Boat to Table program brings fresh seafood to Whatcom County food banks

Boat to Table, a new community campaign, kicked off in August with a focus on bolstering access to local seafood and its health benefits to Whatcom County residents.

The project was spearheaded by nonprofits Bellingham SeaFeast and PNW Plateful with support from Lummi Nation, Alaska Gold Seafood Cooperative, Birchwood Food Desert Fighters and the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center.

Distribution events were hosted with Lummi Commod Squad and Food Bank on August 18, Birchwood Food Desert Fighters on August 26 and East Whatcom Regional Resource Center and Foothills Food Bank on September 5.

Sarah Chan, executive director of PNW Plateful and owner of Calypso Kitchen in Bellingham, made and packaged an estimated 500 locally sourced meals, according to a Bellingham SeaFeast press release.

SeaFeast program director Kevin Coleman said Chan’s “Fisherman’s Stew” has a robust flavor of Trinidad spice and is packed with nutritional value from salmon and vegetables.

Coleman knows the benefits of a seafood diet firsthand after a 2021 heart attack persuaded him to switch to a pescetarian diet. He hopes to not only make “blue foods” more accessible but also to get community members excited about using food from local waterways.

“The big thing I get told is, ‘I don’t know what to do with it. I think it’s expensive and I’m going to ruin it,’” Coleman said. “When I hear that, I’m like, ‘Well, no, it’s just fish, and you’re freaking out about it, so let’s stay calm and show you what you can do with it.’”

Boat to Table did not serve residents of Blaine and Birch Bay this season, but Coleman said he hopes to see the program expand to reach much more of Whatcom County. He added that Boat to Table is looking for investors, partners and sponsors to grow for the program for its expected return next year.

Those interested in getting involved with Boat to Table, SeaFeast or other projects aimed toward protecting and celebrating the working waterways of Whatcom County can email volunteer@BellinghamSeaFeast.com.