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Eric Akis: How to harvest fruits of the sea

I’ve lived on Vancouver Island 21 years and each year I’ve taken weekend getaways to the Parksville-Qualicum Beach area.

Eric AkisI’ve lived on Vancouver Island 21 years and each year I’ve taken weekend getaways to the Parksville-Qualicum Beach area. There’s no shortage of things to do there but, for some reason, foraging for shellfish has not been an activity I’ve taken part in for the longest time.

I’m not alone.

“I’ve really been struck by how intimidated people are by harvesting shellfish. Confusing regulations and not knowing where to go are just some of the issues,” Brian Kingzett said.

Kingzett is manager of the Deep Bay Marine Field Station, located about 20 kilometres north of Qualicum Beach. The field station is part of Vancouver Island University’s Centre for Shellfish Research and it supports coastal and marine research activities. Part of its mission is to educate residents about what’s happening in local waters.

“Harvesting shellfish is a really good way for locals to come in touch with their ocean. To care about it and its surroundings,” Kingzett said.

That certainly makes sense, but it still doesn’t quell uncertainties some have about doing that harvesting themselves. To help those folks come out of their shells, with Kingzett’s assistance I’ve put together, in question and answer form, a guide to harvesting local shellfish.

 

Do you need a licence to harvest shellfish?

As with fresh or saltwater fish, you do require a licence to harvest shellfish, such as clams, oysters and mussels. Information on getting one can be found on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Pacific Region website, pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca. Once there, you’ll see a link called B.C. Sport Fishing. Click on it and you’ll see a link that will let you know how to obtain a licence and also find scads of other useful information.

 

How do I find out where it’s safe and legal to harvest shellfish?

On the B.C. Sport Fishing page noted above, you’ll also find a detailed tidal water fishing areas map that you can click on to determine what species can be harvested in various areas of the B.C. coastline. If you are still unsure whether or not it is safe and legal to harvest in a certain area, call the Fisheries and Oceans general fishing info line at 866-431-3474 or 604-666-2828.

 

Are there limits on what I can take home?

Yes, there are daily limits on how many clams, oysters and other shellfish you can harvest. To determine them, go the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Pacific Region website noted above and search “shellfish species and limits table.”

 

What’s the best time to go foraging?

Low tide (a metre or less) is the best time to forage for shellfish, as more of the seabed will be exposed. You’ll find a tide table on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Pacific Region website noted above. Kingzett says it’s an old wives’ tale that oysters can be harvested only in months with letter “r” in them. However, he admits oyster meat can get softer in the hot days of July and August.

 

What gear do you need?

A shovel, boots or hip waders and a bucket and/or mesh sack to hold your shellfish are the basic items you’ll need while by the seaside. To keep your shellfish well chilled and alive for the ride home, also bring a well-chilled cooler to store them in.

 

What are some harvesting dos and don’t?

Kingzett said you should leave the beach the way you found it. For example, if you’re digging holes in search of clams, refill them, as this will reduce predation on exposed juvenile clams. Also, when harvesting Pacific oysters, to avoid mistakenly taking the smaller Olympia oysters, a species at risk, do not harvest any that are less than five centimetres wide.

How do you store shellfish?

After harvesting, Kingzett said you can rinse and then keep clams in cool salt water a few hours to purge sand from them. With manila clams, he says, you don’t even need to do that. Once home, if you need to store such things as clams, mussels and oysters up to a day before eating them, place them in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Do not store them submerged in water.

 

How can I further educate myself?

A visit to Deep Bay Marine Field Station is an excellent way to learn more about local shellfish. They are open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can take a self-guided tour of the facility and see local marine life in their aquariums and touch tanks. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and $15 for families.

The field station also hosts shellfish events, such as “foraging for wild edibles” taking place June 28 and Nov. 22. On those days, Brian Kingzett will lead small groups on a seaside foraging excursion that wraps up with a cooking demonstration and a shellfish-rich meal. Cost for the foraging event is $95 per person plus tax.

To reserve your spot, call 250-740-6611. To learn more about this event and the field station go to viu.ca/deepbay.

The B.C. government website BCseafood.ca is also a good resource for information about local seafood species. If you would like a book on the subject, Brian Kingzett recommends The Edible Seashore: Pacific Shores Cookbook & Guide.

 

Cornmeal Crusted Oysters with Spicy Aioli

This recipe was provided by Lila Ruzicka, Cook and Food Services Co-ordinator for Vancouver Island University’s Centre for Shellfish Research. She says you can eat these on their own, or stuff them into slider buns.

Makes: 20 oysters

 

For the spicy aioli

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp sriracha (see Note)

1 scallion or green onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp finely chopped cilantro

1 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp minced garlic

For the oysters

1 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1 large egg

1 Tbsp buttermilk or water

20 medium or large shucked oysters, drained

• vegetable oil for frying

• lime slices for garnish

Combine all aioli ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for one hour, or until needed for the oysters.

In a large bowl, mix together the cornstarch, cornmeal, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and thyme. In a second, small bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk or water.

Dip an oyster into the cornstarch mixture, then remove and shake off any excess coating. Dip the oyster into the egg mixture. Now dip and coat the oyster in the cornstarch mixture again, shake off any excess coating and then set on a wide plate or baking sheet. Coat the remaining oysters in this fashion.

Heat the oven to 200 F.

Pour a half-inch of vegetable oil into a large heavy pan. Heat the oil to 370 F. Working in batches, fry the oysters until golden brown and crispy, about two or three minutes per side. Transfer fried oysters to a paper towel-lined platter to drain. Keep cooked oysters warm in the oven until all are cooked. Be sure to let the temperature of the oil return to 370 F before frying the next batch.

Serve the oysters with the spicy aioli.

 

Note: Sriracha is a smooth, Asian-style hot sauce sold in the Asian foods aisle of most supermarkets.

 

Beer and Garlic Steamed Clams

This recipe was also provided by Lila Ruzicka. She recommends serving the clams over linguine. Enjoy with crusty bread and a cold beer.

Makes: 2-3 servings

 

2 strips regular or maple-flavoured bacon, diced

1/2 onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp finely chopped jalapeño pepper

1 (375 mL) bottle of beer, such as wheat beer or dark ale or lager

1 ripe tomato, diced

2 lbs clams, rinsed and drained

• juice from a 1/4 lemon

1 tsp finely chopped parsley

Add chopped bacon to a large pot set over medium, medium-high heat and sauté until crispy. Add the onions, garlic and jalapeños and sauté two minutes more, or until onions are tender.

Pour beer into pot and warm until bubbly. Now add the clams and tomatoes. Spread clams around to even out. Bring to a simmer, cover pot and cook for two or three minutes. Check clams to see if they’ve opened. If clams still have not opened, cover and steam for one more minute. Discard any clams that are not open. Sprinkle clams with the lemon juice and parsley and enjoy.

 

Wine and Dine en Blanc

On Thursday, June 26, Victoria will be one of about 40 cities around the world hosting Diner En Blanc, a popular event launched in Paris 26 years ago.

This unique and fun evening begins with event ticket holders meeting at a designated spot in Victoria. Participants must be attired entirely in white and each couple or group of two attending must bring a square, foldable, 71 to 81 centimetre table, two white chairs, a white tablecloth, white dishware, glasses and silver cutlery.

Once gathered, participants are then transported to a secret location where they set up their tables. Sparklers, balloons, music, dancing, wine and food soon follow and the party begins.

Tickets for the event are $35 per person plus a $5 Diner En Blanc membership fee. Guests can choose to bring their own food or order the catered option that is supplied by the London Chef (thelondonchef.com) in Victoria. When ordering tickets, guests may also order wine, which will be delivered to them at the event. Cut off date for ordering food and wine is June 20.

If you want to keep the party going, after the dinner, you can continue the fun at the Le Disco after party, which is also held at a secret location. Tickets for Le Disco are $20 per person and include a complementary drink upon arrival.

For details and to register, go to Victoria.dinerenblanc.info or the Diner En Blanc Victoria Facebook page facebook.com/DinerEnBlanc.Victoria.

Eric Akis is the author of the popular cookbook, Anyone Can Cook Anything. His columns appear in the Life pages Sunday and Wednesday.