Count The Erfish https://www.thefishcounter.com/ A blog about Vancouver fish stores Wed, 26 Jul 2023 15:55:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://www.thefishcounter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/cropped-fish-g6990ea4bd_640-32x32.png Count The Erfish https://www.thefishcounter.com/ 32 32 Best time to travel to Vancouver https://www.thefishcounter.com/best-time-to-travel-to-vancouver/ Fri, 23 Jun 2023 15:25:00 +0000 https://www.thefishcounter.com/?p=61 The first human settlements on the territory of modern Vancouver appeared about 9,000 years ago. The European discoverers of these lands were Spanish navigators.

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The first human settlements on the territory of modern Vancouver appeared about 9,000 years ago. The European discoverers of these lands were Spanish navigators. At the end of the XVIII century, they explored the shore of the bay. The city is named after the English navigator George Vancouver, who visited here a little later.
During the “gold rush”, in the mid-19th century, tens of thousands of prospectors came to the shores of Burrard Inlet. In 1867, the city of Gastown was founded on the site of present-day Vancouver. Its appearance is associated with the opening of a sawmill. Thirteen years later, the colony’s government renamed the town Granville.

Granville’s heyday began in 1884 when it became the terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. This was made possible by the town’s convenient harbor, which was frequented by seagoing ships.

Vancouver received its modern name in 1886. At that time, only 1000 people lived in it. But, after 15 years, the population amounted to 26 thousand citizens.

Today, Vancouver is the largest city in the province of British Columbia, which is considered one of the cleanest, greenest and most beautiful places on the planet.

The city has a moderate, warm climate. Winters are mild, and it rains often. The average temperature in winter is +3 ºC – +6 ºC. Sometimes the temperature can fall to -5 ºС…-8 ºС. Summers are warm and dry, with an average temperature of +15 ºC…+20 ºC. You can have a vacation in Vancouver at any time of the year. For those who do not like rainy weather, it is better to come here in summer.

Every year, in June, the city hosts the grand Celebration of Light. It is a fireworks show that attracts teams and guests from all over the world. For several days, on the shore of English Bay, to symphonic music, fire bouquets blossom in the sky. Also popular with residents and visitors are the Bard on the Beach theater festival and Chinese dragon boat races.

The UBC Apple Festival, held annually in October, is a favorite family festival for residents and visitors. The festival is organized in the Vancouver Botanical Garden, where dozens of varieties of apple trees grow. Here you can taste different types of apples, baked goods with this fruit, as well as flavored apple cider.

Vancouver is also called “North Hollywood” because many Hollywood movies are often filmed here.

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Fishing in Vancouver https://www.thefishcounter.com/fishing-in-vancouver/ Sat, 17 Jun 2023 15:38:00 +0000 https://www.thefishcounter.com/?p=67 Fishing in Vancouver goes on all year round and there are thousands of places to do it both in and outside of the city

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Fishing in Vancouver goes on all year round and there are thousands of places to do it both in and outside of the city, perfect for those who plan to spend the whole day outdoors. Vancouver is also ideally located for short day trips, camping and fishing. The local bodies of water, saltwater and freshwater, are home to a variety of fish species such as salmon, sturgeon, trout and halibut. There are plenty of opportunities for fly fishing, as well as fishing from both boat and shore. The latter variant is great for kids.

We suggest you use this article to learn everything you need to know about local fishing, from the best places to cast your rod to the rules and laws regarding fishing.

Before we get started, familiarize yourself with British Columbia laws relevant to fishing

To fish in Vancouver, you need a fishing permit (license), which is issued at age 16. You can purchase it online, by the way. In addition to a permit, it is important to be aware of current fishing restrictions; for example, salmon may be banned for a certain period of time in order to conserve the species. The Freshwater Fishing Society of British Columbia has a great website where you can find out about all the restrictions and regulations. You can also check out the Fisheries and Oceans Canada website for information.

Fishing in Vancouver: Best places to fish in Vancouver

There are, without exaggeration, thousands of great fishing spots in and around Vancouver itself, both freshwater and saltwater, fishing from a boat and fly fishing. Listed below are just a few of the best spots:

  • The Caplilano River, which is about 30 minutes north of downtown; here you can fish for chinook and coho salmon from early spring to late fall
  • Vancouver Harbour, where you can fish almost in the center of the city for salmon.
  • The Chilliwack River, about 2 hours east of downtown Vancouver, is great for salmon and rainbow trout fishing.
  • Fraser River, a couple of hours from downtown Vancouver if you head east, is great for fly fishing (sturgeon and salmon)
  • Vancouver Island, particularly Campbell River and the town of Ucluelet, where salmon and halibut fishing is popular.

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Basic information about Vancouver https://www.thefishcounter.com/basic-information-about-vancouver/ Sun, 19 Mar 2023 15:35:00 +0000 https://www.thefishcounter.com/?p=64 If you're looking for the best city on Earth, ask where Vancouver is. The third largest Canadian city, located in the province of British Columbia on the Pacific coast, has been honored with this proud title three times in the last ten years.

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If you’re looking for the best city on Earth, ask where Vancouver is. The third largest Canadian city, located in the province of British Columbia on the Pacific coast, has been honored with this proud title three times in the last ten years.

This city offers everything that tourists usually dream of seeing. Its central part lies between two mountains, Hollyburn and Mount Seymour. Not far from the city is the popular Whistler ski resort. Vancouver is dissected by many rivers, over which there are no less than 20 beautiful bridges, huge parks. And although there are not many historical sights, tourists will always find something to see.

Archaeologists claim that the first settlements appeared on the territory 8000-10000 years ago. But for the first time the foot of Europeans stepped here in 1791, when the expedition of the Spaniard Jose-Maria Narvaez arrived. The city was named in honor of another navigator, George Vancouver, who arrived here a year later than the Spaniard.

The first European settlement on this territory was called New Westminster. It was formed in 1858 from 25,000 prospectors who came to the Fraser River during the gold rush. And the future Vancouver was called Gastown. In fact, Vancouver was founded in 1867 on the site of a sawmill. Three years later, the sprawling town was called Granville.

Because it overlooked the harbor, the city became the terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1884. Two years later it was named Vancouver, and another year later the railroad was completed. This expanded Vancouver’s economic opportunities and gave a boost to its development and population growth.

If at the time of receiving its current name in it lived in a thousand people, then by 1911 they were already 100,000, and in 2011 the population of Vancouver was already 604,000 people. And more than half of them do not consider English their native language.

A small indigenous population is made up of English-Canadians, and the rest are immigrants. Mostly from Southeast Asia. Here you can find both modest Chinese neighborhoods and fashionable suburban developments, where people from Hong Kong live.

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Here are the best places to try fish https://www.thefishcounter.com/here-are-the-best-places-to-try-fish/ Fri, 10 Feb 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.thefishcounter.com/?p=52 From sashimi to smoked salmon, British Columbia is home to some of the best seafood in the world. But with frequent reports that up to 50% of seafood is mislabeled in stores and restaurants

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From sashimi to smoked salmon, British Columbia is home to some of the best seafood in the world. But with frequent reports that up to 50% of seafood is mislabeled in stores and restaurants, it’s hard to make sure your seafood is truly what it claims to be. This is true even for the best-intentioned seafood stores, which often buy seafood through distributors.

The Skipper Otto community supports fishing

Skipper Otto is a community-supported fishery that has grown rapidly over the past 10 years. With Skipper Otto, home chefs across the Lower Mainland (and beyond) pre-purchase a year’s share of the catch from approximately 30 different B.C. fishing families. This commitment allows the fishing families to earn a living wage, guarantees a market for their Ocean Wise catch, and provides high quality, hyper-traceable seafood directly to anyone smart enough to join before they stop accepting new members at the end of May each year.

Vancouver farmers’ markets

Although Vancouver’s farmers markets are mostly for produce, there are a few seafood vendors that can be reliably found. Blue Comet Seafood has been at the market since 2005 and offers a selection of all five types of salmon, lingcod, tuna, halibut, and sablefish, as well as smoked and canned goods. This family-owned company sells the catch from its three vessels that fish along the coast of British Columbia in the Haida Gwaii, Nass, Skeena, Bella Coola, Johnston Strait and Barkley Sound areas.

Steveston Public Fish Market

Another place where local fishermen dock and sell their daily catch! The Steveston Public Marketplace has the largest local collection of fishermen selling fish directly from their boats. It’s a great place to buy whole fish (frozen fish is available year-round), but keep in mind that fishermen are not allowed to sell processed (i.e. steaks, fillets, smoked, vacuum-sealed, etc.) products on the marketplace, nor are they allowed to sell any bivalves (oysters, clams, mussels, etc.). Although the public fish selling point is always open, vessels and sellers come and go as they please. The best days of the week to find them are Saturday and Sunday during normal business hours.

Falls Creek Fishing Pier

The Falls Creek Fisherman’s Wharf, smaller than Steveston but conveniently located for many Vancouver residents, also has a fish sale outlet. This sales course is usually only active at certain times of the year, and the May shrimp season is the best time to get shrimp right off the boat. During salmon season, you can sometimes find whole fresh sockeye salmon on sale. The Falls Creek Fisherman’s Wharf is the main location for Skipper Otto’s, and they are there almost every Thursday evening year-round and Saturday morning in the summer.

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Steveston Fisherman’s Wharf https://www.thefishcounter.com/steveston-fishermans-wharf/ Tue, 24 Jan 2023 14:54:00 +0000 https://www.thefishcounter.com/?p=49 One of the first places to walk to in Steveston is Fisherman's Wharf. The village's picturesque waterfront was known for many years by the code name "Cannery Row".

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One of the first places to walk to in Steveston is Fisherman’s Wharf. The village’s picturesque waterfront was known for many years by the code name “Cannery Row”. It was here that the very same fifteen factories operated.

The factories are no more, but there are still many fishing boats (more than 500) in the harbor. And you won’t find a better place to buy fresh salmon, shrimp and other seafood! The fishermen sell their catch directly from the boats, and the range of products varies greatly depending on the season.

Besides yachts, frozen salmon and swans floating in the water, the old marina is lined with restaurants and cafes. All serve seafood and traditional fish&chips. Sometimes seals come and beg for food from tourists.

Whale watching tours start from April to the end of October from Steveston Harbor. Depending on the month, you can see killer, gray and humpback whales, as well as eagles, sea otters, sea lions and seals. Major agencies include Sea Breez Adventure and Vancouver Whale Watch.

A small island across from the waterfront, Shady Island, is human-made. As shipping in the Fraser River developed, the river bottom needed to be continually deepened. So an entire island was built to provide passage for yachts and protect Steveston Harbor from flooding.

Try:

  • Pajo’s Fish and Chips is a small cafe on a floating raft (coordinates). Some of the best fish&chips in Vancouver.
  • Any ramen or Salmon Ikura Don at G-Men. There’s a large terrace that’s dog-friendly.
  • Blue Canoe is one of the most popular seaside restaurants. Queues and prices are above average, but worth checking out for mussels or crab.

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Sea Drift Fish Co https://www.thefishcounter.com/sea-drift-fish-co/ Sun, 15 Jan 2023 14:41:00 +0000 https://www.thefishcounter.com/?p=46 Sea Drift Fish Company was founded in 1979 and is based in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, Canada. Its business includes retail and wholesale distribution of fresh and frozen fish and seafood.

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Sea Drift Fish Company was founded in 1979 and is based in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, Canada. Its business includes retail and wholesale distribution of fresh and frozen fish and seafood.

Sea Drift Fish Company works with other local Vancouver fishing companies, through which it is able to provide its customers with the freshest and best quality seafood. The fishery is organized in a way that carefully preserves the environment while supporting the local economy along the coast.

The company has its own store, Seadrift Fishmarket, where you can buy not only raw but also prepared products such as “salmon candy” (sugar-smoked pieces of fish), fish salads, soups and muffins, breaded cod fillets, and much more. The goods are updated regularly, and sales are often organized.

Items available from Sea Drift Fish Company include longfin tuna, yellowfin tuna (whole or in pieces for sashimi, canned), Pacific whitebone halibut (whole, steaks, fillets), edible shellfish, particularly scallops, charcoal fish (fresh or smoked), snapper, European sole, brill (smooth diamond), toothy terpuga, Pacific cod, salmon fish (seabream, chinook, pink salmon, silver salmon and silver salmon in fresh, frozen and smoked form), mussels, shrimps, oysters, crabs (Dungeness crab), lobster, octopus. And this is by no means a complete list of the whole assortment.

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An underestimated jewel of the neighborhood https://www.thefishcounter.com/an-underestimated-jewel-of-the-neighborhood/ Sun, 20 Nov 2022 14:37:00 +0000 https://www.thefishcounter.com/?p=41 You know when you move to a new neighborhood and even the establishments that have been open for decades seem brand new?

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You know when you move to a new neighborhood and even the establishments that have been open for decades seem brand new? As if you personally opened them? As if you’re Captain Vancouver, pulling up to Coast Salish and saying: “Hey, queen, look what I found!” and all the first peoples who had already lived here and created a beautiful and stable life for centuries were like… “Uh, hello?”

Okay, this metaphor has a bad start. But my point is: I recognize that what I am about to say is not news to the good people of Kitsilano. I am not a “researcher”. They may even be angry with me for telling you this! But I feel like it’s my civic duty to tell you that I am obsessed with our local fishmonger, FISH (an acronym for “Fresh Ideas Start Here,” which is an incredibly awkward mix of words to put in your mouth even if your mouth isn’t full of the store’s excellent Thai coconut chip soup).

Is it probably the most vague, Google-unfriendly name you can give your business? Yes, it is. But more importantly, they’ve undercut their poké bowls by about $5, and I don’t see how that will hold up in the long run, so it’s very important to me that you please come and support the establishment so they don’t close due to bad business practices.

That being said: FISH has been in the hood since 2008 and seems to be doing pretty well without my help. It offers many local restaurants with Oceanwise seafood that can be tracked and seems to sell out of great homemade onagri every day (like cooked wild tuna and sweet smoked wild salmon). The miso-sake black cod has become our favorite dinner, and I’m sure wiser locals do the same given the turnover of the counter.

But back to the poke bowl. The surprisingly robust “appetizer size” costs $8, and it’s the most delicious little bowl of fish I’ve ever had the pleasure of inhaling between Zoom meetings. Top it off with seafood and toppings your little pescatarian heart desires and you’ve got yourself the best-priced, most nutritious lunch in town. I go there once a week. At least. I can’t afford not to be.

You know what? Maybe instead of feeling stupid for pointing out this 13-year-old Keats gem, I should be mad at all my new neighbors for not directing me there the day I moved in.

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What are the benefits of seafood for the body https://www.thefishcounter.com/what-are-the-benefits-of-seafood-for-the-body/ Tue, 04 Oct 2022 15:50:00 +0000 https://www.thefishcounter.com/?p=74 Fish, shrimp, mussels, and all these marine companions have their perks. There's a reason they're included in the Mediterranean diet.

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Seafood refers to several species of animals, including:

  • Fish;
  • crustaceans, such as lobsters and shrimp;
  • mollusks, such as the same oysters;
  • echinoderms, like sea urchins.

Fish, shrimp, mussels, and all these marine companions have their perks. There’s a reason they’re included in the Mediterranean diet. Here are just a few good reasons to take a closer look at them on the supermarket shelf.

Seafood is rich in nutrients

If you have to single out just one plus point about seafood, perhaps it would be this one. Seafood is rich in nutrients, including B-complex vitamins and vitamin A.

Some fish, such as tuna, even contains vitamin D, which is good for bones and the immune system.

So, when you add some seafood to your plate, you are covering your body’s nutrient needs. This is especially true for those people who have a meager diet for various reasons. As well as those who have low levels of nutrients in their blood.

Seafood improves brain function

Let’s be honest, we all want to have clear and active brain function, stay energetic longer and not get tired before we should. The good news is that the omega-3 acids in seafood can help us do just that.

It is the omega-3 fatty acids that we need to keep our cognitive functions in check. In infants, it’s for brain growth and development; in the elderly, it’s for protection against Alzheimer’s disease. All in all, seafood from this perspective, is a pretty powerful product.

Seafood is good for the heart

A healthy heart is important to everyone and at any age. Naturally, diet alone is not enough, and the issue of cardiovascular health should be approached in a holistic manner. But! Seafood is rich in protein and low in saturated fat, not to mention the fact that it contains, again, omega-3’s, which can really help heart health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Seafood can help you maintain your eyesight

It’s those fatty acids again! What can you do, but when it comes to seafood and vision, it’s all about those omega-3s again. Eating seafood on a regular basis can really help your vision stay intact.

Seafood improves the condition of your skin

Who doesn’t love a nourished, moisturized and youthful looking skin? The composition of seafood is exactly what saturates the body with everything that is good for the skin. And as a result, you get healthy, clear skin on your face and body.

Seafood may help fight depression

A new study on omega-3 fatty acids (found in seafood) and depression has found that eating seafood may not only lower your risk of depression, but may also help treat it and give you a more positive outlook on life.

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Vancouver fish markets – Steveston & Granville – which is better? https://www.thefishcounter.com/vancouver-fish-markets-steveston-granville/ Sun, 17 Jul 2022 14:26:00 +0000 https://www.thefishcounter.com/?p=38 We learned about the Fisherman Warf fish market in Steveston almost as soon as we arrived in Vancouver - it's a pretty busy place.

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We learned about the Fisherman Warf fish market in Steveston almost as soon as we arrived in Vancouver – it’s a pretty busy place. However, it took us about three months to get there. What is it? They sell from fishing boats right on the wharf.

The market is located just south of Richmond. If you live there, I’m sure you’d have an idea an idea of how to get there. But for the uninformed, let me explain. You have to keep south on highway 99 and then turn right onto the Steveston highway. Steveston, well, and drive actually to the end, but it is better to check the map.

In the summer, the market is open every day, but starting in October, it’s only open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Parking has never been a problem.

If there is no space in the usual parking lots, feel free to park at some restaurant – they won’t be able to pull your car away in the half an hour you’ll be there. in the half hour you’re there.

So, now go to the market and look, but do not hurry to buy. You’ll see there are no more than five or seven ships. Yeah… That’s not so dense, I can’t help it. As one fisherman explained to me, many of his colleagues prefer to ship their goods (fish and shrimp) to wholesale bases so as not to get involved with retail trade.

Nevertheless, there are those who prefer to deliver fish directly to the consumer, i.e. to the market. There and socialize with people can be and trade in pleasure!

What kind of fish is on the market? First of all salmon and tuna, then flounder and trout. There are some other varieties, but I only know what they’re called in Japanese… Of course, there’s a lot of shrimp, both fresh and frozen. Fish, as you realize, is caught at different times of the year. For example, the same salmon is of five kinds – Chinook, Chum, Coho, Pink, Sockeye, and there’s a season for each. Nah, I’m lying. I just remembered that, uh. In Hokkaido (Japan), when I visited a salmon museum, I learned that there are as many as 500 varieties of salmon; strangely enough, even trout belongs to their category.

The Steveston market has lots of Sockeye & Pink salmon. If you arrive on Saturday or Sunday by closing time, i.e. 5 o’clock, you can buy a whole big salmon for only $8-10 dollars. Grill some of it, stew it, make a fish sauce or cook it in any other way, and pickle the rest.

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How do you prepare seafood for consumption? https://www.thefishcounter.com/how-do-you-prepare-seafood-for-consumption/ Fri, 11 Feb 2022 15:48:00 +0000 https://www.thefishcounter.com/?p=71 Seafood is an extremely refined and healthy thing. Dishes from these products are good at the festive table and dietary diet. It is light and tasty food.

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Seafood is an extremely refined and healthy thing. Dishes from these products are good at the festive table and dietary diet. It is light and tasty food. But in order for them to turn out really delicious, you need to follow some rules in their preparation.

Squid. As a rule, squid have a mass of up to 350 grams. But there are some that reach 750 grams. They should be properly stored and processed, as the quality of the prepared dishes depends on it. Frozen squid is better defrosted in the air or in water at a temperature of 18-20 degrees. After they thaw, their insides are removed. To get rid of the skin, you should scald them with hot water for 4-5 minutes, stirring continuously. After scalding, rinse with cold water. If you want to reduce the loss of mass, then in this case you should scald squid for no more than 30 seconds, after which also rinse with cold water. True, with this option, squid acquire a pink coloring.

Scallop. This is an ordinary bivalve shell. Its meat is very tender and tasty. The edible part is the muscle and mantle. It is boiled in boiling salted water for 7-10 minutes. Roots and spices should be added to the water for better flavor and aroma. After boiling, the clams are cooled and sliced. Scallops are very good for preparing delicacy dishes and appetizers, salads, first courses. They can also be baked and fried.

Mussel. By taste, mussels resemble the protein of a boiled egg with a fishy flavor. They contain a large amount of iodine, so it is recommended to consume mussels for therapeutic and dietary purposes. Especially patients with atherosclerosis. In food is consumed, as in the scallop, muscle and mantle. Before cooking mussel shells should be picked, cleaned with a knife impurities, pour cold water and soak for several hours. After that, rinse and boil once again. Boil mussels in boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes. Now you can open the shells and remove the meat from them, rinsing once again, but already in boiled water. Mussels are also good for making salads, cold and hot appetizers, soups.

Trepangs. These are representatives of echinoderm mollusks. They have an elongated rounded shape, for which they are nicknamed sea cucumbers. Their meat tastes similar to the cartilage of sturgeon fish. Trepangs can be sold in dried form. Dried trepangas are coated with charcoal powder, it is used in the drying process. Therefore, they must be rinsed thoroughly with warm water before use. Then they should be poured with cold water and left in it to swell for twenty-four hours. During the day, the water should be changed 2-3 times. Their mass should increase approximately five times.

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