August 10, 2022 –It was a banner day at the Boston Seafood Festival Sunday.
I suspect the sultry 95-degree temperatures kept some of the crowds at bay, which was nice because while the event, sponsored by the Boston Fisheries Foundation, was well attended it wasn’t a swirling mass of humanity.
Vendors were set up in a long, large horseshoe anchored by the Harpoon beer garden at the water end of the pier. There was also a small stage and a handful of performers while we were there, activities for kids, cooking demonstrations, and thankfully free, cold water everywhere. It was a happy, if not sweaty, crowd.
And there was plenty of both food and information. The event was equal parts education and ingestion. NOAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, the Seafood Nutrition Partnership, and several other organizations were all namely there for two reasons. One was to remind people that eating local isn’t just about vegetables and craft beer, it extends to seafood as well and two, to be mindful of the preservation of that seafood.
I briefly chatted recipes with a guy from NOAA, when I picked up a recipe card for monkfish. Monkfish is just one of those, frankly frightening-looking fish I’ve yet to try but according to NOAA, it’s a good option.
Wild-caught monkfish are sustainably managed and responsibly harvested according to NOAA. It’s also a good source of protein and rich in other nutrients — just don’t Google a photo of it