In this installment of From the Archives, we will offer a glimpse into the California History Room's Captain Sal Colletto Collection.

Salvatore (Sal) Colletto Sr. was born in 1904 to Sicilian fisherman, Michael Colletto and Prudencia (Bessie) Abono Colletto. After working for his father in Monterey, Sal captained his father’s lampara sardine fishing boat. By 1939 Sal had his own boat built, a purse seiner named the Dante Alighieri, and in 1941, the government commissioned the Dante Alighieri for service in World War II. By 1944, Sal owned and operate a new boat, the U.S. Liberator, shifting from sardine to tuna fishing off Mexico’s coast. During his career, Sal and his crew of mainly family members fished the Pacific from the Washington coast to South America.

In 1953, Colletto retired after 36 years fishing, and began penning his manuscript, The Sardine Fisherman, which documents his life as a fisherman and a key figure in the history of the Monterey fishing industry. The Sal Colletto Collection includes manuscripts, ephemera, photos, film and more. This presentation will use our collection as a jumping off point to share stories of Captain Sal Colletto, the Monterey fishing industry and those who worked in the industry. 

This program will be presented in-person inside the Community Room at the Monterey Public Library.