Lyf Gildersleeve joined the Network for an online Waterside Chat with host Tom Sadler on March 10, 2026. Lyf is a second-generation fishmonger who actively promotes and protects sustainable use of our seafood resources. He owns Flying Fish Company, a retail fish market, meat market, and oyster bar in Portland, Oregon and its nonprofit arm, Sustainable Fishmonger.
Among many topics, Lyf and Tom talked about:
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- How cooking classes help bring people closer to their food so they can make better choices in the future
- Why it’s so important to move beyond the “big four” seafood species that dominate American tables
- How the regulatory framework created by the Magnuson Stevens Act creates an evolving framework that adds stability to coastal communities
- A new Monterrey Bay Aquarium program for restaurants that lets them put a label on menus for specific dishes made only with sustainable and environmentally responsible ingredients — which encourages customers to ask other restaurants about THEIR ingredients
- Why fishmongers feel such a connection to the sea, and why they’re the perfect messengers to educate chefs (and ultimately the public) about sustainable, local seafood options
About Waterside Chat
The Marine Fish Conservation Network’s Waterside Chat series connects people who depend on healthy oceans and fisheries with the issues that directly affect them and their communities. Each episode the Network’s CEO Tom Sadler talks with different guests about ocean policy and fisheries management topics. He engages them in genuine and thoughtful conversations about what policy decisions mean for people’s livelihoods, communities, recreation, and coastal ways of life. Join the Network’s email list to learn about future Chats. You can also watch past Chats and subscribe to the podcast on the Network’s website.
