Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic, usually less than the size of a sesame seed, that are present in many different products. They can be found in items from single use bags to plastic bottles for water sold in stores, and even plastic food containers.
Studies show that some people may consume over 100,000 particles of microplastics per year - but the health repercussions are still widely unknown.
When it comes to food service, single use plastics are used more often than the average household in order to keep things sterile, but there are other ways to do this without dealing with microplastics.
Let’s explore the ways microplastics affect the fishing community and why it’s important to use more sustainable products in food service.
Fishing and Microplastics
Sustainable practices are becoming more important than ever in this industry. Common practices that use single use plastics are now dangerous, and as several studies show, possibly responsible for a collapse of the entire industry.
With a little support and a lot of commitment, career fishers can adopt better practices and help the industry become more sustainable over time.
This not only helps keep microplastics out of our oceans, but it also helps keep the industry alive and thriving.
Oak Bay’s Sustainable Practices
At Oak Bay Seafood, our ethos is that seafood is to be respected as well as savoured. We want our oceans to continue to be fruitful and we are committed to making that happen with more sustainable practices in our fishing.
For the last several decades we have gathered the experience and knowledge to provide our customer seafood from sustainable sources.
Our wide range of fish shows the variety we provide, along with the commitment to finding innovative ways to bring the best catch to our customers all the time.
Support That Brings The Best to Our Customers
In order to make sure we always bring the best and most sustainable catch to our customers every day, we are backed by a wholesale operation, Better Seafood Supply. They are based in Saanich and help us to provide for our customers while also avoiding microplastics and keeping up with our customers’ needs with sustainable practices.
From Sea to Table, all of your needs are covered and you never have to worry about where your next catch came from.
Enjoy Fresh Halibut
Halibut is a large flatfish which ranges in size from 1 kilo right up to 70 kilos! Although the smaller ones are the best to eat, as larger ones can be tougher and dry out easily - especially if it’s cooked for too long.
Most traditional cooking methods require the fish to be briefly fried, grilled or roasted.
Of course we love the classic halibut fried Fish & Chips! But if you’re looking for something a little different, you can’t go wrong with butter and capers.
Ingredients
Serves: 4
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 500gm halibut portion
- 150ml white wine
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 100g salted butter
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons capers, with liquid
Slice the halibut into 4 equal portions and pat dry. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Sear the halibut for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Pour the wine into the pan, and scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce a little, then stir in the garlic. Cook for a few more minutes, and stir in the capers.
Melt in butter a spoonful at a time to create a silky sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for a minute to blend the flavours and stir in the parsley.
Return the halibut to the pan, and coat them with sauce. Cook a few more minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serve immediately with the sauce from the pan poured over it.
Crispy Fried Oysters in the Kitchen
Our dedication to freshness and quality is found throughout our kitchen, resulting in fresh and delightfully tasty food served to everyone that steps foot in our restaurant. To make the most of the freshness of the ingredients on offer, we make everything from scratch.
And we don’t just fry fish, we also love to fry oysters! Available for takeout or collection from our Kitchen, crispy fried oysters make for a delicious appetizer.
