Rebuilt with Purpose.
The unified voice of California’s working fishermen
California’s oldest and strongest commercial fishing organization
what we stand for
PCFFA is the statewide organization of California’s commercial fishing associations, led by working fishermen from every major fishery and port. Rebuilt by the fleet itself, PCFFA brings experience, credibility, and a clear voice to the table focused on keeping fishing viable, honoring the ocean we depend on, and securing a future for the next generation of working fishermen. That same mindset shapes how we operate.
Fishermen are problem solvers by nature. They fix what breaks, adapt to what changes, and keep going when conditions turn against them. We don’t chase headlines or fight for credit. We focus on identifying real problems, understanding them fully, and finding practical, lasting solutions that keep fishermen working and fisheries sustainable.
PCFFA stands for professionalism, credibility, and collaboration. We show up prepared, focus on results, and work with anyone committed to keeping fishing viable, from state and federal decision-makers to other harvester organizations, agricultural partners, and science and conservation groups that share our goals. When cooperation works, we lean in. When it doesn’t, we hold the line. That balance takes judgment and perspective, reflected in our leadership made up of active fishermen who know what’s at stake, bring real experience to the table, and stand for doing the work, not just talking about it.
our leadership
PCFFA’s leadership reflects the new generation guiding California’s commercial fishing industry forward. Active fishermen, together with an Executive Director deeply connected to the fleet who keeps the work focused and coordinated, make the organization strong, accountable, and focused on results that matter to working people and the future of this coast.
Every member of PCFFA’s board is an active commercial fisherman, representing the diversity of California’s ports and fisheries. More about the board and their stories coming soon.
George BradshawPresident-PCFFA
Executive Director- PCFFA & IFR
Sarah BatesPresident -IFR
Lisa Damroschwhy our work matters
California’s commercial fishing fleet is fighting to survive under the weight of policies that have lost balance. Environmental ambition has outpaced practical management, piling on rules and restrictions that make it harder for working fishermen to stay on the water, even in some of the most sustainable fisheries in the world.
Commercial fishing isn’t the problem. Fishermen are food producers, economy drivers, ocean stewards, and problem solvers. But too often, the fleet is left carrying the cost of policies driven by ideology instead of evidence. PCFFA keeps showing up, speaking with the voice of the fleet, and working with decision-makers for balanced, reasonable regulations guided by real science that protect ocean resources and preserve opportunity for the people and ports that depend on them.
who we represent & where we work
PCFFA’s strength comes from its members, commercial fishing associations and fishermen representing every major port and fishery along California’s coast. From Crescent City to San Diego, our members bring practical knowledge from the water and deep roots in the communities that depend on fishing.
Our board is made up entirely of active commercial fishermen who represent this diversity of ports and fisheries. Each port association brings its own local perspective and experience, and together they form a unified voice that connects California’s working waterfronts to state and federal decision-makers.
PCFFA’s reach is broad, but its foundation is simple: local fishermen and communities working together to keep seafood local, sustain coastal economies, and preserve California’s working waterfronts for the next generation.
The Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR) is PCFFA’s nonprofit partner organization. While PCFFA focuses on policy and advocacy, IFR carries the same fleet-driven mission into habitat restoration, science, and legal advocacy. Together they form a complete effort to protect ocean resources, strengthen coastal economies, and build a future where sustainable, working fisheries thrive.
