Solving the problem of episodic market supply in the gooseneck barnacle fishery

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The Fish Counter is an award-wining eatery and market in Vancouver, British Columbia, which is dedicated to**offering responsibly fished seafood products. The company is interested in the gooseneck barnacle, a unique,**Aboriginal fishery that is sustainably harvested. A major constraint is that gooseneck barnacles cannot currently**be supplied reliably enough to meet continuous market demand. Although the commercial gooseneck barnacle**fishery is open year-round, inclement winter weather results in dangerous harvesting conditions, which leads to**a lack of available product during those times. Given that gooseneck barnacles must be harvested alive to**ensure quality, we propose to test two potential solutions to solve the problem of episodic supply. First, we will**test freezing protocols that could extend the shelf life of the product without loss of quality. Second, we will**test methods of ocean storage of live barnacles near the harvest location. With company staff, we will develop**product quality indices to provide objective measurements of the success of the live and freezing storage**options that we will develop. The BC gooseneck barnacle harvest is important for Aboriginal cultural and**economic reasons. This project offers a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between harvesters and buyers,**like our partner the Fish Counter, by co-developing an action plan that could lead to a larger-scale sustainable**fishery and broadening local, national and international markets for this unique product.