Pietro Ferrante - Monterey, California
Posted by: hotshoe
N 36° 36.227 W 121° 53.640
10S E 598917 N 4051489
"Father" of sardine fisheries in Monterey Bay which led to the success of Cannery Row
Waymark Code: WM59YD
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 12/03/2008
Views: 18
excerpts from Introduction to California's Fish Industry:
"In 1904, Pietro Ferrante -- known as Pete -- arrived on the scene from Sicily. Pete was an accomplished fisherman. He adapted traditional Italian fishing gear -- the lampara net -- for use in Monterey Bay. Ferrante sent word to his fishermen friends in Sicily and northern California, urging them to come to Monterey to join in the hunt for sardines. Pietro Ferrante is sometimes called the “father” of Monterey’s fishing fraternity, but many other pioneer fishermen also helped to make Monterey a major fishing port.
California’s sardine industry grew to become the largest fishery in the western hemisphere, capitalizing on an abundance of sardines whose vast schools ranged from the Gulf of California to Southeast Alaska. Off San Francisco and Monterey, fishing peaked in fall, and off southern California it peaked in winter, when the largest fish returned from their northerly migrations. The toil of immigrant fishermen built up a fishing commerce that became the lifeblood of San Pedro, Monterey, San Francisco and San Diego. All these cities boomed on the crest of the silver tide of sardines."
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The statue's plague reads:
"Pietro Ferrante, 1867-1954. By vision and example an inspiration and leader among the founders of the Monterey fishing and canning industry which added greatly to the history and fortune of Monterey."
This statue is placed near the foot of Fisherman's Wharf.