Awaiting El Nino

Southern California commercial fishermen, who have been rubbing their hands in anticipation of an expected ocean full of fish this summer, are having to wait a little longer. But the promise of El Nino holds true.

El Nino, the name given to unexplained sporadic periods of warming in the Pacific Ocean off South America that have been linked to everything from droughts in Africa to floods in California, has raised water temperatures off the Mexican and Southern California coasts up to 6 degrees.

Normally, that would be reflected in an accompanying run of warm-water fish--the various tuna varieties being the most highly sought. There have been signs that a run is on its way--tropical triggerfish have been caught in Santa Monica Bay--but the full-fledged run hasn’t materialized, yet. It seems there is something in the way.

The culprit? Another of the ocean’s tricks--a broad band of extremely cold water welling up from deep below the ocean’s surface about 300 miles southwest of San Diego. Fishermen call it “dirty green” water because it is so nutrient-rich, as compared to the ocean’s normal clear blue. Warm-water fish will not cross it.

And so, the fishermen wait, though there were reports early last week of tuna catches off the 95-Mile Bank south of San Diego, and of dorado (another sub-tropical fish that often appears before tuna) within 50 miles, both of which would indicate the up-swelling is dissipating.

The last time El Nino occurred was in 1983-1984, when 26 million pounds of albacore and 77 million pounds of yellowfin tuna were caught. Compare that to 1985, a non-Nino year, when the respective catches were 14 million and 33 million pounds. By 1990, the last year for which statistics are available, those catches had shrunk to 1.9 million and 19 million pounds.

Even given the best of all possible harvests, commercial fisherman fear the likes of the ’84 catch will never come again. In fact, some say, they would be happy for half that catch this year, so great a toll have 18 years of overfishing taken.

In the meantime, fishermen are taking good harvests of swordfish, thresher shark, California halibut and other flatfish. And if you should find yourself with a piece of California halibut, here’s a good way to cook it:

Saute finely chopped onion and garlic in olive oil, add a bay leaf or two (preferably fresh) and about 1 1/2 cups of dry white wine. Lay in a pound or so of halibut (lightly salted and peppered), cover and poach 5 to 10 minutes (don’t overcook it). Remove the fish to a warm plate. Add diced tomatoes and a tablespoon or so of capers to the hot pan, a little fresh basil, whisk in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Pour the sauce over the fish. . . . That’s a pretty strong argument.

VEGETABLES

The San Joaquin bell pepper harvest is under way, signaling the start of the peak season. Quality is good and there is a healthy supply, so prices should be low. Toward the start of August, when San Joaquin slows, the harvest will move into the Salinas and Sacramento valleys.

Green bell peppers, of course, can grow up to be red bell peppers--usually in August and September. But these days, they are also growing up to be chocolate, purple and yellow, as the passion for brightly colored bell peppers is running high. Whatever the color, pick peppers that are heavy for their weight with smooth skins. If the skins look wrinkled, it either means the peppers are past their prime, or they were stored at too cold a temperature.

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