UPDATE: Due to the fresh herring run being later than anticipated, the herring sale will take place on Dec. 6 as opposed to Nov. 29.
A local fish market will be selling thousands of pounds of fresh herring on Saturday, Dec. 6 to raise money for Fishermen Helping Kids with Cancer.
Finest At Sea will have 20,000 pounds of herring for sale for the third year in a row, in support of B.C. Children’s Hospital. The first year they brought in 10,000 pounds of herring, and sold out in the first five hours of being open. The next year, they doubled their supply and raised around $15,000. The fish is sold in 20 pound bags for $20 and 10 pound bags for $15. Customers are asked to bring their own buckets to take the fish home in.
This year, they hope to attract even more people and raise even more money.
“We want to raise as much money as possible,” said Paul Chaddock, Finest at Sea vice-president. “That’s why we’re doing it; and [to] bring awareness to that specific organization.”
If they would like, customers can have their fish frozen, vacuum-packed or smoked for an extra charge. All of those proceeds also get donated.
Last year, Chaddock said people started lining up at 5:30 a.m. to buy herring, even though they didn’t open until 7 a.m.
“It’s a fish that people can’t regularly get,” said Robert Fraumeni, owner of Finest at Sea.
Along with the fresh herring, Finest at Sea will also be selling cooked herring from their food truck outside all day. Those proceeds will also go to the charity.
The fundraiser started in Richmond in 2011 with the inspiration of a 17-year-old girl’s battle with cancer.
“[Cancer is] just something that will, if not already, touch all of us throughout our lives, whether it’s a child or a grandparent,” said Chaddock. “We’ve got such an amazing hospital system here in B.C., it’s something worth fighting for.”
The herring sale runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., or until they sell out. Finest at Sea Ocean Products is located at 27 Erie St. For more information, visit fishermenhelpingkids.com or call 250-383-7764.
