National Seafood Festival kicks off February 1 in support of Ocean Wise’s sustainable seafood program

Countdown to Ocean Wise Seafood Festival

National Seafood Festival kicks off February 1 in support of Ocean Wise’s sustainable seafood program.

The countdown is on! In just over one week, some 400 plus restaurants, grocery stores and seafood suppliers will be serving up delicious offerings with proceeds supporting the not-for-profit Ocean Wise Seafood program.

Dine-in, take-out or stock-up! All month long Ocean Wise Seafood Partners are serving up their best dishes and products in support of ocean conservation. Every festival item that you purchase will help in the fight against overfishing.

The National Ocean Wise Seafood Festival runs February 1st – 28th with dishes and products available across the country. Offerings include the tongue-in-cheek “Keep Clam and Ocean Wise On” from Cantina Norte in North Vancouver, flyer items from Sobeys and Safeway grocers and Seafood Chowder from the Toronto Zoo. All participating businesses and full event details are available at seafood.ocean.org/festival2022

“We are thrilled to see the Ocean Wise Seafood Festival coming into its own as a Canada-wide celebration of sustainable seafood,” says Claire Dawson, Senior Manager of the Fisheries initiative at Ocean Wise. ”This event brings together conservationists, consumers and the industry alike to prepare and savour creative dishes featuring sustainability superstars like clams, mussels, kelp and many more! At a time when we all need something to celebrate, why not support your local sustainable seafood businesses by trying as many as you can through the month of February?”

Overfishing is one of the greatest threats to our ocean with grave impacts on the food web and the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide. By simply changing the seafoods we eat people everywhere can help end overfishing, protecting our oceans and the lives that depend on them. Since 2005, the Ocean Wise symbol next to a seafood item at a restaurant or grocery store has helped Canadians easily choose ocean-friendly seafood.

Every dollar raised during the Ocean Wise Seafood Festival helps the Ocean Wise seafood program to provide easy to follow guidance for sustainable oceans. Collectively, choosing Ocean Wise seafood makes a difference for the fishers and farmers working to secure the health of our oceans, lakes and rivers for generations to come.

Participating Restaurants & Retailers

*Registration is still open! Check Ocean.org/seafood for the most up-to-date list.

1931 Gallery Bistro – Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Cantina Norte (North Vancouver, BC)
Equa Ocean Farms (Vancouver, BC)
Hello Nori (Vancouver, BC)
Holts Café Vancouver (Vancouver, BC)
Mamas Fish Chips (Vancouver, BC)
Minami (Vancouver, BC)
Sailors Seafoods (Vancouver, BC)
ShuckShuck (Vancouver, BC)

Marina Restaurant (Victoria, BC)
The Union Club of British Columbia (Victoria, BC)

Naramata Inn (Naramata, BC)

Fukasaku (Prince Rupert, BC)

Intercity Packers (Vancouver Based)

Frandon Seafoods (Montreal, QC)
Holt at Holt Renfrew Ogilvy (Montreal, QC)
Le Soleil du Sud (Montreal, QC)

360 Restaurant – CN Tower (Toronto, ON)
Afishionado (Halifax, NS)
De la Mer Fish Market (Toronto, ON)
Holts Café Yorkdale (Toronto, ON)
Holts Café, 50 Bloor Street West (Toronto, ON)
Stamps Lane Restaurant (Toronto, ON)
The Healthy Butcher – Fresh City Farms (Toronto, ON)
The Sweet Potato (Toronto, ON)
Toronto Zoo (Toronto, ON)

Organic Ocean (National)

Sobeys and Safeway Grocers (National)

Ocean Wise is grateful to the following partners for supporting the Ocean Wise Seafood Festival: Daily Hive, Global BC & CKNW, Global News & 640 Toronto, Sobeys and Safeway, Centennial Food Service, Ocean Jewel, Ontarieau, Walter Craft Caesar, Lighthouse Brewing Co, Beere Brewing Co, GoodLot Farm, Farmstead Brewing and Steamworks Brewery.

About Ocean Wise®

Ocean Wise is a globally focused conservation organization on a mission to protect and restore the world’s oceans. Through research, education, direct-action conservation and field projects, we empower communities to act for ocean health. We are focused on tackling three major ocean challenges: overfishing, ocean pollution and climate change. Ocean Wise is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia with initiatives across the world. ocean.org

About Ocean Wise Seafood

Founded in 2005 Ocean Wise Seafood works with restaurants, retailers, chefs and suppliers to provide the latest scientific information on fisheries and aquaculture operations so they can make sustainable purchasing and sourcing decisions. With over 780 partners in more than 3,100 locations across Canada and the globe, Ocean Wise Seafood makes it easy for consumers to choose sustainable seafood for the long-term health of our oceans, lakes and rivers. The Ocean Wise symbol next to a seafood item on a menu or in the grocery store is assurance of an ocean-friendly seafood choice. Ocean Wise Seafood is at initiative of Ocean Wise Conservation Association. ocean.org/seafood

Media release and image provided by Rosemary Newton, Ocean Wise. Feature image: Vancouver Fish Co. chowder.