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Sustainable Seafood Celebration
The Sustainable Seafood Celebration (formerly known as the Fish Fry) took place this past June 7th, 2023, in Washington, DC. This activity takes place annually since 1975 and is aimed at promoting properly managed fish and seafood as well as marine aquaculture within United States jurisdictions.
Several agencies participate in this act including Fishery Management Region Councils. Other participants include congresspersons, government representatives, non-profitorganizations, and other agencies related to fish and seafood management and production in the United States. The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) has participated in this event for about 10 years. CFMC presence occurred in part thanks to the invitation extended by the West Pacific Fishery Management Council (WPFMC) and NOAA.
Since the first year CFMC began participating in this activity, Culinary Arts teacher and chef Juan Carlos Vicéns has been in charge of creating recipes and preparing the dishes served in our booth In this event, he was joined by chef Dr. Wanda I. Pantojas (Professor in the Hotel and Restaurant Management School in UPR-Carolina), chef Giovani Romero, and chef Wilnelia Rivera.
Also present were Mr. Miguel A. Rolón, CFMC Executive Director, and Ms. Diana Martinó, Assistant to the Executive Director and Education an Extension Coordinator. M Martinó has been the person organizing CFMC participation since the beginning. Her work has led to chef coordination, recipe selection, the selected fish and seafood and NOAA collaboration.
CFMC President, Captain R Sea Grant) also participated in this activity and helped procure local seafood and decorate the exhibition booth and tasting area.
Among the hundreds of people who approached the booth to taste fresh Caribbean fare were Dr. Richard W. Spinrad, NOAA Administrator; Mr. Don Graves, Department of Commerce Subsecretary; Mr. Samuel D. Rauch, Assistant Administrator for the NOAA Fisheries Regulation Programs; and Ms. Janet Coit, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. All of them enjoyed the presented plates and encouraged CFMC to continue their participation in this event.
Octopus, lobster, squid, an queen conch were part of delicious seafood prepared served in this activity. Several of the recipes used were take straight from the Fish and Seafood Recipes for Underutilzed Species of PR & the USVI, which allowed CFMC to continue promoting the book and gaining visibility for the wide gastronomic variety of our region. Delicacies like wet rice with seafood and fideuà were some of the main courses, which were accompanied by fried breadfruit, plantain tostones, rice fritters, and arepas.
We encourage you to find and download this book at https://issu.com/caribbeanfmc/docs/libro_de_recetas. Support local fishing and promote Caribbean fish and seafood diversity. Bon Appetit!
NOTE: We would like to thank Miguel Rolón, Diana Martinó, and Jannette Ramos for the information and photographs supplied for this article.
