Finding high-quality, ethically sourced seafood can feel like a search for hidden treasure. After watching documentaries like Seaspiracy, many of us grew wary of the seafood industry. The questions were overwhelming: Where does this fish really come from? Can I trust the labels? The disheartening truth about misleading certifications and the difficulty of regulating fishing practices on the open ocean led me to give up buying seafood for almost two years.

The problem was, I love seafood—from lobster and shrimp to a perfect salmon fillet. So, you can imagine my excitement when I discovered Larry’s Catch and its co-founder, Glen Creaser. Talking with Glen restored my hope. He shared a story not just about a business, but about a mission to reconnect Canadians with the incredible, sustainable seafood caught right in our own waters.

 

A Fisherman’s Son on a Mission

 

Larry’s Catch was born from a simple, personal need. As the son of a lifelong fisherman in Nova Scotia, Glen grew up surrounded by the freshest, best-quality seafood imaginable. When he moved to Ontario in 2016, he was shocked by the difference. That incredible food he took for granted was nowhere to be found.

He started asking his father, Larry, to send him boxes of fresh catch from home. What began as a personal stash quickly grew. Friends, family, and then even strangers wanted in on these shipments from fishermen around the province. Glen realized he wasn’t the only one missing out. Today, Larry’s Catch serves thousands of customers across Canada, delivering sustainable, Canadian-sourced seafood right to their doors – including me!

 

Flipping the Script on Canadian Seafood

 

During our conversation, Glen shared a blunt assessment from a Toronto seafood broker that stuck with me: “Ontario is the dumping ground for sh*t seafood from around the world.” This statement is shocking, especially when you learn the other side of the story.

Glen explained that while Canada exports much of its best seafood, the domestic market often gets lower-quality imports. It’s a frustrating pattern we see in other food industries as well—we produce some of the best, but ship it away instead of building strong, local food economies.

What blew my mind was learning that “Canada has 5x the number of sustainable fisheries than the rest of the world!” We have the resources, the responsible fishers, and the quality products right here.

Larry’s Catch is on a mission to change the narrative by sourcing with intention. They don’t just buy any fish from anywhere; they seek out the highest quality, most responsibly sourced products in the country, ensuring customers never have to settle for less.

 

What Does Sustainable Fishing Actually Mean?

 

A core part of my conversation with Glen was about sustainability. It’s a word that gets thrown around a lot, but what does it truly look like in practice? For Larry’s Catch, it means partnering with trusted suppliers and small, local fisheries who are deeply committed to their craft.

These aren’t massive industrial operations. They are families and communities whose livelihoods depend on the health of the ocean. They practice the art of fishing with respect for the ecosystem, ensuring fish populations remain healthy for generations to come. By supporting them, you are supporting:

• Responsibly Sourced Seafood: Partnering with fisheries that prioritize the long-term health of the ocean.

• Local Canadian Communities: Each purchase helps sustain rural fishing communities and local economies.

• Peak Quality and Nutrition: Fish is often flash-frozen on board the vessel, locking in freshness, flavor, and nutrients at their peak.

This model moves away from the confusing and often unreliable certification systems. Instead, it builds a chain of trust directly from the fisher to your fork. You know where your food is coming from because Larry’s Catch has built a direct relationship with the person who caught it.

 

Sustainable Fishing Practices

 

Sustainable fishing practices aim to protect the health of ocean ecosystems while ensuring we can continue enjoying seafood for generations to come. By using methods that limit environmental impact and promote responsible harvesting, these practices are vital for maintaining balance in marine life.

• Hook-and-Line Fishing

• • A traditional method where fish are caught individually using baited hooks.

• • Reduces the chances of catching unintended species, also known as “by-catch.”

• • Allows fishers to carefully target specific species.

• Mid-Water Trawling

• • Involves towing a fishing net through the middle of the water column instead of along the ocean floor.

• • Avoids contact with the seabed, unlike destructive seafloor trawling.

• • Helps protect coral reefs and marine habitats, making it a more sustainable option.

 

Unsustainable Fishing Practices & Environmental Detriments

 

The problem with today’s fishing practices is that farmed fish are often equivalent to sick fish. Much like the modern-day industrial farms where pigs, chickens, and cows are confined in cramped, unhygienic feeding operations, fish farms operate under similarly harsh conditions.

Farmed fish are frequently packed into overcrowded pens, creating an environment ripe for the spread of diseases, lice and parasites. To combat this, farmers often rely on excessive antibiotics and chemicals, which can not only affect the health of the fish but also leak into surrounding ecosystems, harming other marine life. These practices raise serious health concerns for consumers and stress the need for better management and transparency in fish farming operations.

It’s not just farmed fish that are impacting the health of our oceans—industrial fishing, particularly bottom trawling by large-scale fishing vessels, is another major culprit. These “big sealers” drag massive nets across the seafloor, indiscriminately capturing marine life and destroying delicate habitats like coral reefs in the process. This practice not only leads to overfishing and the depletion of entire species but also disrupts the intricate ecosystems that countless marine creatures depend on for survival.

The damage caused by these operations is immense and often irreversible, raising the urgent need for stricter regulations and more sustainable fishing methods to protect our oceans and the diverse life they support.

Sustainable and ethical aquaculture needs to be prioritized to ensure the well-being of both marine biodiversity and people.

 

You Can Make a Difference, One Bite at a Time

 

Hearing Glen’s passion was truly inspiring. He and his team of young entrepreneurs from Nova Scotia, British Columbia, and rural Ontario are driven to change how Canadians experience seafood. They believe high-quality, pure seafood should be accessible to everyone.

The good news is that we, as consumers, hold the power to drive this change. By choosing to buy from a company like Larry’s Catch, we are voting with our dollars. We are sending a clear message that we value sustainability, support local economies, and demand better quality.

Each purchase supports not just a business, but families who pour their love and dedication into their craft. You’re choosing a higher quality, more nutritious protein source that was caught with the health of our oceans in mind. It’s a powerful way to reconnect with our food and champion the small-scale fishers who are doing things right.

Are you ready to taste the difference that conscious sourcing makes? Supporting companies like Larry’s Catch is more than just a meal—it’s an investment in a healthier, more sustainable future for Canada’s oceans and communities.

 

Special Offer for Readers

 

Curious to try Larry’s Catch for yourself? I’ve partnered with them to offer you $10 off your first order! Just use the code: TracyHoule at checkout or click this link for automatic savings.

Dive in and enjoy the freshest, most responsibly sourced seafood delivered straight to your door!