National Seafood Month | Appreciating Canadian Fisherman

10/1/2020

National Seafood Month | Appreciating Canadian Fisherman

Did you know that October is National Seafood Month? They really do have an appreciation day/month for everything. National seafood month is oftentimes a month celebrated by restaurants and markets, promoting delicious seafood dishes and offerings – But we here at Hercules want to take this time to celebrate the people who make those dishes possible, fishermen!

More than 45,000 commercial fish harvesters work Canada’s waters from coast to coast. Canada’s fishing industry is a key contributor to the success of the Canadian economy. According to the last data reported in 2016, Canada’s fishing industry exported $6.6 billion in fish and seafood products and employed approximately 72,000 people in the industry – and that number has certainly grown!

Hercules SLR has the pleasure of serving many Canadian fishermen (and hobbyist fishermen alike) providing tie downs, rope, chain, tarps, and much more.

However, when it comes to truly serving Canadian fishermen, Hercules SLR has to pass the baton over to our sister company, Spartan Marine. Whether you are hard at work offshore or relaxing in local waters—Spartan Industrial Marine is your source for high-quality marine products and services. They offer a wide range of solutions to those with industrial, commercial, and recreational marine interests including high-quality marine products and services, safety equipment, and industrial products. The entire Hercules Group of Companies has gotten the chance to connect with the amazing people working particularly within the Atlantic Canadian fishing industry thanks to Spartan Marine.

Fun Facts You May Not Have Known About the Fishing Industry

1. Canada is in the top 25 fish-producing countries in the world! Canada is working with the world’s largest coastline and 2.76 million square km of ocean, so it makes sense that fishing is a large export here. Canadian fishermen bring in 1.1 million metric tonnes of fish each year and we are consistently ranking within the top 35 fish-producing countries in the world. Canada’s most valuable species exported is lobster, Atlantic salmon, Snow (queen) crab and shrimp.

2. Fishing weaves into the lives of Canadian’s in many ways. 53% of Canadians eat seafood regularly, 23% of Canadians fish for recreation and 8% of Canadians know someone who works in the commercial fishing sector. Bonus Fun Fact: Did you know that 1 in 5 Canadian women participate in fishing on a commercial or recreational scale? Fishing has in the past been associated with men, but in reality, fishing is a large part of Candian women’s lives too! Spartan Marine loves to shine a light on women working in the fishing industry – you can check this series out over on their Facebook.

3. Fisheries are responsible for producing one of the most nutritious and low-cost food options. Wild seafood is a renewable resource that requires minimal freshwater to produce, emits little carbon dioxide, and uses no arable land while producing lean protein at a cost-per-pound that is lower than most other animal proteins. Worldwide, just over 100 million tonnes of fish are eaten each year providing ten and a half billion people with at least 20% of the average per capita animal protein.

4. Canadian fishermen aren’t just feeding Canadians, they are providing a protein source to people across the globe! The United States is Canada’s largest export market (representing roughly 64% of seafood trade), followed by China (11%), The European Union (10%), Japan (4%), and Hong Kong (2%).

Fun Seafood Recipes to try for Seafood Month

In celebration of national seafood month, head to your local seafood market, support your local fisherman, and challenge yourself to a fun new recipe! Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling. Click on any of these images to save them for later!

1. Classic Crab Boil