Sustainable seafood and the local seafood culture in San Diego, as guided by unique characters, is featured in a new Outdoor Channel series, The Fishmonger. Hosted by Tommy Gomes, aka Tommy the Fishmonger, the show examines the challenges faced by San Diego, Calf. commercial fishermen and their relationships with local chefs, the community and the world market. Gomes is determined to put San Diego back on the map as a major fishing port. A native San Diegan whose Portuguese family settled in the city in 1892, Gomes hails from a long line of professional tuna fishermen. After retiring from commercial fishing, he landed a job in 2003 as a fish cutter. He evolved into the role of fishmonger, becoming the seafood suppliers public face and helping grow the brand beyond its wholesale origins. In 2011, Gomes charisma and seafood expertise landed him on San Diego Magazines list of 50 People to Watch. By 2012 he had opened Catalina Offshore Products Seafood Education and Nutrition Center a fish market that attracts customers from around the world, including top chefs and media. He had also founded Collaboration Kitchen, a nonprofit dinner series focused on seafood education. An outspoken champion of local and sustainable seafood, he promotes responsible fishing practices and zero-waste consumption. His pioneering approach to opah, specifically, led to an emerging market for several edible parts of the fish that historically have been overlooked. His work was a significant component in Catalina Offshore receiving a substantial grant in 2019 in collaboration with NOAA Fisheries which was aimed at increasing the value of San Diegos local fisheries. He is on a mission to put the freshest seafood from San Diegos commercial fishermen on Americas dinner tables. In his spare time, Gomes can be found on the local restaurant scene, watching hockey, or taking his boat, motorcycle or 55 Ford pickup for a ride.Watch The Fishmonger on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. ET on Outdoor Channel. Find Outdoor Channel in your area by visiting https://www.outdoorchannel.com/channelfinder.aspxWatch The Sporting Chef on Sportsman Channel http://www.thesportsmanchannel.com/show/the-sporting-chef/81987 Watch Dead Meat on Sportsman Channelhttps://www.thesportsmanchannel.com/show/dead-meat/81974More recipes at http://thesportingchef.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesportingchef Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sportingchef Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/sportingchef Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sportingchef
