Sea to School: Models of Local, Sustainable Seafood
At school districts around the country, farm to school programs are looking beyond the field and out to sea. From coastal New England to the Alaskan shores, schools are incorporating locally caught seafood into school meal programs as a healthy protein whose purchase strengthens coastal communities.
The partnership between Gloucester Public School District and a local Community Supported Fishery is a shining example of sea to school success. A small city north of Boston, Gloucester has been an important center of the fishing industry for hundreds of years. So when Food Service Director Phil Padulsky joined the school district and saw Alaskan Pollock fish sticks on the menu, he knew their had to be a better fresh and local alternative.
Thanks to a few introductions from community partners, Padulsky was able to form a relationship with nearby Cape Ann Fresh Catch (CAFC), a local non-profit and the country’s largest Community Supported Fishery. Together, they’re bringing fresh seafood that’s landed in small fishing boats off Gloucester straight into the cafeteria. But the partnership is more than just procurement oriented. CAFC also conducts fish preparing trainings for school food service staff, hosts student taste tests and offers extensive promotional materials for the district to use.
And the efforts and perseverance have paid off: Gloucester now offers locally caught fish at its high school every other Friday, and is aiming to expand the program to the district’s elementary schools.
