News From the Top Deck


(Photo credit: Bruce Martinelli. Flash frozen albacore tuna) We often get asked, ” is fresh seafood better than frozen?”, and our resounding answer is – no, that is a myth! Many people believe that “fresh” seafood that is “never frozen” directly reflects the level of quality. However, the moment seafood is caught or harvested, it … Continued

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Outlaw Ocean Article: The Crimes Behind the Seafood You Eat

November 30, 2023

I’ve been following the work of author Ian Urbina and the Outlaw Ocean Project for many years. If you are unfamiliar, the Outlaw Ocean Project is a non-profit journalism organization based in Washington D.C. that produces investigative stories about human rights, labor, and environmental concerns that take place in oceans around the world. In October, … Continued

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Standing Up for Our Fishers: An Unsatisfying Conclusion

September 8, 2023

Back in early June, we shared a story about our halibut fisher, Doug Kostering and DFO’s seizure of his catch. It’s been a long bumpy road this summer with an unsatisfying conclusion so we feel it is the right time for an update.  As a recap, our longtime halibut fisher, Doug Kostering, was accused by … Continued

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Standing Up for Our Fishers: A Message from Sonia

June 8, 2023

The reason I co-founded Skipper Otto with my husband Shaun, was to stand up for and support independent fishing families, and this mission has never been more important. On Friday June 2nd, armed DFO officers visited both our Fisherman’s Wharf location in False Creek, Vancouver, as well as our cold storage facility in Surrey, BC, … Continued

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Stronger Together: BC Young Fishermen’s Gathering

April 18, 2023

The fishing industry in Canada has been really good at breaking apart connections over the last 150 years. It has separated consumers from harvesters through long complex supply chains; pitted Indigenous and non-Indigenous harvesters against one another and moved the industry out of the hands of independent families. The resulting scarcity mentality and pervasive “us … Continued

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I’m bursting with hope and optimism following the Fisheries for Communities Gathering this past month in Victoria, and I couldn’t resist sharing my excitement with all of you (the Skipper Otto community). When Canadian politicians come together with thoughtful, cross-party support for a grassroots issue that helps independent fishing families – it should be celebrated! … Continued

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Independent fishing families need your help: sign the petition!

February 24, 2023

Since we started Skipper Otto in 2008, our goal has always been to fight for the rights of individual harvesters and coastal First Nations, to ensure the value of the fisheries flow into –  not away from – our communities. One of the most beautiful things about the Skipper Otto community is that folks like … Continued

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Baby on Board – Fishing is a Family Affair!

May 24, 2019

Pilar Martinelli, one of our lingcod fishermen, sent us this story about fishing as a family. Pilar describes the joy of including her toddler on their commercial fishing journeys! I find that most people are puzzled, worried, or shocked by the idea of taking a toddler on a working commercial fish boat, but for the … Continued

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A Huge Win for Independent Fishermen

May 11, 2019

You’ve probably heard us talk about how difficult it is for fishing families to make a living fishing because of policies around ownership of licenses and quotas in BC that favour large corporations and foreign investors over individual fishing families. And we’re so excited to have some good news to share on the topic! Let … Continued

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Operation Pomfret

May 10, 2019

Pilar Martinelli, from one of our lingcod fishing families, sends this report from their ongoing lingcod fishing trip this month. This month’s story depicts the journey of a school of Pomfret fish along the Klaskino Inlet. Fishing is fishing. Day in, day out, there isn’t much variance outside the seas, winds, and weather. Some days … Continued

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Jamie

Member since 2018

"We love knowing that our fish is fresh and ethically caught, are are even happier knowing exactly WHO caught the pieces we are are enjoying and where they were fished from…"