Hook & Line Caught

one fish at a time

Transparency. Traceability. Know your fish, know your fishermen.

Tantrum No.1 is an owner-operated vessel. We own it. We take care of it. We fish it. We pull one fish aboard at a time with hooks, lines, and our hands; never nets. There are no corporations, no big companies; it’s just us.

Our small family makes a living selling quality, sustainably caught, local fish and we love it. We want to see more of our catch going to nourish our island communities and hope you’ll enjoy the bounty from our hook to your fork.

Bruce Martinelli

Bruce Martinelli got his first job on a commercial fish boat at the age of fourteen, bought his first fishing boat at seventeen, and has been fishing ever since. As a 34 year, seasoned fisherman he owns and operates the Tantrum No.1 which trolls our coasts from Northern California all the way to the Alaskan border. Once his fishing run ends in the fall, he enjoys a short hunting break and then he’s back to work, spending the winter maintaining and upgrading Tantrum No. 1, to get her ready to go back out as soon as the fishing season opens.

Pilar Martinelli

Pilar Martinelli, a long time advocate of sustainable, locally sourced food, married into the family business and hasn’t looked back. Disappointed by the absence of local seafood choices in supermarkets, she has made it her mission to bring Tantrum’s catch to our coastal communities.

While Bruce is catching fish and keeping the Tantrum No.1 in working order, Pilar is busy keeping up with their son Rex and organizing monthly drop-offs, where locals in the Comox Valley, Campbell River, and Quadra Island can buy fish directly from the source.

Pilar Martinelli

Pilar Martinelli, a long time advocate of sustainable, locally sourced food, married into the family business and hasn’t looked back. Disappointed by the absence of local seafood choices in supermarkets, she has made it her mission to bring Tantrum’s catch to our coastal communities.

While Bruce is catching fish and keeping the Tantrum No.1 in working order, Pilar is busy keeping up with their son Rex and organizing monthly drop-offs, where locals in the Comox Valley, Campbell River, and Quadra Island can buy fish directly from the source.

Rex “Tantrum No. 2”

Rex Martinelli joined the crew for the 2018 lingcod season. Just three months old, he was the youngest deckhand in the history of fishing. Now well into toddlerhood, he has fished with Tantrum No. 1 and crew every season since his birth. As an infant Rex slept in a drawer outfitted just for him and now he roams the decks like a king surveying his kingdom. On board, he’s known as “Tantrum No. 2”!

Our Catch

Sustainably Harvested on BC's West Coast

Sablefish / Black Cod

Sablefish, caught off the west coast of Haida Gwaii, has a rich, buttery flavour and a smooth, silky texture. Few fish are as rich in omega-3 fats as the sablefish. It is versatile, and its high-fat content makes it forgiving to the novice cook because the fat acts as a buffer against overcooking. Take a simple miso marinade overnight and you have yourself an unforgettable gourmet meal.

$24 per lb (unsmoked); $31.00 per lb (smoked) (prices may vary)
1.0 lb packages (approximate)
Vacuum Sealed Fillets, Skin On, Very Minimal Bones
Delivery: Early to Mid April

Lingcod

A perennial favourite of West Coast chefs, Lingcod, like all of BC’s cold water fish, is a heart-healthy option that is high in Omega 3’s. It’s a lean, white-fleshed fish with a mild flavor profile and is delicious fried, sauteed, baked, or even cured into ceviche. We especially love lingcod in tacos!

$17.00 per lb (price may vary)
1.0 lb packages (approximate)
Vacuum Sealed, Skin On Fillets with Minimal Bones
Delivery: Mid June

Halibut

The largest of all flounders, halibut is a rich and sweet-tasting fish with white, flakey flesh and a texture that is at once tender and firm. When preparing this fish, less is more; this lean, dense fish can be easy to overcook. We enjoy it pan-fried, steamed, barbequed, or made into decadent fish and chips.

$26.00 per lb (price may vary)
1.0 lb packages (approximate)
Vacuum Sealed, Skin On, Boneless Fillets
Delivery: Early to Mid April

Rockfish / Snapper

A medium-firm, mild tasting white fish with flaky texture. It’s easy to prepare in a variety of ways from pan-fried, to sautéed, or poached. It’s make a great ceviche dish and makes a happy marriage with any taco or asian dish as well. Caught off the west coast of Haida Gwaii and Vancouver Island.

$17.00 per lb (price may vary)
1.0 lb packages (approximate)
Vacuum Sealed, Skinless, Boneless Fillets
Delivery: Mid June

Albacore Tuna Loins

Albacore tuna has a mild to medium taste and a firm, steaky texture with large, moist flakes. It has more omega-3 than other tunas and is a smart, heart-healthy protein choice. The higher fat content of this cold-water fish lends a lusciousness to its flavor profile and firm flesh. We love this sashimi grade fish seared, grilled, and raw. It’s another one of our favourite choices for tacos!

$22 per lb (price may vary)
0.5 – 1.0 lbs packages (approximate)
Vacuum Sealed, Skinless, Frozen at Sea, Sashimi Grade
Delivery: Late August – Fall

Canned Albacore Tuna

Not your ordinary grocery-store canned tuna! Open up a tin of our tuna and you will find flavorful, white, flakey meat to elevate your sandwich or salad to new heights. A customer’s quote: “After eating a can of your tuna, I realized they have been selling us cat food in the store!”

$178.00 per case regular
$200.00 per case smoked
160g x 24 tins
Canned at St. Jeans Cannery in Nanaimo
Delivery: Currently available

Albacore Tuna Lox

Thin slices of albacore heaven. Lovely just out of the bag, on crackers, toast, or scrambled with farm fresh eggs in the morning. Don’t miss out on this West Coast treat.

$8 per 100g package
Smoked at Seaborn in Vancouver
Thinly sliced in 100g portions
Frozen and vacuum sealed
Delivery:

Candied Albacore Tuna

Packed with dense, smokey and sweet flavor, this smoked tuna is an addictive treat, perfect for your favorite charcuterie board.

$21.00 per package (price may vary)
Vacuum Sealed, skinless and boneless pieces
Hot-smoked at Seaborn in Vancouver
Delivery: December 14th

Find Our Fish

Like many of our region’s local producers, we find ourselves following the seasonal rhythm of our environment. Typically, we make two separate trips for fish each year. We set out in the spring (April / May) in search of lingcod, snapper and halibut along the outer coast of Vancouver Island, while later in the summer (July / August), we seek the abundance of albacore tuna found in the deep, offshore waters of the Cascadian coastline. All of our fish is flash-frozen at sea to ensure its freshness on it’s way to our customers.

Due to the seasonal nature of our catch, our fish is usually only available during set windows and we endeavor to get it into the hands of our customers as soon as it comes off of the boat or back from our processing partners.

Ling Cod, Snapper, & Halibut

You can expect whole, frozen fish sales of Ling Cod, Snapper, and Halibut in Late May or Early June and packaged fish sales slightly earlier. The deadline for Quadra, Campbell River, and Comox Valley bulk orders is typically April.

Albacore Tuna

Packaged, frozen fish sales of albacore tuna loins come later in the summer or fall and smoked loins are ready after that. The deadline for bulk orders is typically mid July.

Retail Sales

Tantrum No. 1 fish is for sale at Quadra Island’s Farm to Table and the Cortes Natural Food Co-op. We are delighted that it is also featured on the menu at Quadra’s Coveside Eatery and the Yellow Rose Food Truck in Heriott Bay.

Pickup & Delivery – Farmgate Sales

Quadra Island customers will be notified of pick up location, days, and times once we know when the boat will arrive or our order is completed at the processor.

Join our Mailing List

Be the first to hear about upcoming fishing trips & order deadlines.

Ready for fresh, local fish?

Sign up for our mailing list to be the first to know about availability and order deadlines.
We will send you an email before our next fishing trip to take pre-orders.
Once the fish is ready for delivery, we will be in touch to collect payment and send you the details for the pick up date and time. For Courtenay and Campbell River deliveries, there will be a small surcharge.

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