A big drop in the pacific sardine population

A small fish is taking a big hit on the west coast.

This is according to a recent study by the National Marine Fisheries Service
and the Pacific Fishery Management Council.

They say that since 2006 there has been a 97% decrease in the pacific
sardine population spanning from Mexico to British Columbia.A big change from the early 1900’s when the canning business was booming in Monterey. Because of this there are now only short seasons for fisherman to catch them… Which aren’t open every year.

And while the studies show that the sardine population is taking a big hit..
Local fisherman we talked to think otherwise.

Gaspar Catanzaro (Corporate Chef and Sales Rep, Monterey Fishing Co.) says, “Not by what our guys tell us. Because when our guys were fishing them.. They were catching them, you know… So it’s like the anchovies, they one time said there was no anchovies and our guys see tons of them out there.”

Catanzaro also says that for a while nobody wanted sardines.. But in the past 5 to 6 years people have been going crazy for them.