This month, volunteers from the PRSF delivered the first batch of 104 pounds of amberjack filets to the Lowcountry Food Bank in Yemassee. The fish were caught and provided to this project by Beaufort-based Sea Eagle Market, and delivered to the Culinary Institute of the South, part of the Technical College of the Lowcountry that is training the rising generation of culinary professionals in the Lowcountry. There, they cleaned and fileted the fish, and packaged it into individual servings for distribution. Finally, volunteers from the Port Royal Sound Foundation picked up the shipment of fresh nutritious fish and transported it to the Lowcountry Food Bank facility in Yemassee, from where it will be distributed to families facing food insecurity across the region.
“Through South Carolina Aquarium Good Catch, we always want to provide resources and opportunities for the community to choose local, sustainable seafood options and support their neighbors in the seafood industry while doing so,” says Louden Porter, Good Catch coordinator at the South Carolina Aquarium. “But, we also recognize that seafood isn’t always accessible, whether it be price, location or other factors. Good Catch Seafood Connection allows us to bridge that gap by serving fresh, local, sustainable and underutilized seafood to our food-insecure neighbors in the Lowcountry as well as uplift local fishermen through financial support of their business, lower the communal carbon footprint by keeping local seafood local and provide hands-on job skills and opportunities to students.”
Greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) is not traditionally deemed a restaurant-quality fish, and as a result, is often thrown back or considered bycatch by commercial fishermen. But ask Samuel Carpenter, Culinary Arts Instructor at Culinary Institute of the South about amberjack, and he’ll tell you otherwise. “Amberjack is a light, mild fish that has a firm yet flakey texture. It has traditionally been considered bycatch but is becoming more popular due to its sustainability. Much of what we are looking for in the culinary field is to use sustainable seafood, and that is caught using practices that are not harmful to the environment. Swordfish, oysters, and wild shrimp are other fish we like to use that support environmental and economic sustainability for our area.
Craig Reeves, owner of Sea Eagle Market which also runs its own fishing fleet, is enthusiastic about the project. “We see it as an opportunity to help provide an experience for culinary students to learn about the commercial seafood industry and fish preparation, and the ability to get that seafood to underserved markets and communities. It’s really a win-win-win.”
As for the Port Royal Sound Foundation’s humble role in transporting the processed fish to the Food Bank, “If it means we are creating opportunities for our local seafood industry, supporting our community, and honoring and recognizing the incredible bounty of the Port Royal Sound, we are here for it!”
The Good Catch Seafood Connection program aims to connect seafood to local food banks during peak fishing months of May – October. The type and amount of seafood provided will depend on availability, market rates, and funds raised for this project. People interested in contributing financially or volunteering to transport fish should reach out to Courtney at the Port Royal Sound Foundation – ckimmel@portroyalsoundfoundation.org
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