Species & Seasons
Diverse catch, all year long.
The Santa Barbara Channel is one of the nation's richest sources of bountiful, sustainable and high-quality seafood.
Santa Barbara's harbor has over 100 small-boat fishermen who catch 6-10 million pounds of seafood annually, bringing in $30 million in economic benefit to the local community.
Our fishermen bring in wild-caught white sea bass, black cod, ling cod, yellowtail, rockfishes, halibut, swordfish, tuna, king salmon, thresher shark, urchin, crab, shrimp, lobster, whelk, sea cucumber - more than 50species in total!
Santa Barbara is also home to eco-friendly farming of oysters, mussels and abalone.
The best way to get local seafood is direct from the source at the Saturday Fishermen's Market in the Harbor.
Over 120 species of fish and invertebrates are landed in Santa Barbara Harbor Every year
California Spiny Lobster
Red Sea Urchin
Rock Crab
Spot Prawns
Sablefish
Shortspine Thornyhead
California Halibut
Rockfish
Sea Urchin
Season: Year-round
The Santa Barbara Channel boasts the best urchins in the world. A quarter of the catch is exported to Asia, where urchin is considered a delicacy, but it is also found on local menus and throughout the US. Pale orange, with a taste both sweet and briny, eating urchin roe is like a bite of the ocean.
Rock Crab
Season: Year-round
California fishermen harvest three distinct species of rock crab - All cousins of the Dungeness - Red, yellow, and brown. The red come from the deepest waters and have the sweetest meat. Buy them live from the boat at the Saturday Fishermen's Market.