October 3, 2012 — Saving Seafood is pleased to announce its participation in the Boston Seafood Festival on Saturday, October 6, 2012. We look forward to seeing many of you there.
The Boston Fish Pier Seafood Festival is the official public kickoff of the non-profit, all volunteer Boston Fisheries Foundation, and will be the first all-seafood festival held in Boston.
It will be a day of sensational seafood tastings, oyster and lobsters, clambakes and chef demos, educational events, and family fun. The event will be held, rain or shine, at the Bank of America Pavilion, 290 Northern Ave, Boston and runs from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Boston Fisheries Foundation (BFF) is a group of Boston-area “fish guys” who share a passion for healthy, delicious seafood and for supporting the local families whose livelihoods depend on New England seafood. They have come together to create The Boston Fisheries Foundation. Their goal is ambitious: Sustaining the generations-old fisheries that have operated out of the Boston Fish Pier and up and down the seacoast of New England. The hope is to bring the fishing communities together with the public to create momentum and make sure that the Boston Fish Pier survives for another 100 years.
The founders of the non-profit Boston Fisheries Foundation are concerned that the Boston Fish Pier, which has been operating continuously since 1914, is under increasing pressure from real estate development, environmental shifts in the oceans, and from regulations that make it difficult for many fishing families to survive from season to season.
“We have to work together to sustain and support our fish and our fishing families or iconic fishing centers like the Boston Fish Pier may disappear,” says Robert Nagle, co-founder of Boston Fisheries Foundation and Vice President of Operations at the 125-year-old family-owned John Nagle Co.
“In New England's economy, many local jobs depend on sustainable fishing. Local fishermen have taken many steps to enhance rebuilding of fish stocks, resulting in a number of fisheries becoming more abundant again,” says Nagle. “The festival will give visitors a chance to sample many of those local species that are now rebuilt and sustainable as a result of years of dedicated sacrifice and hard work,” Nagle continued. “But effective conservation needs everyone–environmentalists, producers, the marketplace, scientists, and consumers. Sustainability requires coordination and ongoing dialogue that leads to action. That's what the Boston Fisheries Foundation is all about.
Why have a seafood festival? Co-founder Joe Zanti, owner of Yankee Lobster Co., explains, “We want to offer a fun day to enjoy one of New England's most important natural resources in a responsible and enjoyable way. We'll be celebrating our maritime heritage together, and eating some really good food!”
The Boston Fisheries Foundation hopes to share Boston's outstanding seafood bounty with locals and visitors alike. BFF president and co-founder Chris Basile, owner of Quarterdeck Seafood Market, explains, “Whether you love the most traditional or the most adventurous seafood, you will find it at the festival. We are really excited to share our love of seafood with the public.”
The Boston Seafood Festival includes an all-day clambake with lobster, steamers and all the fixings. Attendees can sample a variety of seafood dishes from local restaurants. Harpoon will serve up frost brew. Other features include chefs' demonstrations, local artists, live music, and an oyster shucking contest.
Executive Chef and Food Service Consultant Jeff Mushin of JM Consulting and Epicurean Club of Boston, who is coordinating the participation of local chefs in the festival, adds, “The chefs are incredibly excited about the chance to interact with people face-to-face, answer questions, and share delicious new dishes.”
Participating chefs include:
Jose Duarte, Taranta
Rich Garcia, 606 Congress
Nicholas Calias, Colonnade Hotel
Michael Aprea, Red Parrot
Mark Allen, Pinebrook Country Club
Bill Bradley, New England Aquarium
Jay Murray, Grill 23
Basil Freddura, The Daily Catch
The festival will be an educational event as well. Fishing-related organizations from around New England will share information and answer questions from festival attendees. Participating organizations include: Ocean Trust; Saving Seafood; the Blue Water Fishermen's Association; Gloucester Fishermen's Wives Association; and other representatives of Massachusetts and New England fishing communities.
Laura Hartung, Registered Dietitian, will be on hand to answer nutritional questions and share information about the health benefits of seafood.
Tickets can be purchased at http://bostonseafoodfestival.org/, and at the door. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $8 for students with valid ID. Children under 12 attend free. Net proceeds benefit the Boston Fisheries Foundation.