By Angela Green
Chef News is sponsored by Kitchen Porters Club
Today is World Oceans Day, a moment for activism and consumerism to unite across the world and discuss how to protect our oceans.
The UN’s World Oceans Day theme this year is Planet Ocean: Tides Are Changing.
Relais & Châteaux’ are celebrating their sixth year of participating, each year with a new theme to call attention to a specific problem facing ocean sustainability.
In response to the UN’s theme, Relais created a SEA-sonality theme, a.k.a. Protecting species whose reproduction is threatened during their “season” (when their population is largest) to allow them to regenerate. Relais hopes to change the tides of what in-season means to consumers.
Throughout the month of June, hundreds of Relais & Châteaux chefs will be putting sustainable seafood products on their guests’ plates, sampling discussing the species and encouraging consumers around the world to rethink their dining choices.
What does Ocean Conservation at a Relais & Châteaux member look like? Here are some examples:
- The Ivy Hotel in Baltimore – Many species in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay are threatened by the invasive blue catfish, so Chef Scott Bacon is making sure to catch them and put them on the menu at Magdalena.
- Sonora Resort in British Columbia – The beautiful wilderness resort not only practices ethical wildlife viewing, but they also teach guests about fishing regulations and how to do catch-and-release fishing on saltwater salmon trips. Sonora Resort proudly supports the Gillard Pass Fish Hatchery to replenish the stock of Chinook salmon.
- Pikaia Lodge in the Galapagos Islands – The lodge uses a land-tourism model of the islands, where illegal game fishers are given the opportunity to switch their fishing permits for new day-tour diving permits, protecting sharks and other marine life, and taking divers and snorkelers to them. This gives locals a better income and protects the islands’ marine species.
- Restaurante Arzak in Spain – Thanks to a five year fishing ban in the Bay of Biscay, European anchovy has been given safety to thrive, and Chef Elena Arzak is educating her diners on her work with local fishers to ensure this continues.
- Ocean House in Rhode Island – In an effort to fight climate change by reducing pressure on the wild stocks of sugar kelp, Ocean House has partnered with local kelp farmer, Stonington Kelp. Kelp farming introduces more seaweed into the ocean, which allows for excess nitrogen and carbon to be pulled from crops each year.
Because sustainable seafood consumption is an issue on the minds of eco-conscious travellers, Relais and their environmental organisation partner, Ethic Ocean, created a consumer guide on SEAsonality, so consumers can see the misconceptions and make more responsible choices going forward.