Pamela Suzanne Smyth, Oceanside Star, November 18, 2010

Local shellfish growers dished up a formal five-star fundraiser for CoalWatch in Fanny Bay last Friday.

CoalWatch president John Snyder (standing) welcomes (from left) Barry Avis, Anne Copas, Teunis Westbroek, Scott Fraser and Delores Fraser. (PAMELA SUZANNE SMYTH PHOTOS)

During cocktail hour, sea cucumber ceviche, along with gourmet geoduck clam fritters, were passed around to 150 supporters in 'flavour' of protecting these scrumptious sea treasures from becoming 'coal-tainted.'

At the seafood bar, Hollie and Greg Wood, of Hollie Wood Oysters, shucked and served raw Cowie Creek, Deep Bay Kusshi and Denman Island Satori oysters accented with lime-cilantro dressing, chilli-garlic sauce or tarragon vinaigrette.

Regarded for its sweet flavour and buttery texture, the Kusshi are exclusive to Deep Bay's Stellar Bay Shellfish Ltd. Meaning "ultimate" in Japanese, these delicacies are small, deep-cupped and smooth-shelled.

Stellar's grower, Keith Reid, said "They're grown in trays, never spend time on the beach and don't have barnacles on their shells."

In comparison, Hollie Wood's popular lightly sea-salted Cowie Creeks are grown in trays and "beach finished."

Shellfish grown in and around Baynes Sound are shipped throughout the globe. They can arrive fresh in Toronto in as little as four hours.

Many smiling raw oyster fans returned to the oyster bar for seconds, including Alberni-Pacific Rim MLA Scott Fraser, who was later joined at the dinner by Qualicum Beach Mayor Teunis Westbroek and Coun. Barry Avis. The three elected officials appeared on the same wavelength regarding a coal industry running contrary to the Province's Climate Action Plan, fishery and hatchery enhancements and eco-tourism, as well as safe drinking water for communities.

The elegant, scrumptious four-course feast featured local delicacies including Fanny Bay clam chowder, sesame ginger mussel and scallop salad, creme pernod oyster linguini and refreshing lemon gelato cupped in oyster shells.

Not usually found in local grocery stores, the geoducks stimulated conversation throughout the evening. These long-neck clams rank first in landed value among exported B.C invertebrates, according to the Underground Harvester's Association, with $32-$38-million-worth purchased from fishermen each year. In Asian markets, they sell for about US$30 a pound ($65/kg).

A live auction also took place. Artist Coco Jones donated a painting titled 'Not a coal miners daughter,' valued at $2,500 and Sarah Ramsey bestowed a 32-string handmade harp worth about the same.

Baynes Sound Oysters Co., Fanny Bay Oysters, Hollie Wood Oysters, Mac's Oyster Ltd., Custom Gourmet Catering, Wandering Moose Cafe, Shimdesign, Aquatec Seafoods Ltd., the Fanny Bay Community Association and Deep Bay's Stellar Bay Shellfish Ltd., among others, contributed and participated in the sold-out Ocean of Plenty dinner.

Celebrating "our pristine waters" and "what we grow," CoalWatch president John Snyder thanked everyone.

© Oceanside Star 2010

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