**UPDATE: **The final exhibit, "Fishing Families: The Monterey Sicilian Story," will open Sept. 5 in conjunction with the Festa Italia weekend in Monterey's Custom House Plaza. The exibit will celebrate a yearlong gathering of stories, photos and mementos of the Italian fishing families by the Italian American Cultural Center Foundation. The exhibit will highlight family life, culture, religion and food.

Dr. Jennifer Colby, a faculty member in CSUMB's Liberal Studies Department, is the guest curator. Photo montage by Janet Siino Martinez, granddaughter of master boat builder Angelo Siino

Humans have always told fish stories.

Ten of these fascinating stories are told in an exhibit on display at the Museum of Monterey during February.

Jennifer Colby, a faculty member in CSUMB’s Liberal Studies Department, is the guest curator for this exhibit and three others to follow. All deal with the theme Fishing 2014.

The current exhibit, "Fish Stories," features her own artwork and the illustrations of Amadeo Bachar, who teaches in CSUMB’s science Illustration program.

Dr. Colby's prints are paired with the text of stories about the native Rumsen, early Spanish missions, whalers from the Azores, squid fishermen from China, salmon fishermen and abalone divers from Japan, "Pop" Ernest and the "Abalone Song," and Sicilian sardine fishermen. Each print is a collagraph monotype on Rives BFK paper.

Bachar begins with detailed illustrations of Monterey Bay species. These drawings are digitized and placed into various backgrounds. The illustrations tell the fishes own stories.

A storytelling festival will be held in conjunction with the exhibit from 1 to 4 p.m., Feb. 9, and includes a showing of “By Light of Lanterns,” a 19-minute documentary about Chinese fishermen in Monterey made by CSUMB students. Admission for the festival is $20; students are free.

The exhibits to follow include:

• Sea Changes ACT, March 8-May 25: 14 artists and scientists address climate change, plastic pollution and sustainable fishing

• Boat Builders, June 6-Aug. 24: A look at the Monterey Boat Works, which build much of the fleet for the local fishing industry

• Fishing Families, Sept. 5-Nov. 23: A celebration of the yearlong gathering of stories and mementos of the fishing families who made Monterey famous.

The Museum of Monterey is located in Monterey’s Custom House Plaza. Hours of operation and admission information can be found here.

Top: Cabezon illustration by Amadeo Bachar Bottom: Chinese squid lanterns print by Jennifer Colby