Discover West Coast Seafood One Bite at a Time
A new website produced by California, Oregon and Washington Sea Grants serves as a one-stop shop to learn about West Coast Seafood
Credit: Humboldt State University
From wild-caught salmon and Dungeness crab to farmed oysters and mussels, West Coast seafood choices are vast, healthy and delicious. But many consumers who want to eat local seafood and support coastal economies are unsure how to choose and prepare fish and shellfish. The new Discover West Coast Seafood website, collaboratively created by California, Oregon and Washington Sea Grant programs, combines practical tools and regional knowledge to showcase the region’s marine bounty. “This resource is a one-stop shop for information about species, gear and the people who harvest it,” says Washington Sea Grant Fisheries Specialist Jenna Keeton.
The three West Coast Sea Grant programs developed the website as part of a larger project funded by NOAA’s National Sea Grant to help West Coast fishing families whose livelihoods were upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. While other resources, like the updated Market Your Catch website and 6th Edition Seafood Direct Marketing Manual, target seafood producers, Discover West Coast Seafood focuses on consumers.
“We initially recognized the need for information in early 2020, when more people were trying to figure out how to prepare seafood at home,” says Oregon Sea Grant Fisheries Extension Agent Amanda J. Gladics. “People wanted to support local fishing families that were experiencing hardships because of restaurant closures and supply chain disruptions due to the pandemic.”
Curated for Consumers
Discover West Coast Seafood organizes information into five categories: Types of Seafood, How It’s Harvested, Who Harvests It, Cook It, and Find It. The site features 47 species, 36 West Coast harvesters, 15 gear types, three interactive state-specific market maps and more than 100 recipes.
Each species profile explains whether it is wild-caught or farmed, where fishermen harvest it, how it’s sold, when it’s available and how the fishery is managed. Illustrator Tom Crestodina, who is also a commercial fisherman, drew each species in its natural environment.
California Sea Grant Marine Resources Specialist Carolynn Culver explains, “While there are many more species that we could have included, we highlighted those that were more readily available, known or, in some cases, unusual – think hagfish, which is also known as slime eel.”
“And don’t forget about those warm water species, like the California spiny lobster!” Culver adds. “The southern part of California can sometimes get lost when you talk about West Coast fisheries, because the species are different from those in Central and Northern California, Oregon and Washington.”
The Find It section links to state-specific maps that feature some of the places where locally fished and farmed products are sold. For example, California consumers can use the California Producer to Consumer Markets Dashboard map to find fishermen’s and farmers' markets as well as docks and farms, where fishermen and seafood growers sell their product directly to customers.
The Cook It section offers recipes for each species. Some include videos showing how to handle, prepare and cook the seafood, and many recipes name substitute species in case the featured fish is unavailable.
The site also showcases the people behind the seafood and their harvest methods. In profiles about local commercial fishermen and farmers in California, Oregon and Washington, consumers learn which species they fish for or produce, what gear they use, where they operate and how long they have been in business. Pictures and videos illustrate the gear these fishermen and farmers use to catch and grow their seafood. Culver says, “It’s not just about the taste, although there’s nothing I enjoy more than introducing folks to the amazing variety of delicious California [and West Coast] fish and shellfish, but it’s also about appreciating all that goes into providing high-quality seafood.”
A Unified West Coast
The collaboration among California, Oregon and Washington Sea Grant programs unifies West Coast seafood messaging.
“What started as just a resource about Oregon seafood options has now expanded coastwide because of the great partnerships with Washington and California Sea Grant,” says Oregon Sea Grant Coastal Community Development Extension Agent Jamie Doyle.
“We hope people will enjoy discovering more about West Coast seafood,” says Culver.