For more than two decades, Fishermen Direct Seafood has connected visitors and locals alike to some of the finest wild Oregon seafood on the coast. Located on the Port of Gold Beach, this fisherman-founded seafood market was born out of necessity, resilience, and a deep belief in the value of locally harvested seafood.
In the late 1990s, veteran Oregon fishermen Scott Boley, Jeff Werner, and John Wilson were facing a changing seafood industry. Prices for wild troll-caught Chinook salmon were declining, farmed salmon was flooding the market, and there were few local outlets where fishermen could sell directly to their own community. Rather than walk away from the industry they loved, the trio created Fishermen Direct Seafood with a simple mission: provide the highest quality Oregon seafood possible while creating a sustainable local market for coastal fishing families.
Today, Fishermen Direct remains deeply tied to Oregon’s commercial fishing industry and working waterfront culture. The market specializes in wild ocean harvested seafood sourced primarily from Oregon fishermen, including Chinook salmon, albacore tuna, blackcod, halibut, lingcod, petrale sole, rockfish, pink shrimp, and Oregon Dungeness crab.
Their retail market is especially known for its extensive freezer selection, offering individually vacuum sealed portions of locally caught seafood that make it easy for customers to stock up on premium Oregon seafood year round. Fish is filleted, vacuum packed, and blast frozen the same day it arrives at the dock, helping preserve peak freshness and quality. Their commercial grade blast freezers operate at extremely cold temperatures to maintain texture, flavor, and shelf life.
Fishermen Direct also cans their own Oregon Albacore tuna in-house, producing a variety of flavors including traditional, garlic, jalapeño, and smoked tuna. Their smoked seafood program continues a tradition passed down through the founders, with house-smoked salmon and tuna prepared on site and sold directly through the market.
Attention to quality control is evident throughout the operation. Oregon Dungeness crab is hand-picked in house and carefully inspected under UV lighting to remove shell fragments before packaging. Live crab tanks are continuously monitored for temperature, salinity, and aeration, while seafood processing follows rigorous HACCP food safety standards.
What truly sets Fishermen Direct apart is the generations of experience behind the counter. The founders and staff collectively bring more than a century of commercial fishing knowledge to the business, from salmon trolling and Dungeness crab fishing to seafood processing and preservation. Their commitment to wild Oregon seafood, careful handling practices, and direct relationships with fishermen has helped make Fishermen Direct a trusted source for sustainably harvested seafood on the southern Oregon coast.