With a staggering 26,000 kilometres of coastline to play with, is it any surprise that B.C.'s residents have been feasting on fish and seafood for millennia?
The rich waters extending from the Strait of Georgia all the way to Alaska are bubbling with life - and much of it is very tasty.
Some of B.C.'s seafood is the envy of the world: The spot prawn, for example, is prized in Japan and rightfully so - it's likely the juiciest, most succulent prawn you'll ever eat.
But with demand comes danger.
The North Atlantic off Canada's eastern seaboard, which once teemed with an abundance of marine life, is now comparatively barren. Centuries of fishing, then overfishing, have taken their toll on stocks of commercially desirable fish such as cod, haddock and bluefin tuna.
Thankfully, processes have been put in place to keep many of B.C.'s relatively young fisheries sustainable. The spot-prawn fishery is a case in point: The annual season lasts only six or seven weeks and the catch is rigorously monitored every day.
Also, many restaurants in B.C. and beyond are getting stricter about where their fish and seafood come from. This drive is in no small part due to a nonprofit group called Ocean Wise, which was launched almost six years ago by the Vancouver Aquarium to promote sustainable fish and seafood choices.
"We want to provide people with something they can do in their everyday lives that will have a positive impact on the marine and aquatic environments," says Ocean Wise program director Mike McDermid.
"We were starting to realize that fisheries were the No. 1 issue facing the conservation of our oceans."
That was backed up by recent scientific studies, one of which predicted a complete global fisheries collapse by 2048, if current exploitation rates continued.
So the aquarium decided to team up with chef Robert Clark at C restaurant on False Creek, who had been conducting his own research into fisheries and sustainable options, but couldn't get suppliers to cooperate.
"We thought it's clear that people don't want to be part of the problem, they want to be a part of the solution," says McDermid. "But it has to be easy enough for them, or they won't do it."
So the Ocean Wise symbol was born: That little circle enclosing a fish head and a wave, which you've probably seen on quite a few restaurant menus beside fish and seafood options, that denotes marine ingredients sustainably caught.
Ocean Wise never looked back following its launch at C in January 2005.
What started as a local project has since gone national and is now supported by 2,800 businesses from Victoria to Halifax.
"It just caught fire," says McDermid. "Suppliers are now calling us on a daily basis asking how to get involved in this - they'll lose business if they don't. And if sustainability is good for business, then that's good for everybody."
C (1600 Howe St., Vancouver; 604-681-1164; crestaurant.com) is still setting the pace in terms of B.C.'s seafood restaurants, thanks mostly to the dedication of Clark and owner Harry Kambolis, and their constant forging of relationships with suppliers.
Compared with other seafood restaurants in the area, "I think the relationship with seafood at C is more reciprocal," says Kambolis. "When the aquarium decided they wanted to have a sustainable program, there was only one place to go at the time and that was us. Not just because we made the odd proper selection but because we were doing our own set
of research and our own development and our own programs in the restaurant.
"And we continue to work directly with these people, whether it's the aquarium or the fishermen, and we incorporate that day to day."
The fact that different, more sustainable species such as sardine or mackerel are making their way onto restaurant plates is only driving the Ocean Wise movement further.
"When people go out to the restaurant, somewhere like C, they know everything is going to be good so they come out of their comfort zone, out of traditional tastes like salmon or halibut, and try something different," says McDermid.
"So then they'll go into their grocery store and start asking whether they have sustainable seafood. So now even the major retailers are contacting us asking, 'How do we get involved in this?'"
The good news for B.C.'s fertile fisheries is that they're still relatively new. And with proper management, they'll avoid the exploitation that has devastated stocks in the North Atlantic and South China Sea.
"Our fisheries are young on the global scale," says McDermid. "They're smaller scale, more community-based, more artisanal as opposed to the massive industrial-scale fisheries, and by definition those tend to be more sustainable. They just haven't been exploited to the point of other areas. That benefits us, as long as we have strong management in place."
So besides C, where can you best savour B.C.'s fruits of the sea?
In Yaletown, Rodney's Oyster House (1228 Hamilton St., Vancouver; 604-609-0080; rodneysoysterhouse.com) is frequently packed with those clamouring for seafood: Mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops, crab, lobster and, yes, oysters crowd the menu, along with some fine chowders. It's a great place to try the classic combo of freshly shucked oysters and
Approaching its 35th anniversary, the Salmon House (2229 Folkestone Way, West Vancouver; 604-926-3212; salmonhouse.com) is one of B.C.'s most
venerable restaurants. But it doesn't just rely on its longevity and stunning view of the city to pull in customers - the food is good, too, and there's a set menu highlighting B.C. ingredients such as sablefish and salmon.
If you want a less formal and cheaper seafood experience, try Go Fish (1505 W. 1st Ave., Vancouver). Situated at Fisherman's Wharf near Granville Island, just steps away from fishing boats landing their catch, this shack has a great atmosphere, and great fast food options including tacos and classic fish n' chips. For more fine fish 'n' chips, check out Pajo's (various locations; pajos.com), and Cockney Kings 1035 Columbia St., New Westminster; 604-522-6099; and 6574 Hastings St., Burnaby; 604-291-1323)
Following your Go Fish feast, you can head down the gangplank to pick up some freshly landed catch to take home. You might even meet Steve
Johansen of Organic Ocean (organicocean.com), a fisherman who works closely with Ocean Wise and C and docks at the wharf.
B.C.'s tortuous coast hides many a good seafood stop.
Off the well-beaten path near the end of Hwy. 101 is the Laughing Oyster (C4 Vandermaeden Rd., RR#2, Powell River; 604-483-9775; laughingoyster.ca),
one of the finest dining spots on the Sunshine Coast. The view across Okeover Inlet is stunning and the fish and seafood simply but beautifully prepared.
On a par with C in quality, but acing it purely in location, is the Pointe Restaurant at the Wickaninnish Inn (500 Osprey Lane at Chesterman, Tofino; 250-725-3100; wickinn.com), which overlooks the Pacific by Chesterman Beach near Tofino. The restaurant is perched directly over the water's edge, making it feel like you're on the edge of the world. The fresh, dynamic seafood dishes are just plain out of this world. Chances are you'll see an eagle dining on sashimi while you have yours.
Of course, you can try to recreate the flavours, if not quite the experience, at home by visiting a fish market or the suppliers for local restaurants. They'll also be able to answer any concerns or queries you may have over where your produce has come from.
The best of the lot is probably Finest at Sea (various locations; finestatsea.com) which has its own fleet of 13 fishing vessels. It offers a range of sustainable options depending on the season (the website has a handy calendar) and other services such as filleting, smoking and vacuum packing. The location at 4675 Arbutus St., Vancouver also has a simple bistro. 7 Seas (2328 West 4th Ave., Vancouver, 604-732-8608; 2990 152 St., Surrey, 604 541-8558; 7seas.ca) is another very good option.
The big news for fish and seafood fans around the Commercial Drive are is that a 100-per-cent Ocean Wise-approved fish market is opening on the Drive at the start of November: Daily Catch Seafood at 1418 Commercial is the name and address to look out for.
There are many other suppliers who focus largely on specific seafoods.
Among these are the Crab Shop (2455 Dollarton Hwy., North Vancouver); Island Scallops (5552 West Island Hwy., Qualicum Beach; islandscallops.com) for some renowned Qualicum Bay morsels; Fanny Bay Oysters (Buckley Bay, 250-335-1198; fannybayoysters.com); and Saltspring Island mussels (Ganges, Saltspring Island; saltspringislandmussels.com).