Sesame Orange Halibut Bowl
Zesty flavours of orange and ginger are the perfect complement to the gentle, almost sweet taste of the halibut. Paired with a bowl full of fresh vegetables, this colourful dish is packed with flavour...
The Wild Pacific Halibut
Vancouver Island is incredibly lucky to have available to it one of the tastiest fish in the ocean: the Pacific halibut, valued for its mild, sweet-tasting white flesh, large flakes and a firm but tender texture. Most Canadian halibut fishers live on the Island, and most of the Canadian catch is landed on the Island. The Canadian Pacific halibut fishery is one of the most sustainable commercial fisheries in the world, so if you are conservation minded and love fish, this is the one for you.
For almost 100 years now, the Pacific halibut has been managed jointly by Canada and the United States and has some of the best fisheries scientists overseeing the harvest and stock management. Within Canada, all halibut vessels are equipped with multiple cameras that capture images of every fish that is caught and released during the fishing season. This data is then audited and compared to the fisher’s logbook to ensure that the individual has not exceeded their allowable catch.
Fresh halibut is usually available from March through early December. During the warmer months, many fishers bring their catch to the docks to sell directly to the public, providing the freshest catch available to buyers and allowing both tourists and locals to take part in the traditional fishing culture. Many fishers have discovered that it's both financially and personally rewarding to sell their fish directly to the customer. They know that their product has to be outstanding to shift the consumers' typical buying habits, and they love being in direct contact with their buyers to tell them exactly where they harvested the fish, explain the efforts they make to maximize quality and share stories about their overall fishing experience.
Campbell River, Comox, Nanaimo and Victoria are some of the places you may find halibut for sale directly from the fishers—just watch for the signs, because it sells out fast. It’s best to get your name on a call list so that you have an advance warning of when the halibut is arriving (the fishers or the dock manager should be able to help you get on a list). Once you have purchased your halibut (only whole fish can be purchased due to processing regulations), the crew of the boat will be happy to give you a lesson on filleting your halibut, or you could watch some great tutorials on YouTube.
There are a few things to keep in mind about buying directly from fishers: you can only buy seafood from commercial fishing vessels; it is illegal for recreational fishers or charter vessels to sell fish; and not all commercial vessels sell their catch directly to consumers.
For information on the fishery, the fishing families who catch the halibut, preparation tips and some great recipes, check out wildpacifichalibut.com, @WildPacificHalibut on Instagram and @WildBCHalibut on Twitter.
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