Fort Bragg Groundfish Association

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Located in scenic, Northern California, the Fort Bragg Groundfish Association (FBGA) has been providing an array of fresh, sustainable groundfish products to California residents for years. 

A member of the California Groundfish Collective, FBGA is working to create new opportunities for Fort Bragg fishermen and their community. FBGA works with their fishermen to establish new partners, secure and explore new investment and business opportunities, and to increase awareness.  Among their community initiatives is their work in establishing programs that provide nutritious seafood for middle and high school students in the Fort Bragg School District. They have also worked with Trace and Trust to develop an app that allows diners to find restaurants based on the type of seafood, meat, or produce that has recently been delivered. Users can even use this tool and see where fish caught by FBGA members is currently being sold and which FBGA member caught their fish. 

FBGA recognizes the importance of protecting the delicate balance of the ocean. FBGA members have worked with The Nature Conservancy to launch eCatch. eCatch is a an application that allows fishermen to easily capture logbook information, visualize catch data on web-based maps, estimate catch, and share information. The data is then used to update regional fishing plans as well as to inform stakeholders about environmental and economic gains in the fishery. FBGA has also partnered with The Nature Conservancy to launch a community-focused fishing agreement called a “risk pool.” This endeavor establishes an insurance pool of overfished species quota that maximizes conservation and economic opportunities while allowing communities to retain their access to fish. 

The California Groundfish Collective is a group of fishermen along the coast of California that have teamed up to adapt our businesses to create healthier oceans, and better, more productive fisheries. We’re partnering with the Nature Conservancy and each other using innovative technology to share data to map and direct our fishing, and protect sensitive species and habitats. Together we’re creating healthier oceans and stronger fishing businesses in our communities. 

The California Groundfish Collective is made up of fishing associations from Fort Bragg, Half Moon Bay, and Morro Bay. Working with the Nature Conservancy we’re securing our communities’ fishing heritage and bringing in fresh local seafood. These collaborative efforts have resulted in the highest sustainability rankings from the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program of ‘Green/Best Choice’ for our seafood.