Dave Rudie founded Catalina Offshore Products in 1977. Once exclusively a sea urchin wholesaler, today the company is one of the largest buyers of local seafood in San Diego, specializing in wild species found off the West Coast, from Baja California to the Pacific Northwest. It encompasses a wholesale division, online store and walk-in fish market, and counts some of the nation’s top chefs and restaurants among its customers. As a result of its commitment to sourcing from responsible fisheries, nearly 75 percent of the seafood it sells is sustainable. This ongoing commitment to supporting responsible fishing practices has allowed for key partnerships with organizations such as Seafood for the Future and Trace and Trust.
In addition to overseeing his business operation, Dave contributes his expertise to numerous initiatives. He is President of both the California Fisheries & Seafood Institute and the California Pelagic Fisheries Association; Vice President of the San Diego Oceans Foundation; board member of The Maritime Alliance; and a longstanding voice on the California Sea Urchin Commission. His involvement in efforts between local fishermen, scientists, and both government and non-government organizations has resulted in funding for various conservation efforts including MPA monitoring and collaborative fisheries research. He has also been involved in some of the longest term (20+ years) independent fishery research for sea urchin. In 2015, Catalina Offshore Products was recognized as Food Processor of the Year by the Food Industry Business Roundtable (FIBR). In the same year Dave also received The Maritime Alliance’s Community Leadership Award for his dedication to promoting sustainable, science-based ocean industries, national and international outreach, and workforce development.
In his spare time, Dave enjoys diving, underwater photography and tending to his garden in Bay Park where he resides with his partner, travel writer Elaine Masters.
