Shogun Fish

Fisheries: California Wild King Salmon; California Halibut; California Albacore.

HISTORY/PHILOSOPHY: Larry is third-generation Japanese- American. He was born in an internment camp in Tule Lake, and grew up in a family that farmed pears and peaches in Placer County. He's a Vietnam veteran who had a career working as a computer programmer for the state of California. He started sport-fishing in the mid-1970s, and would spend his weekends fishing for striped bass and salmon. In 1997, he retired from his career in order to focus on commercial fishing. His wife Rosalyn works full-time, and he says this is the crucial formula to make a small-scale fishing business like his successful: a working wife.

Larry has become an activist in the fight against salmon farming, and in the promotion of small-scale, sustainable fisheries. He is a member of the California Salmon Council, which recently received a grant to work towards receiving Marine Stewardship Council certification as a sustainable fishery.

Harveting Methods: Larry goes out in his 40-foot boat alone for up to three days at a time, and only fishes until he's caught what he thinks he can sell at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and the Sunday market in Sacramento. He fishes from the beginning of salmon season on May 1 to the end of the season in October, and everything he catches comes from within about a 100 miles of San Francisco.

Larry's troller is equipped with six stainless steel cables with lead weights on the bottom, and hooked leaders that are spaced about 15 feet apart. The leaders also have lures, called "hootchies" or "spoons" that attract the attention of the salmon, much like bait. When there's a pull on the line, he pulls up the leaders to check for fish, and removes the salmon. Cohos must be thrown back into the water, as well as any King salmon that doesn't measure 26 inches or longer. When he's caught enough fish to sell at the two markets, he goes back home. A typical three-day fishing trip can yield anywhere from 0 fish to 60 or 70. He needs to catch about 20-25 in order to make it worthwhile to go to market. Fish are kept in refrigerated seawater on his boat.

WORKERS: None. Larry fishes alone, and he and Roz manage farmers markets sales alone. The salmon are filleted and prepared for sale in a licensed, inspected facility.

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION: There is no organic certification for wild fisheries.