When it comes to long standing fishing heritage in the Monterey Bay, you'd be hard pressed to find a family more deeply rooted than the Aliottis. Adam Aliotti is a fourth generation fisherman making the Monterey Bay his home and livelihood. Originally from Italy, Adam's great grandfather, Salvatore Mirabella, made a living fishing seiners part of the year and fishing salmon in Bristol Bay Alaska. Adam's grandfather, Giuseppe Aliotti, fished albacore, salmon and octopus, the way his family did back in the Mediterranean. It was with wicker woven octopus traps that Giuseppe stumbled upon and pioneered the spot prawn fishery in California in the '50s and worked with Governor Brown Sr. to establish the fishery back in the '70s. 

Adam started fishing with his grandfather at just 6 years old, chasing king salmon. At 17 he was fishing full-time and hasn't stopped. On his boat, the FV Ocean Warrior, Adam fishes primarily spot prawns and is one of only a handful of boats permitted to catch this highly prized and sought after species. During the off season, Adam fishes king salmon, black cod, and albacore.

When it comes to his favorite fish to catch, without question it is king salmon. Not because they are exciting to catch or delicious to eat, but because of the nostalgia. He loves trolling and working up and down the coast, remembering his childhood and fishing with his grandfather. Ironically, king salmon is his least favorite fish to eat.

Adam's favorite fish to eat is white seabass on the bar-b-que, Italian style, with chopped tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, olive oil, and a little red wine vinegar.