There were early signs that sportfishing wasn't a major concern for the new owners of the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina.
The historic Islandia Sportfishing landing – built in the mid-1950s, before the hotel – had a name change to Mission Bay Sportfishing last year. The tackle shop that once was all about ocean fishing was wedged into a newly renovated facility with, of all things, a bagel shop. Boats were still being supplied with anchovies and sardines a few hundred yards away, but the emphasis was more on bagels and lattes than bait and tackle.
The landing became more like a touristy gift shop than a fishing concern, and it was clear that fishing was not a priority for new owners KenCal Ownership LLC.
Slowly, a competitive business that provided anglers an alternative to Seaforth Sportfishing down the promenade, was transformed into a nonfactor. The owner-captains of the five sportboats at the landing found themselves having to promote their own businesses.
All that came to a halt Monday when KenCal Ownership LLC, which bought the Hyatt in 2006, sunk the entire sportfleet by evicting the five owner-captains from the landing. Jason Coz of the Dolphin, Greg Miser of the Dolphin II, Frank D'Anna of the Dominator, Ernie Prieto of the Chubasco II and Gary Abbamonte of the Alexis were told in a one-page notice that they must move their boats from the Hyatt dock by Nov. 15.
Audrey Doherty, spokeswoman for the Hyatt, said the property owners made a business decision and decided to end the sportfishing operation.
“They're not required by their lease to run a sportfishing operation,” said Doherty, who said KenCal consulted with the city of San Diego's real estate department before evicting the boats.
Doherty said KenCal put approximately $60 million into the renovation of the hotel and marina after buying it. That figure is almost double what had been estimated for the renovation after KenCal paid $62.5 million for the property.
KenCal negotiated with the city to extend the hotel and marina lease to 2038.
So, the boats are looking for a new home.
Problem is, ocean sportfishing, like most businesses in the U.S., has felt the sting of a deepening economic crisis. It's yet another sign of the times in which businesses are having severe financial problems. These five captains are feeling the brunt of it at Mission Bay Sportfishing. They don't have a dock, and ocean anglers will have five fewer fishing options on Mission Bay.
“The big difference between them and us is we're not a hotel,” said John Yamate, part owner and general manager at Seaforth Sportfishing. “The hotel is their main focus there, their main source of income. Sportfishing is a peripheral casualty to them.”
Yamate said even with 15 and sometimes 16 sportboats operating out of Seaforth Sportfishing, it's been a tough economic year there, too. Fuel prices sent costs skyrocketing. The poor economy kept people home for staycations instead of fishing trips.
Travis Sandoval, an office employee at Mission Bay Sportfishing, said he knew something was up last week when the hotel laid off assistant general manager John Taylor, who supervised the sportfishing business.
“They're talking about keeping a couple of us around to work the fuel dock and the marina,” Sandoval said. “It's going to be really different around here.”
Ed Zieralski: (619) 293-1225; ed.zieralski@uniontrib.com
