Slow Fish New Orleans 2016: Connections at the Gateway to the Americas

NEW ORLEANS, March 9, 2016 – “Know your fisherman!” “Know your seafood!” These are two of the key themes of the storytelling and community building at the Slow Fish New Orleans 2016 event , to be held March 10-13 at The Old U.S. Mint. Fishermen, chefs, scientists, students, activists and those who create community around seafood from all over North America will be uniting in stories, food, music and art to address the successes and challenges of the common vision for good, clean and fair seafood to all.

“Slow Fish is critical for our coastal and inland communities,” said Michèle Mesmain, International Coordinator for the Slow Fish campaign. “We need this campaign more than ever as ecosystems are shifting faster than at any time in history, policies to privatize the ocean commons are widespread, and the public is completely disconnected from fishermen.”

Telling their stories from the water up, attendees will focus on developing and sharing solutions to some of these challenges, which are common among fishing communities regardless of geography. Most of all, they’ll highlight paths toward improving access to fresh local seafood for everyone.

This narrative comes at a critical time for global fisheries, particularly those in the U.S. “More than 90% of the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported, half of which comes from aquaculture, according to recent statistics. Worse, many consumers don’t even know where the farm-raised products come from, or whether it was subjected to hormones, antibiotics or disease because of vague, deceptive or lack of labeling,” said Brett Tolley, Community Organizer for the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance.

Hosted by Slow Food New Orleans, this event aims to restore the connections between community-based fishermen, chefs and the public by creating local communities  following the principles of Slow Fish, domestically and globally, to identify common challenges, such as cheap imported fish and shellfish or coastal erosion, and develop effective solutions. The goal is to help coastal communities reframe the story of our oceans and realize our vision of a healthy seafood system that makes local sustainable seafood available at a fair price while supporting local fishermen.

Slow Fish New Orleans 2016 will feature a series of compelling, informative sessions on a variety of themes, including cooperative fisheries management involving state and local governments as well as local fishermen; cross-boundary issues involving global trade and local markets; educating the public about fisheries issues and the importance of buying local; and watershed storytelling by fishermen who are helping to weave the U.S. sustainable fisheries narrative.

And oh yes, attendees will eat and celebrate the bounty of the bayous surrounding New Orleans!

Here are some additional highlights of Slow Fish New Orleans 2016:

• An interactive presentation on March 10 underscoring the threats to coastal Louisiana, and how communities facing similar challenges such as coastal erosion, wetland loss and rising, warming oceans may address those challenges;
• Traditional Lenten Friday Night Fish Fry on March 11, held in the historic French Market, with the opening of the Slow Food Speakeasy (Enoteca) and featuring food from the Chefs Alliance Kitchen, locally sourced seafood and entertainment;
• Slow Fish Festival on March 12, at the Mint, featuring music and tasty food from the Fishers-Chefs Alliance / Slow Food Speakeasy;
• Boil and Boucherie where Slow Fish “meats” Slow Meat on March 13 at Docville Farm in Violet, LA, (about 10 miles from the Mint) featuring locally pastured hog prepared by Toby Rodriquez of Lâche Pas Boucherie et Cuisine, and locally caught and Cajun boiled shrimp and crawfish thanks to Captain Lance Nacio, all set to some tasty local music. Attendees will have a chance to see some of Louisiana’s changing coast with tours of the disappearing wetlands in St. Bernard Parish.

Slow Food New Orleans is part of the national, Slow Food USA, and international, Slow Food International movements dedicated to the values of good, clean and fair food for all. Slow Fish New Orleans 2016 event is promoted by the international Slow Fish campaign.

Press contacts:

Slow Fish New Orleans 2016

Kevin Scribner 509-520-8040, [email protected]

Gary Granata, [email protected]

Slow Food International

Paola Nano, [email protected]