The Albacore tuna in this can was caught within 200 miles of the pristine coast of Vancouver Island. It was caught by captain Mike on FV Malahat II, where is was immediately “frozen at sea” at -60c. Once the freezer was full the Malahat II came to shore. It docked in Victoria’s inner harbour where it was unloaded by our hard working local team. The fish was then transported a short distance up island to St Jean’s in Nanaimo BC. The staff at this locally owned cannery then lovingly hand packed that fish into this can using only salt (and sugar in smoked) as preservatives. The cans came back to us at Finest at Sea in Victoria BC where we sell them in our shop and distribute them to other mindful retailers.
The Finest Fish and Chips
Why Our Fish Is The “Finest”
All the fin fish we sell in our food truck is lovingly and skillfully caught by our own boats and fishers. It is “Frozen At Sea” which means within an hour of being caught the fish has been stunned, bled, headed, gutted, and frozen solid at -60c. Every day those fish are “refreshed” whole in circulating water, expertly filleted on-site, and portioned into generous 5 oz pieces.
Our fryer oil is changed every day and our chips are hand-cut from BC Kennebec potatoes.
From the ownership, to the fisherman, fish cutters, and cooks, we LOVE what we do. This care begets quality, and you can taste it in every bite.
Fresh is Not Always Best
At Finest at Sea (FAS) getting quality, sustainable seafood to the public is our top priority. The best way we can accomplish this is by flash freezing fish at sea. All our vessels are equipped with customized onboard freezing systems and freezers that keep the fish at minus 60 degrees Celsius. This allows our boats, like the Ocean Pearl, to be away from port, fishing Sablefish in the deep, cold waters off Haida Gwaii, for upwards of three months.
Immediately out of the ocean, the fish is stunned, bled, headed, gutted and laid on freezer pans specially designed freeze fish solid within an hour of being caught. This system, designed by FAS founder Bob Fraumeni, allows the quality of our fish to be perfectly preserved, and is now considered the gold standard within the industry. Fast freezing leads to smaller ice crystal formation, leaving the flesh of the fish undamaged. The frozen fish is then dipped in salt water to “glaze” it, before it is stored in the fish hold. This glaze prevents freezer burn from developing.
Each morning, before it is filleted for our cases, the Frozen at Sea fish we sell is “refreshed” whole in circulating water. This is the final step in our process, which allows our fish to taste as if it had been swimming in the ocean that morning.
Flash freezing at sea is a complex and costly operation, but the value it adds is evident immediately. When choosing fish, always keep in mind that “fresh” is not an indication of quality. Fresh simply means that it has never been frozen. Also remember that “previously frozen” and “Frozen at Sea” do not denote the same quality. Ask questions of your fish mongers so you always know what you are buying.
