Aquaculture in the Food Industry
Aquaculture Industry – an Island Ambassador
Food is at the heart of every community and culture. When you think of France, you conjure images of wine, cheese, and baguettes. When you think of Germany, you might picture sausages and beer. When you think of Prince Edward Island, you think of shellfish.
“Our shellfish are wonderful ambassadors for the Island,” said Chef Michael Smith. “They help us tell our story.”
Smith, a household name to foodies around the world, is a renowned Chef and owner of The Inn at Bay Fortune in Bay Fortune, PEI. For Smith, the ability to highlight local food, and especially local shellfish, is a key feature of his business.
“Local (shellfish) benefits us in that it really does give you a human connection, human stories behind the food,” said Smith. “Local is such a big word but we know the stories behind the products we serve.”
And serve he does. According to Smith, The Inn averages 3,000 pounds of mussels per season and approximately 56,000 oysters – all purchased from Prince Edward Island producers.
“It’s just being a good neighbour,” said Smith, in reference to buying local. “It’s good to be able to connect to your community. We feel fortunate we’re able to do that.”
Community Connection
It’s a sentiment shared by many in the restaurant and food industry in PEI.
Doug McKinney and Rachel Sauve opened The Cork & Cast restaurant in Charlottetown in 2019. Sauve, whose family owned and operated the Landmark Cafe in Victoria by the Sea for years, said she learned at a young age the importance of local food.
“To me, growing up with my dad’s restaurant, we focused on local,” said Sauve. “We’re all neighbors. Local is so important. It’s all a circle.”
But it’s not just the good karma that keeps them buying local, said McKinney. The freshness of the product counts for a lot.
Doug McKinney and Rachel Sauve opened The Cork & Cast restaurant in Charlottetown in 2019. Sauve, whose family owned and operated the Landmark Cafe in Victoria by the Sea for years, said she learned at a young age the importance of local food.
“To me, growing up with my dad’s restaurant, we focused on local,” said Sauve. “We’re all neighbors. Local is so important. It’s all a circle.”
But it’s not just the good karma that keeps them buying local, said McKinney. The freshness of the product counts for a lot.
During the duration of the season The Cork & Cast is open, the restaurant goes through an average of 2,000 oysters and roughly 1,800 pounds of mussels. The ability to buy those products locally is a boon for a seasonal, seafood focused restaurant like The Cork & Cast.
“There’s something to be said about the beauty of the stuff around us,” said McKinney. “PEI in the summertime, it’s a special place for sure.”
During the duration of the season The Cork & Cast is open, the restaurant goes through an average of 2,000 oysters and roughly 1,800 pounds of mussels. The ability to buy those products locally is a boon for a seasonal, seafood focused restaurant like The Cork & Cast.
“There’s something to be said about the beauty of the stuff around us,” said McKinney. “PEI in the summertime, it’s a special place for sure.”
Local Focus, Global Impact
In addition to feeding Islanders via the province’s bustling restaurant industry, PEI’s food-scene draws tourists from around the world, which in turn, has helped promote aquaculture products off-Island.
For operations like MR Seafoods, a fresh and frozen seafood wholesaler in Charlottetown, that means big business.
“Tourism is a major factor for us,” said Reggie Jameson, general manager of MR Seafoods.
Jameson said of the $450,000 in fresh oysters purchased annually, 25 percent is sold to off-Island buyers. Likewise, for Morell-based distributor Atlantic Shellfish. Owner Jacob Dockendorff said promoting products to tourists has helped drive the export side of his business.
Local Focus, Global Impact
In addition to feeding Islanders via the province’s bustling restaurant industry, PEI’s food-scene draws tourists from around the world, which in turn, has helped promote aquaculture products off-Island.
For operations like MR Seafoods, a fresh and frozen seafood wholesaler in Charlottetown, that means big business.
“Tourism is a major factor for us,” said Reggie Jameson, general manager of MR Seafoods.
Jameson said of the $450,000 in fresh oysters purchased annually, 25 percent is sold to off-Island buyers. Likewise, for Morell-based distributor Atlantic Shellfish. Owner Jacob Dockendorff said promoting products to tourists has helped drive the export side of his business.
“That gives them (tourists) the ability to know what to look for when they go home,” he said.
Mirroring a belief held by many in both the restaurant and aquaculture industries, Dockendorff said the popularity of P.E.I. shellfish comes as no surprise.
“The quality of the P.E.I. product is second to none,” he said. “Even on a global scale our seafood is sought after in markets around the world.”
Dockendorff, who has been in the aquaculture business for 24 years, said the industry has grown a lot over his lifetime and shows no signs of slowing down.
“(With) the volumes we are able to produce now, we’re just starting to see what’s possible (in the industry),” said Dockendorff. “We’re at the tip of the iceberg.”
The trickle-down effect of that growth has a positive impact on the local economy.
“It’s a huge driver (for) P.E.I.’s economy,” he said. “(The industry) keeps rural communities active, it provides jobs.”
And for Dockendorff, whose father started Atlantic Shellfish in 1997, that community connection is what matters.
“It’s just what I grew up with,” he said. “It gets into your blood and under your skin.”
Photos: Chef Michael Smith, Jacob Dockendorff, Cork & Cast Seafood dish
Approvals: Chef Smith, Jacob Dockendorff, Cork & Cast, MR Seafoods