Fairmont Spreads Sustainable Seafood Options from Coast to Coast

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts' sustainable cuisine initiatives are constantly evolving.  The company's recent announcement regarding sustainable seafood purchasing practices is now in full implementation across the collection of 56 hotels.  In February 2008, The Fairmont Palliser in Calgary was certified by Vancouver's Ocean Wise program, which aims to eliminate the consumption of endangered fish options.  The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto followed suit with its Ocean Wise certification, established in September 2008.  Sustainable seafood options are now available with the Ocean Wise icon at two Fairmont restaurants in Central Canada: The Fairmont Palliser's Rimrock restaurant and The Fairmont Royal York's EPIC restaurant.

From coast to coast, the combined efforts of The Fairmont Palliser's Executive Chef Greg Van Poppel, originally from B.C.'s Pacific Coast, and The Fairmont Royal York's Executive Chef David Garcelon, of New Brunswick's Bay of Fundy, are influencing regional purchasing practices, environmental action and the impact on consumers' health. "Every seafood item on The Fairmont Palliser's Rimrock restaurant menu is Ocean Wise certified, from the tuna to the shrimp," says Chef Van Poppel.

Chef Van Poppel has switched from Ahi Tuna to B.C. Albacore and from Artic sea scallops to diver-harvested sea scallops from Mexico's Baja.  Chef Garcelon has collaborated with EPIC restaurant chef, Ryan Gustafson to remove endangered fish options, such as Orange Roughey and Shark, from EPIC restaurant's dining menu.   For more information on EPIC vist www.epicrestaurant.ca  and for more on the Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Wise conservation program, visit: www.vanaqua.org/oceanwise/

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts' commitment to ocean sustainability means working with reputable suppliers who purchase fish that are resilient to fishing pressure and harvested in ways that limit damage to marine or aquatic habitats.  The Fairmont Royal York purchases over 125,000 lbs. of seafood annually. Specifically, Fairmont has identified two seafood choices that are most at risk - and has eliminated them from its food service operations. They include:

• Chilean Sea Bass - a long-life fish, meaning it does not reproduce quickly.  Due to worldwide popularity of this menu item, its numbers have been dwindling dramatically from illegal and aggressive fishing. 
• Bluefin Tuna - heavily over-fished in international waters, the plight of this species is so serious that the World Conservation Union lists Southern Bluefin Tuna in its grouping of most threatened wildlife.  Its numbers have declined by 97% over the last four decades. 
• In addition, by promoting awareness and sustainable alternatives among its guests, Fairmont will play a role in influencing and shaping the tastes and preferences of guests who care about the future of the planet.   

RESOURCE LIST OF SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD ORGANIZATIONS:

North America