Slow Fish is an international campaign and biennial event that brings together chefs, youth, organizers, and fishermen* to turn the tide away from industrial seafood and toward seafood that is good, clean and fair for all.
Slow Food believes that small-scale fishers form an essential part of fragile aquatic ecosystems that must be protected along with the biodiversity of marine species. Through the Slow Fish campaign, we promote artisanal fishing and neglected fish species and inspire reflection on the state and management of the sea’s resources.
Friendly THDM fishermen. Photo credit: S. Shoffler
Good, Clean, and Fair Seafood
More than 90% of the seafood we eat in the U.S. is imported, yet we catch and harvest enough nationally to feed ourselves. The average boat-to-plate journey is over 5,000 miles. We can do better than this, anchored to the Slow Food vision of food that is good, clean, and fair for all:
Good: wholesome, seasonal, local, fresh, and delicious. Clean: preserves biodiversity, sustains the environment, and nourishes a healthy lifestyle for both humans and animals. Fair: honors the dignity of labor from boat to plate, and the diversity of cultures and traditions in the United States. This food is accessible for everyone to enjoy.
SFUSD's vision for San Diego seafood
A thriving local and sustainable seafood industry. San Diego as a sustainable seafood destination. A citizenry that knows where its seafood comes from and who caught it.
How SFUSD Hooks into Slow Fish
By connecting local chefs directly to local fishermen – this is the best way to get the freshest most sustainable seafood on our restaurant plates. If any chefs would like to meet our local seafood producers, please get in touch.
By collaborating with local chefs, fishermen, fishmongers and others to bring you Seafood Saturdays – a campaign to promote local US-caught seafood in San Diego and to teach San Diegans how to prepare, cook and enjoy the local bounty. Check us out at the Tuna Harbor pier starting April 16, 2016. Check our blog or Facebook page to confirm which Saturdays. And see recipes below!
Working to keep our waterfront a working waterfront. How can we maintain our cultural heritage as a fishing community? How can we revive it? How do we keep the harvest of this healthy and delicious resource in our community?
In the future we'll research barriers to keeping local seafood local. Why is local catch sent outside the City, County and Country? How can we keep it here? Why should we?
What’s a seafood lover to do?
Buy Local. Eat locally-harvested wild-capture fish – you support local families and the local economy
If you can’t buy local, buy U.S. wild-capture seafood
Ask how, when and where your seafood was caught
Try new things – eat a variety of seafoods so we don’t overpressure just one population
Get in touch with Slow Food Urban San Diego and join our Slow Fish team.
More Ways to Hook Up to the Slow Fish Movement
Facebook Group page to go deeper in the conversation
LocalCatch.org to connect with a Community Supported Fishery program near you
Seafood Throwdown events to host or attend
Blog on current topics in the seafood world
NPR Story: Can Slow Fish Help Save America’s Small Scale Fishermen?
