Jon and Anne-Marie Crofts took over Codfathers in the Guisachan Village over a decade ago and have since been bringing both Okanagan chefs and home cooks top quality sustainable and unique seafood products. The Crofts don’t merely order from larger seafood companies, they actively engage with smaller fisheries to source items that benefit not only the people cooking and eating the product, but also the fishermen and the ocean or rivers they harvest from. Recently Codfathers partnered with the Okanagan Nation Alliance, an organization that has successfully restored the salmon stocks in the Okanagan River, to assist in marketing this salmon and distributing the fish to local chefs and consumers. These fishmongers have recently sourced Swordfish, a previously unsustainable product, through a relationship with the Eastern Canada harpoon swordfishery in Nova Scotia. These fishermen harvest the fish without by-catch and under the strict standards of the Vancouver Aquariums Ocean Wise program. You can taste both swordfish and other seafood products from Codfathers in local restaurants such as The Cove, Cabana, Watermark and Local Lounge, places constantly working with this fish supplier to source the best products. For the home cook, Codfathers is a one-stop shop for all seafood needs. A Red Seal chef is on staff to advise you on cooking techniques, as is a marine biologist who specializes in live shellfish. Employees will always fillet your whole fish at no extra charge or cook up your crab or lobster. www.codfathers.com
Photo: Owner Jon Crofts displays fresh Ted's Trout in his shop.
– Cassandra Anderton