Meet Buddy Guindon — a longtime resident of Galveston, beloved fisherman, trusted friend, and owner of Katie’s Seafood Market. 

Carrying all those titles isn’t easy, but for Buddy, it’s just another day doing what he loves: protecting the Gulf, feeding his community, and fighting back against the overfishing crisis in Galveston.

Texas Lifestyle Magazine had the opportunity to sit down with Buddy, or as the locals know him “Buddy the Fisherman.” A Galveston resident for 47 years, he gave us an inside look at the commercial fishing industry, shared what it’s like to run a seafood restaurant, and talked about his latest project in partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) — Sea Change: Unlikely Allies and a Success Story of Oceanic Proportions, a new book he’s featured in that shines a light on commercial fishing, sustainability, the sea, and those working to protect it.

A Lifetime of Fishing

Did you grow up fishing?

Yes, I grew up fishing in Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, mainly for walleyes and other freshwater fish.  

How did you get introduced to commercial fishing?

When I was 15, my parents got divorced and my father moved down to Texas from Minnesota. When I went to visit, he took me out fishing in the Gulf. We caught some red snapper, maybe a couple hundred pounds of red snapper actually, and some cobia, but when we returned to land, he pulled up to a dock that we didn’t leave from. He threw our fish up onto the dock and told me to wait a couple minutes, and then he came back with a receipt and some cash. That was my first awakening that you could actually go fishing and get money for it. So when I got out of the Marine Corps, I came to Texas and got into the fishing business. And that’s how it happened. 

What are some of your proudest achievements in your career?

My very proudest achievement is my family. That’s really the only achievement I feel is worthy of any attention.  

I suppose others would say that my fishing is very noteworthy and I’ve done a few things along the way to help fisheries get better, like helping local fishermen, supporting the reef fish fishery, and I helped start the Gulf Reef Fish Shareholders Alliance. On a broader level, through partnering with the Environmental Defense Fund, I’ve been able to connect with fishermen across the country and around the world to promote responsible fishery management. I’ve gone to Washington DC many times to advocate for smart fishing policies.   

Those things are great landmarks in my life, but I do feel the proudest moment of my life is finding my wife, Katie, and building our family. 

Deep Diving in Galveston’s Commercial Fishing Industry

How has the commercial fishing business changed over the years?

If you think back 40 years ago, commercial fishermen didn’t communicate all that much. You were there if there was an emergency but as far as your fishing, you didn’t share anything with anyone. You didn’t talk about where you fished unless you were lying to them. You kept things to yourself and that was because it was a competition. Folks competed for the last fish in the Gulf—it was about survival, because we all felt the fish were about to run out.  

Now we fish in a fishery where we share the resource. We’re now using the “catch share” system where we each have a set number of fish we can catch, based on a science-based limit that allows the fishery to continue to grow, and we can pursue those fish any time we want. We choose to balance it out amongst the group through the years, so we now have a steady supply of fish. We ensure to keep it all at a balance, so we don’t run dry because we’ve all been through that before and don’t want to do it again. 

How has commercial fishing shaped Galveston’s identity?

The dock I run my business on is a historic one in Galveston, it’s been there since the 1800s. Fishing in this area is a super proud tradition that everyone holds close. Throughout the 1900s, Italians moved to the Gulf, brought their families, and started fishing businesses. With all this history, Galveston has remained a tourist-oriented port that draws people to the coast to not only catch fish but to enjoy eating the freshly caught fish at a restaurant.  

What are some of your favorite experiences as a commercial fisher?

In my early career, I was considered a highliner, which was quite exciting. I felt proud of the fact that every derby, I caught more fish than anybody. So much so that they just cut me out of the contest and wouldn’t let me play anymore. The younger fishermen now can catch a lot more fish than I can consistently, but I still have the records for the most red snapper landed in our area in one trip.  

Seeing our red snapper fishery come back to life after it collapsed was also amazing—it was like a miracle. That’s why I’m committed to telling more fishermen about this system, and how it can change their business and their lives for the better.

The Story Behind Katie’s Seafood Market

When & Why did you open Katie’s? 

1996 was the year I got Katie’s, and I did it because my brother asked me to. It just seemed like the right move. We had left the fish house that we were at, one that dominated the Galveston area, and went to the smaller fish house, the one I now own, because the original owner was paying us well for the fish we brought in. One day when my brother was taking fish over there, he heard the guy was about to sell, so we jumped on it. My brother said, “I want to run that,” so I bought it and he ran it.
I worked there for six months, and I quickly realized I’m not a salesperson. I can’t deal with all that stuff. Never worked there again, except to greet my customers and give them the freshest seafood in the country.   

Why did you decide to name your restaurant Katie?  

When deciding on a name, the only one I could think of that would mean something to me was Katie. It’s my wife’s name, and it just seemed like the perfect fit. 

What’s your favorite dish from Katie’s?

It would be very hard for me to pick my favorite meal at Katie’s because my chef is so talented that everything he prepares is amazing. But I do really love Cobia. It’s my favorite fish, but we don’t get a lot of it anymore, so red snapper and golden tile fish are great dishes. But I like anything, any kind of fish or shrimp on a salad. That’s my favorite thing to eat. I’ve always eaten a lot of salad, and I love them and having a piece of fish on it that’s fresh is just outstanding. It has to be grilled without any coating or anything, just plain jane.

What does the future look like for you and Katie’s?

The future of this business right now is looking better and better. I’ve had 17 years of growth, and the trajectory is amazing. The family is all working in the business now, and it’s getting stronger. We continue to invest money back into our business every year to grow it, so we’re not dying and as my grandkids mature, we’re going to have a workforce that’s second to none. So I think the future looks pretty good.   

I am expanding the business as soon as I can procure the property. We’re going to open a commissary to help support the restaurant because our kitchen has become a little bit restrictive. We have to bring folks in very early to prepare some of the products that are used every day. And if we had the space up on the seawall, as a commissary, we could alleviate that burden that they have right now. It’s restricting some of the flow in the restaurant as you can only put out so much food. But my staff is very good at regulating the flow of people so that they don’t have to wait for their food, they get it hot and fresh, and all things work smoothly. It has to be regulated and I think they do a great job with that. 
 

Buddy Guindon is more than just a fisherman or business owner—he represents a new era of commercial fishing, one that not only brings fresh, delicious seafood to the community but also supports sustainable practices and environmental stewardship.

Meet Buddy: Book Signing for Sea Change

Brazos Bookstore in Houston is hosting an interview session and book signing for  Sea Change: Unlikely Allies and a Success Story of Oceanic Proportions on Thursday, Oct. 23 from 6:30-8 p.m. Come meet co-authors Amanda Leland and James G. Workman, as well as Buddy Guindon and Scott Hickman, the Galveston-based commercial fishermen who feature prominently in the book.

Sea Change is the captivating, deeply-human tale of how fishermen—along with some unlikely allies—helped carry out the biggest conservation success story you’ve never heard of. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cover Photo Courtesy Environmental Defense Fund

Kayla Jones is an inspiring writer with a love for fashion, culture, and storytelling. She enjoys highlighting creativity and community through her work.