Steveston Village has become known as a quaint tourist destination, but that identity belies its genuine working harbour.
Although it's not what it used to be, Steveston's fishing industry is still a vital force in the community, according to Joel Baziuk, operations supervisor with the Steveston Harbour Authority (SHA).
"Contrary to beliefs, the commercial fishing industry is still strong - there hasn't been a huge change in the 15 years I've been here.
Steveston is still home to Canada's largest commercial fishing fleet, with 500 to more than 600 vessels.
"According to us, there are more than 600 vessels and they go out regularly, catching crab, shrimp and prawns right now," said "Numbers are pretty consistent, give or take a few dozen."
Originally a farming community, Steveston's commercial fishery established itself in the late 1800s as the economic engine that allowed the village to come into its own.
The first cannery opened on the waterfront in 1882, and by 1890 Steveston was a boomtown, with 15 waterfront canneries bringing in record catches of herring, salmon and other species.
The commercial fishing industry continues today, but according to some, it's not what it used to be.
However, Baziuk believes the Department of Fisheries and Oceans' (DFO) commitment has been, and always will be, to the commercial fishermen.
There had been a buzz around the village that moorage for pleasure boats would be a possibility, but Baziuk, as well as Ted Townsend, city spokesperson, quickly debunked that as wishful thinking by some.
"There was never any talk by city council to put in a marina for pleasure boats," Townsend added. Baziuk agreed.
"We are mandated by the federal Department of Fisheries to serve the commercial fishermen," Baziuk said. "Right now, we do have four pleasure boat floats, which can accommodate 16 boats on each, but they are all full and there's a long waitlist.
"Although most people see Steveston as a tourist destination, we still see it as very much a fishing village."
There's no denying though that today's historic village has indeed morphed into a thriving tourist destination.
Steveston is a mixed bag of small independent shops, trendy restaurants, bistros and coffee shops, all within about eight square blocks. There are still a few businesses that cater to the commercial fishermen that recall the good old days.
Iqbal Ladha, who has owned Steveston Hardware since 1985 (it was established in 1941), said when he began servicing local commercial fishermen, there were 1,450 fishing boats trawling the waters off Steveston.
"Today, there are maybe 300 licensed boats left, out of which maybe 200 go out sporadically for two months," said Ladha. "It's been terrible for business. We hardly see anymore fishermen until June and July, and we used to see them all year-round."
Ladha admitted he's had to refocus his business.
"Over the years, we've added a bit of clothing and recreational fishing items," Ladha said. "In the past, customers loved coming to Steveston to get their commercial fishing needs met."
Today, he added that his Langley and Vancouver locations are "doing much better than my Moncton Street location."
Ladha believes the city should open up a marina for pleasure boats. "The economic impact would be huge for all merchants here and create even more business for us."
For the time being, Ladha knows he has to reinvent his store to cater to the tourists and local residents.
Over at Pacific Net and Twine Ltd., Gary Nakashima recalled the boom times as well.
"My dad, Yasu Matsu Nakashima, started this business back in 1973 and we exclusively served the commercial fishing boats. Business was brisk," said Nakashima, adding his dad was a fisherman as well. "We started seeing the downward shift in the mid to late '90s."
When the company felt the shifting tides start in the early '90s, Nakashima said the company diversified into different markets. "We built up our business in Alaska, eastern Canada and up and down the United States west coast as far as Mexico. In Steveston, we cater mostly to the recreational fisherman locally."
Like Ladha, Nakashima does miss what once was a vibrant and unique resource.
"When I was growing up, Steveston was like one big family and when a fisherman came in with a huge catch of salmon it was a time of celebration," he said. "Imagine the exciting pulse in Steveston when a fleet of boats came in- the fishermen were eager to spend their money.
"I was working the canneries as a teenager, making pretty good money - it actually paid my way through university."
Ellis Miyashita has been with Nikka Fishing and Marine for more than three decades. The store manager concurred with Ladha and Nakashima that the '70s to the '90s were thriving times.
"In those days, the commercial sector of our business was 95 per cent," Miyashita said. "Today, it's shifted to 80 per cent recreational and 20 per cent commercial fishing.
Like many of his generation, Miyashita said his father was a commercial fisherman. Hideo Miyashita fished from the late '50s until he passed away in 1987. He was in his 80s.
"Dad loved it and I used to go out with him occasionally to fish salmon," he said. "It's interesting. I'm from a family of four siblings and none of us followed in his footsteps ... although I do like to go out occasionally and fish for sport."
Although all three men miss the industry's heyday, all admit that they have no choice but to embrace change.
