Join Shifting Tides NW for an immersive food experience that will bring you closer to our oceans bounty as well as the species that depend on and impact our healthy coastal ecosystems! This event will be a unique mix of coastal foraging, seeing a sustainable aquaculture operation, as well as enjoying a bites of local shellfish and seaweeds, all while learning about the charismatic sea otter.allia
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Once abundant across the North Pacific, sea otters were aggressively hunted during the maritime fur trade for their rich fur pelts, resulting in a loss of 99% of the global population. While the species has recovered along much of its range, there has not been a population of this important keystone species in Oregon for over 100 years. The Elakha Alliance is an Oregon nonprofit working to build the science, policy, and community engagement to reintroduce a population of sea otters to the Oregon Coast and 10% of sales from this event will go to their ongoing efforts to bring sea otters back to Oregon!
Living along coastal kelp forests and rocky reefs, sea otters primarily feed on a variety of hard-shelled prey, including sea urchins, mussels, clams, crabs, and snails. Their diet plays a crucial ecological role: by keeping sea urchin populations in check, sea otters help maintain healthy kelp forests, which are vital marine habitats. Sea otters are skilled foragers, known for their use of tools to crack open hard shellfish and for wrapping themselves in kelp to anchor in place while eating.
We will be channeling our inner sea otter as we embark on a guided coastal foraging adventure to collect wild mussels. Learn about the intertidal ecology of Oregon’s rocky shores, and the sustainability and seasonality of mussel harvesting along our coast. If mussel harvesting is open (marine bio-toxin dependent) at this time, students will get their hand at actively foraging for mussels. If harvesting is closed we will use this as an in depth demonstration and discussion so you feel confident when they re-open!
After foraging for mussels, we will head to the Port of Bandon to explore the fascinating world of sustainable aquaculture with an exclusive visit to a sea urchin and seaweed farm. With the loss of sea otters on our coast, came the spike in purple urchin populations, which caused a rapid decline in bull kelp forests. This has influenced the farm-fed production of Oregon urchins for the culinary market. Urchins are typically fed Pacific Dulse, which is also currently being farmed at The Port of Bandon by Oregon Seaweed for use in the culinary market and for urchin feed.
We’ll wrap up the day with a thoughtfully prepared shoreline cooking and shucking demo of mussels and urchins, and some tasty bites featuring freshly harvested shellfish and seaweed, highlighting the delicious diversity of foods that otters and coastal communities love. Whether you’re a curious foodie or a nature lover, this is a celebration of ocean stewardship, sustainability, and unforgettable coastal cuisine.
