SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - There were tables of freshly caught seafood on ice including rock crab, razor crab, yellow fin tuna -- you name it -- they had it.
The Fish Harbor Pier at the downtown waterfront near Tuna Harbor and Seaport Village kicked off their grand opening Saturday and San Diegans are already getting hooked.
“The fish can't be any fresher than this,” said one woman.
The lines started forming at the crack of dawn. An open-air fish market everyone's been waiting for.
“I came for the tuna and blue fin and maybe some sea urchins,” Thain Techor said.
Thain Techor and his wife waited an hour and a half.
A small price to pay -- it's first come -- first served.
“I just love it but there's not enough fish - you have to get here at 5 o’clock,” Karin Warren said.
Many San Diegans learning quickly it pays to come early.
County Supervisor Greg Cox spearheaded the event.
“People want to eat healthy,” Cox said. “Worked with the port district and literally in a matter of two weeks we got all the permits. We got all the environmental issues, all the lease hold interests worked out with the port, which allowed this market to open today.”
And so far seafood lovers seem happy -- a sign they'll be back next Saturday.
“We didn't know what to expect today... happy to see a lot of people come out and support the local fishermen,” Darren Gorski said.
For now, the plan for the open-air market is to open for business every Saturday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. or until the fish runs out.
Supervisor Greg Cox says he would also like to add more booths to the pier and serve clam chowder.