Tag Archives: Cortes Island Seafood Association

Food, Rivers & Oceans

Oyster update

1 Comment

From the Cortes Island Seafood Association

First, some relevant facts —

  1. Under the Pleasure Craft and Non-Pleasure Craft Sewage Pollution Prevention Regulations, Gorge Harbour has been a no-discharge-zone for boater sewage waste since June, 2000.
  2. Under the terms of the CSSP (Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program), the presence of actual or potential pollution sources, which includes transient boats, warrants a preventive closure recommendation.
  3. In 2012, Environment Canada made a preventive seasonal closure on the west end of the Gorge due to the presence of recreational boats; this was not a pollution event.
  4. In early Dec 2024, there was an illness report on oysters shipped from a Gorge Harbour oyster farm to Vancouver.  An illness report goes to Coastal Health, the BC Centre for Disease Control, the Canada Food Inspection Agency and back to the Federally Registered Shellfish Plant. Inspection and testing at the restaurant is done by Coastal Health. In this case, a Michelin star restaurant in Vancouver served only oysters from Gorge Harbour, ie., there were no other oysters involved.
  5. Today, we have 55+ boats anchored out, some with people living in them. And more seasonally moored liveaboards will soon be moving into the harbour.

The pressing problem now —

Continue reading Oyster update →
Arts, Community, Food

Another ‘Excellent’ Seafest

The official count isn’t in yet, but more than 300 people turned out for this year’s Seafest. This is the annual celebration and fundraiser of the Cortes Island Seafood Association, which was held in Squirrel Cove again this year. 

“We come back every year. This is our 10th time. We love it every year. It’s awesome. There’s amazing food and amazing people and weather’s gorgeous,” exclaimed Jason Thompson. “One thing that stuck out for us was there was only a lineup on one side this year. In the past, it’s been both sides, and there was always a little bit of confusion, and, ‘oh, I didn’t get that’. So people would come in  and get their food, and you’d look at them going, ‘get out of my way,’  but no, it’s beautiful. It’s run really nice, and the music’s perfect.”

Continue reading Another ‘Excellent’ Seafest →
Food, Rivers & Oceans

Seafest – Coming to Squirrel Cove Saturday, May 18

Seafest will be returning to Squirrel Cove this Saturday, May 18, with delicious platefuls of locally grown and prepared seafood. with live music.  

“ I think the first one was back in 1990 or 92. It was down in Smelt Bay with Redonda Sea Farms  and the rest of the community and it was a huge event. I think they had walk-on overloads on the ferry. That was really when the Seafood Association was formed.  Its primary mandate being water quality and it was formed in response to new technology that could assess dioxin pollution from the pulp mills,” explained Dave Nikleva.

Julia Rendall added, “I think in the  late eighties, it was to fight the pulp mills.  ‘Water quality’ was our mandate. Then there was a time when some people were a little bit reluctant about  us oyster farmers. They thought maybe we were getting in the way of their pristine scenery. We decided to  show them that we did have a good product for everybody to enjoy and that it is a viable industry on the island and it is necessary.”

Continue reading Seafest – Coming to Squirrel Cove Saturday, May 18 →
Arts, Food, Rivers & Oceans

Seafest returning to Squirrel Cove Saturday May 20

 Seafest is returning to Squirrel Cove on Saturday, May 20, 2023. 

“SeaFest is coming out of hiatus. It ran for over 20 years and then we shut it down during COVID. We were going to start it up last year at the Gorge, but then the Gorge was going through a lot of changes. This Sea Festival is coming back to Squirrel Cove. The view is spectacular. I think it’s got the best view on the island and it’s got a rustic feel about it too. The old store has been there for a hundred years. The interpretive centre is there. This Seafest probably won’t be as big as it was the last few years at the Gorge. It will be more like a community get-together. We’re going back to good food, good entertainment, and a lot of locals coming,” said Julia Rendall, Secretary of the Cortes Island Seafood Association.

Continue reading Seafest returning to Squirrel Cove Saturday May 20 →
Community

Coming on May 18 – Seafest 2019

1 Comment

By Roy L Hales

With Cortes Island’s largest annual event fast approaching, I met with event organizer Kristen Schofield-Sweet. As it was a glorious spring afternoon., we sat at the wooden picnic table behind the radio station. When Howie Roman finished his program, “Anything Goes,” he joined us in a discussion of Seafest 2019 and what this event means to our island community.

Continue reading Coming on May 18 – Seafest 2019 →