Vancouver Island University Dives Into the Sustainable Seafood Market

International Centre for Sturgeon Studies partners with local retail shops and restaurants to offer a taste of the prehistoric

Something deliciously fishy is happening at Vancouver Island University’s (VIU’s) International Centre for Sturgeon Studies (ICSS) these days – and it’s catching on at local restaurants and retail outlets.

The ICSS recently started selling cans of smoked sturgeon and fresh fillets to restaurants and retail shops – both as a revenue generator to help with the education and research that goes on at the facility, and as a way of building awareness about what the ICSS does.

So far three restaurants – the Westwood Bistro in Nanaimo, Pacific Prime Restaurant and Lounge in Parksville and Edible Canada in Vancouver – are serving up VIU sturgeon products to customers, and cans of smoked sturgeon – processed and smoked locally at St. Jean’s Cannery and Smokehouse – are available at several local retail shops.

“Our sturgeon are grown in a land-based, closed-containment, re-circulating system which is used for training our fisheries and aquaculture students, so there’s a local, environmentally friendly, educational aspect to it,” says Jenny Dawson-Coates, a VIU Fish Health Biologist. “It’s also a really nice fish for eating. In other places in the world, it’s a delicacy.”

The ICSS raises thousands of white sturgeon to age two, at which time fish densities need to be reduced due to space constraints. Because of federal and provincial laws, releasing the fish into the wild is not an option. Selling sturgeon products is an innovative way for the self-funded facility to supplement grant funding.

Islanders who want to try sturgeon can look for VIU smoked canned sturgeon at several local retailers [see list below]. For inspiration, they can also visit the restaurants mentioned above to see what chefs are doing with both the smoked and fresh fish.

Ian Lane, Pacific Prime Restaurant’s Food and Beverage Director has used VIU’s fresh sturgeon fillets as the restaurant’s featured Catch of the Day a number of times.

“Sturgeon is a great, underutilized fish,” he says. “Because it is a sustainable, ethical, local product, we thought it was a great fit for what we want to do at this restaurant.”

At Westwood Bistro, guests can sample the smoked product in a risotto-filled crepe with yam cream, and the fresh fillets make an appearance on special menus from time to time. Head Chef Kellie Callender says the major appeal of VIU sturgeon is that it is a unique, interesting, local product, and all the money goes back into research and education. He’s also heard many positive things about the taste of the product.

“Whenever I talk to guests after they’ve had it, they’re usually really excited to hear where it’s from,” says Callender. “We try to support local farmers and producers as much as possible and that whole message really changes how people feel about coming out to eat.”

On Granville Island in Vancouver, Edible Canada is serving up VIU sturgeon in a seafood salad.

“At Edible Canada, we are synonymous with sourcing only the best local, sustainable and seasonal products, and this was a great way for us to not only help the research program, but also offer our customers an opportunity to enjoy a unique fish that showcases the best of BC and is unsung on most local menus,” says Eric Pateman, President of Edible Canada Culinary Experiences Corporation. “Our customers love it for its firmness and flavour.”

Debbie Shore, Chair of VIU’s Culinary Programs, who has cooked with it a number of times, also enjoys the taste.

“It’s juicy and has a good texture and a really nice flavour,” she says. “Anytime I’ve cooked with it, comments have been positive, and people have really liked it.”

White sturgeon – the largest sturgeon species in North America – can grow up to six metres long and can live up to 100-150 years old. Sturgeon have been swimming the waters of the world for more than 200 million years.

Since 1984, VIU has been researching white sturgeon and teaching students and the general public about this amazing species. In 2012, to fill the need for a dedicated sturgeon research centre in North America and continue developing its sturgeon research program, VIU constructed the ICSS on the Nanaimo campus. The ICSS brings together research activities at the regional, national and international levels involving conservation, enhancement and commercial interests. It is also a place where people can go to learn more about these unique “living fossils” – the ICSS hosts more than 1,000 visitors each year.

To learn more about the International Centre for Sturgeon Studies at VIU, click here. Click here to learn more about VIU’s smoked sturgeon products.

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MEDIA CONTACT: 

Jenn McGarrigle, Communications Officer, Vancouver Island University

P: 250.740.6288 | C: 250.619.6860 | E: jenn.mcgarrigle@viu.ca

SIDEBAR: VIU Sturgeon Sustainability Facts

VIU sturgeon are raised in a land-based, closed-containment, recirculating system, which means:

• 96% of the water in the tanks is cleaned and reused




• Wild stocks are not impacted – most white sturgeon populations in BC are protected under the federal Species at Risk Act and are closed to recreational angling; the lower and middle Fraser River populations are designated as endangered, but are considered healthy enough to support a catch and release sport fishery




• Discharge goes into the City of Nanaimo’s sewer system, it is not released into the environment




• VIU sturgeon are raised according to the high standards of care set by the Canadian Council on Animal Care

SIDEBAR: VIU Smoked Sturgeon Cans now available at: 

• VIU Campus Store, Nanaimo campus




• Deep Bay Marine Field Station, Deep Bay




• McLean’s Specialty Foods, Nanaimo




• Nesvog Meats and Sausage Company, Nanaimo




• Sunshine Coast Aquaponics, Powell River