Contact:
Dolores Leonard
dolores.leonard@unh.edu
603.862.3685

June 17, 2004

CINEMAR and OOA Director Richard Langan, and Shellfish Culture Crew Chief Forbes Horton traveled to Washington DC in June as “guest chefs” at the 29th Annual NOAA Fish Fry. Rich and Forbes served up sesame encrusted halibut and Isles of Shoals Supreme mussels steamed in Rich’s special recipe to the more than1,000 guests attending the event. The response to the project’s offshore farm raised seafood was outstanding, with some people proclaiming that the halibut was the best fish at the entire event. OOA also donated mussels to the National Estuarine Research Reserves to use in a paella that was prepared by guest chefs from Stratford University’s School of Culinary Arts & Hospitality. One of the chefs, Fernando Gamarra, has been a professional chef for 18 years in Spain and the US said “these are the best mussels I’ve ever had”. Quite a compliment, especially coming from a Spanish chef!

The NOAA Fish Fry is an annual non-profit event held at the Department of Commerce cafeteria, courtyards, and the adjoining National Aquarium that promotes fish as a healthy food choice. The event has been used to promote NOAA’s mission, including wise stewardship and sustainability of fisheries. Guests include members of Congress, their staff, White House staff, NOAA/DOC leadership, representatives from private industry, non-profit organizations, trade associations, NOAA employees, other Federal agencies, as well as the general public. Attendance this year was nearly 1200 people.