Hans Peter Meyer

Special to The Record

Food entrepreneurs play an important role in shaping the future of our local  economy. That鈥檚 why we鈥檒l be featuring food entrepreneurs from our 鈥渓ocal food business incubator, the Comox Valley Farmers鈥� Market 鈥� like Vancity Seafoods.

Who is Vancity Seafoods?

Joel Nagge and Aaron Newson are the principals at Vancity Seafoods. At the Comox Valley Farmers鈥� Market, however, it鈥檚 Aaron鈥檚 mom Kella-Lee Newson, and Joel鈥檚 wife Tatiana Baron, who are the face of the business. You鈥檒l see them every week as long as supplies last, selling their specialty product: fresh frozen spot prawns.

While Joel and Aaron grew up around fishing, it was a new venture for Tatiana. 鈥淚 was complaining about my office job in Vancouver,鈥� Tatiana recalls. 鈥淛oel said, quit. Join us on the boat.鈥� The decision to leave a desk job, and ultimately to leave Vancouver and settle in the Comox Valley, has been a life-changer for Tatiana.

A passion for sustainable seafood

鈥淚 love being out on the ocean,鈥� she says, and she鈥檚 passionate about the fishery. It鈥檚 providing a livelihood for her family and it鈥檚 a sustainable fishery with little or no by-catch (unwanted and unmarketable fish caught by mistake).

Until recently 90 per cent of the spot prawn catch went overseas. That鈥檚 changing, and Tatiana sees Vancity Seafoods growing a local market for this international delicacy.

The Comox Valley Farmers鈥� Market is very important. It gives Tatiana and Kella-Lee first hand access to new customers, and it helps them educate people about this relatively new seafood option.

鈥淚f we鈥檙e going to grow our share of this fishery the market is one of the best places we can do that.鈥�

The Sunday Cumberland Market

Vancity Seafoods is one of the vendors that is participating in the new Sunday market in Cumberland this summer. Stop by and ask Kella-Lee or Tatiana about B.C.鈥檚 famous spot prawns!