Time to get grilling: Five recipes to celebrate Life Outdoors this Seafood Month
October is Seafood Month — and what better time to fire up your grill, enjoy Life Outdoors and seek out all the local Washington seafood in-season right now, from rockfish, salmon and shrimp to albacore tuna and Dungeness crab!
Whether you reel in your meal yourself, stop at a restaurant, or pick up your catch from a local market or right off the dock, you can rest assured knowing that you’re supporting local maritime communities and sustainable seafood.
WDFW uses stringent science-based monitoring and oversight to keep local Washington seafood on the menu — and on your table. Whether alongside commercial fishers on board or at the dock, WDFW fishery samplers record catch and biological data, which helps to inform the health of the fishery and ensures we’re meeting conservation goals. When seafood heads to the market, WDFW Enforcement officers help to confirm proper labeling in store to give consumers an idea of where the seafood came from and how it was sold.
According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations’ The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020 report, there is growing evidence that when fisheries are properly managed, stocks are consistently above target levels or rebuilding. Biologically sustainable stocks account for 78.7 percent of all landings of marine fisheries — an increase since 1989 due in part to improved implementation of management measures, just like the ones we have here in Washington State.
Find Washington seafood near you with the help of Local Catch, a network of supported fisheries and small-scale harvesters. Not sure how to prepare your bounty? Check out some of our favorite recipes from our friends at Seafood Nutrition Partnership and NOAA Fisheries below.
Albacore tuna: Asian Sesame Grilled Tuna Steak
Dungeness crab: Creamy Crab Dip
Rockfish: Easy Ginger Soy Grilled Rockfish
For the full recipe, visit NOAA Fisheries’ Fish Watch website.
Salmon: Salmon Sliders With Garlic Lemon Aioli
Shrimp: Shrimp Boil Packets
Visit Washington Sea Grant’s website for more recipe ideas to serve up local Washington seafood this month and beyond. Have another recipe of your own? Share it with us on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages using #LocalWASeafood.
Enjoying Seafood Month in — and out — of the kitchen
To really experience all that Seafood Month has to offer, you might consider heading straight to the source and making a visit to Washington’s communities rich with maritime history. Check out Local Catch’s offerings, visit Westport Fresh Catch or drop in on Bellingham’s Dockside Market to buy seafood directly from local commercial fishers. Or, stop in at Seattle’s Fishermen’s Terminal for a self-led walking tour of important terminal sites, which date back as far as 1912! From there, spend a few days enjoying seafood at spots along the Olympic Culinary Loop. Regardless, you’re sure to find something for everyone with all that’s in season this time of year.
With more than 55,000 people working in Washington’s commercial seafood industry, you just might meet some friendly faces along the way. You can learn more about Washington’s commercial fishers and harvesters — and their commitment to sustainable management alongside fishery managers — with a series of videos on our YouTube page or in the playlist below.
Celebrate #LifeOutdoorsWA
Help us showcase your time outdoors grilling up local Washington seafood! By sending us your best photos, you can be entered for a chance to win outdoor gear! Your photos may be featured on WDFW’s Facebook and Instagram to celebrate the variety of ways people enjoy outdoor lifestyles and to inspire others to spend time in nature.
Enter our monthly photo contest August-December 2021 for a chance to win a Cabela’s gift card! Each month has a new theme and a new winner.
Participating is simple
- Visit WDFW’s Life Outdoors webpage from now through December 2021 to find out the outdoor recreation theme for the current month.
- Submit pictures of you, your friends, or family participating in the month’s featured outdoor recreation theme on WDFW’s website.
- When submitting your photo, select #LifeOutdoorsWA in the category section. In the description area, tell us a little about your experience!
On the last Friday of the month, a winner will be selected and featured on WDFW’s Facebook and Instagram. Winners will also be contacted via email to receive their prize.
Visit wdfw.wa.gov/LocalWASeafood to learn more about in-season sustainable seafood and how the state and its partners are working to keep it on families’ tables, in the market, and on the menu.
