More Sardines For Sale!

The following is a press release I received today from the Canadian Pacific Sardine Association.  Apparently you like sardines, you really like them!

FRESH BC SARDINE SALES in STEVESTON • Friday, September 8^th and Saturday, September 9^th, 2006

more BC sardines coming to meet a growing demand generated by BC Sardine Fest!

Richmond, BC:  In response to the great interest and demand generated for BC sardines at the Canadian Pacific Sardine Association’s second annual BC Sardine Fest held on Saturday, September 2^nd, 2006 between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm at the Steveston Harbour Authority Fisherman’s Park (in front of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site • 12138 Fourth Avenue), fresh BC sardines are on their way to the Steveston Fishermen’s Wharf for sale this Friday, September 8^th (3 pm to 7 pm) and Saturday, September 9^th (7 am to 7 pm) or until supplies last!

Sardine fisherman, Glenn Budden of the Ocean Venture says from his boat, “We sold out of 8,500 pounds of fresh BC sardines at BC Sardine Fest and we will be making our way back to the sales dock in Steveston this weekend with more beautiful fish – about 145 grams each – to meet that growing demand.  We’ll have free BC sardine recipe booklets available too featuring unique recipes created by our local chefs who participated at our event both this year and last year.  It’s just great to see the enthusiastic interest in BC sardines!”

Over 1,500 people attended BC Sardine Fest this year showing such enthusiastic interest in BC sardines as they: attended the cooking demonstrations presented by Karen Barnaby (Executive Chef of The Fish House in Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC and award-winning cookbook author), Stephen Wong (local journalist, food and beverage consultant and cookbook author) and Kosta Zogaris (award winning fishmonger and owner of Lonsdale Quay’s Salmon Shop and Screaming Mimi’s, North Vancouver, BC); sampled the fresh and smoked sardine products; and, bought approximately 8,500 pounds of fresh sardines and 400 pounds of smoked sardine creations provided by Classic Smokehouse of Vancouver, BC.

Don Pepper, Executive Director of the Canadian Pacific Sardine Association adds,  “It was especially wonderful to have the full support of the professional chefs, seafood experts, seafood suppliers, the Steveston Harbour Authority, the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site and Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie who all actively contributed to make this event even bigger and better than last year.  It’s simply great to see the growing interest and demand for BC sardines.  It’s positive news for the 50 commercial sardine licence holders and the new BC sardine industry overall.  We’re already planning for BC Sardine Fest 2007!”

For more information regarding this weekend’s fresh BC sardine sales, please contact Glenn Budden directly at 604-328-7830.

BC sardines are a highly nutritious and delicious fin fish that migrate through the cool coastal waters of

British Columbia

.  With an iridescent, silvery body and fine, soft textured pink flesh, the flavour is described as relatively stronger and heavier than most white fish species providing great versatility in creating sardine dishes.  They are also recognized as a nutritional powerhouse rich in calcium, protein, iron, potassium, phosphorus and omega-3 fatty acids.  The unique story is an amazing natural “boom and bust” cycle that can be traced back 2,000 years  – explaining why BC’s large-scale sardine fisheries of the early 1900s came to an end in the 1950s and then started again in the early 1990s when sardines again re-appeared on the BC coast.  Today, the conservative fishery is committed to sustainability and provides fresh sardines primarily between May and November while frozen, salted and smoked product is available year round.

The Canadian Pacific Sardine Association is a non-profit, legally constituted organization representing sardine permit holders in the management and marketing of this BC sardine fishery.  The association is committed to working with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans to maintain the fishery’s sustainability; working with all permit holders and industry members to ensure consistent delivery of a premium, quality product, and; promoting BC sardines in both export and domestic markets.