & BOAT OPERATED
It is challenging at times working with family, but its also the most rewarding. The woman in the family run the land-side distribution while the men run the boats offshore.
Local Doorstep Delivery Now Available!
We are remaining vigilant in our efforts to feed the community during this uncertain time. We are actively working to ensure the safety of customers and fishermen. The U.S. FDA has stated that there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with the spread of COVID-19. California is restricting business operations to minimize social contact, mayors and governors have called upon residents to use delivery and pickup services instead. To ensure the safety of our consumers and fishermen, we are not partaking in the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market at this time. Instead, we are offering no-contact doorstep delivery to your home. The health and safety of our team of fishermen and customers remains our top priority.