Because… who doesn’t like fresh raw seafood and citrus juice….

WDFW, Washington Sea Grant promote public’s access to #LocalWASeafood

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Washington Sea Grant have teamed up to encourage all Washingtonians to celebrate Ceviche Day this Sunday, June 28, to bring awareness to the state’s abundance and variety of locally caught seafood.

Washington residents – even those who don’t fish themselves – have access year-round to some of the world’s healthiest and most sustainable seafood. The state’s commercial seafood industry, which drives a $600,000,000 yearly boost to Washington’s economy, is currently delivering Dungeness crab, Albacore tuna, rockfish, pink shrimp, and other fish and shellfish to families’ tables across the state. This comes at a time when reduced restaurant, market, and global trade demand during the COVID-19 pandemic has strained commercial fishing buyers and processors.    

“When you serve up Washington seafood harvested fresh from our coastal communities, you’re not only supporting more than 20,000 people who make up our state’s commercial fishing fleet, you’re also beginning to fully experience all that this state has to offer,” said Larry Phillips, coastal region director with WDFW. “We can’t think of a better way to celebrate the diversity of seafood that the summer season brings to the northwest than ceviche – it’s so versatile.” 

With its roots in Mexico, Central and South America, ceviche is a popular seafood dish that traditionally combines raw fish or seafood with lime juice in a simple appetizer, side, or main dish. Ceviche often varies by recipe depending on its country and regional origin. 

For the week following Ceviche Day on June 28, WDFW and Washington Sea Grant will share seafood recipes that highlight a variety of locally caught seafood products with information on how they are managed and where they can be purchased. 

“We are pleased to be partnering with WDFW in an effort to highlight the value that our local commercial fisheries bring to Washington consumers,” said W. Russell Callender, director of Washington Sea Grant. “Through sharing recipes widely and providing useful information to consumers, we hope to increase consumer understanding and access to Washington’s sustainable seafood resources.”

Need some help figuring out which of the wide variety of in-season seafood to prepare? Visit this blog post for suggested spot shrimp, tuna, geoduck, and salmon ceviche preparations from WDFW and Washington Sea Grant staff and their families: https://medium.com/@wdfw/celebrate-june-28-ceviche-day-with-local-washington-seafood-7d9678b14bf1. 

More information about when and where to buy locally sourced Washington seafood is available at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/where-to-buy-local-seafood. For more seafood recipe ideas, visit Washington Sea Grant’s News Blog: https://wsg.washington.edu/wsg-news-post/safe-sustainable-seafood/. 

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is the state agency tasked with preserving, protecting, and perpetuating fish, wildlife, and ecosystems, while providing sustainable fishing, hunting, and other recreation opportunities.

Washington Sea Grant, based within the College of the Environment at the University of Washington, helps people understand and address the challenges facing Washington’s ocean and coasts through marine research, technical expertise and education.