Oregon’s “Winter Waters” program aims to reconnect consumers with local seafood
In Civil Eats, Elena Valeriote reports on an Oregon initiative called Winter Waters that is working to reconnect consumers with seafood harvested along the state’s coast. Despite Oregon’s rich marine resources, around 90 percent of the seafood consumed there is imported while much of the local catch is exported elsewhere. The event series — now in its fourth year — offers dock tours, tastings, workshops, and public forums designed to educate consumers about the local seafood economy and encourage people to buy fish caught nearby.
Valeriote writes that the program emerged from collaboration among women in Oregon’s seafood industry who saw the pandemic expose weaknesses in global food supply chains. Through events such as field trips to fishing ports, seafood hubs, and seaweed farms, Winter Waters introduces participants to the people behind the region’s fisheries and highlights the economic and environmental benefits of eating locally sourced seafood.
The initiative also aims to strengthen coastal food infrastructure and support small producers by building connections between fishers, processors, restaurants, and consumers. According to Valeriote, organizers hope the program will not only boost local seafood consumption but also inspire similar regional food movements that keep more of the ocean’s bounty in coastal communities rather than sending it into distant global markets.
Read more: https://civileats.com/2026/02/25/in-oregon-a-local-seafood-movement-connects-consumers-to-the-coast/
