They have no secret handshakes, no code words, no high-tech spy gizmos. But this rather fishy group is plotting an ambitious coup: They are the Sardinistas, and their mission is to overturn public opposition to the humble Pacific sardine—that same tiny, oily fish that most people know only from pull-tab tins and tend to disparage.

Once overfished, sardines are plentiful in Monterey Bay again. They now constitute California’s largest commercial seafood catch, according to Mike Sutton, a vice president at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and a founding member of the Sardinistas. But the majority of local sardines are ground up to make food for dogs, cats, and even farmed tuna. It’s a shame that humans don’t consume more of them, Sutton says, because sardines are inexpensive, loaded with omega-3s, and low on the food chain—meaning that they don’t accumulate high levels of mercury or PCB toxins like more popular species, such as swordfish, do.

To promote the undervalued fish, Sutton started the Sardinistas with three friends: a former sardine fisherman, a former bakery owner, and a film and video producer. “Our motto is ‘This is not your grandfather’s sardine,’ ’’ he says.

To that end, the group has educated chefs about the fish and has created recipes for home cooks, and it’s working to persuade more seafood markets to carry fresh sardines. Food Network star and aquarium supporter Alton Brown is already a convert: He plans to talk up the merits of sardines on an upcoming episode of his hit show, Good Eats.