Douane Newport Beach Dory Fleet

There are a few good reasons to be out on the beach at 7am in Newport Beach, CA. You can of course surf if that’s your pleasure, or watch the surfers if you’re not up to actually going into the water. But, a much better reason for most anyone to be out this early is to enjoy the experience of watching the Newport Beach Dory Fleet work for a living. After braving the predawn waves, stringing their lines, and plucking their catch from the sea, they offer the rest of us a chance to buy their haul at a pittance compared to what you might pay at most grocers.

Operating from their small stalls at the base of the Newport Beach Pier, these fisherman are the last dorymen fleet operating on the West coast of the United States. They are the only commercial boats that are allowed to launch their boats from the beach. Due to increasing fuel costs and ever increasing regulations, their business model and indeed their lifestyle may be ending sooner rather than later.

The Dory fleet has worked the waters off the Newport Beach coast since 1891 in their 16 to 18 foot boats. They originally formed a small coalition of fishermen so that they could sell their catch without hauling it to market. Over the decades, they’ve become part of the fabric of Newport Beach and an attraction for tourists and locals alike to enjoy.

If you would like to see the Dorymen Newport Beach fleet and purchase your next seafood dinner, be sure to rise early and head to the Newport Beach Pier, it will be well worth your effort.

Origially published at Dorymen Newport Beach © 2011