How a Steelhead Trout Goes From the Hoh River to the Entree Menu

follow this link and read what: Hitchcock Restaurant has to say about the article Dear Guests/Fishermen/Environmentalists: I appreciate all of you reaching out and weighing in on the controversy surrounding the article about our fish sourcing in the current issue of Seattle Met. I've been met with some very constructive letters as well as threats to burn down the restaurant. So I'd like the opportunity to state our intentions and possibly re-direct some of the vehemence coming our way. Although our Olympic Peninsula steelhead are not currently listed by the Endangered Species Act, it is obvious that they are headed in that direction. All of the other West Coast river runs are endangered, and the remoteness and grand scale of our Peninsula seem to be this fish's last stand. Because of this trend, we won't be serving steelhead anymore. The debate over the hatchery fish vs. native rages on, and because we are not passionately defensive of our obvious and legal right to buy and sell the fish, we'll happily choose not to. My total impact on the fishery this year was about ten small fish. I also hope some of the takeaway from the article can be the process that Preston and I use for sourcing all of our fish - if the article had been researched this month it would have featured blackmouth kings and Neah Bay sablefish. The point is we source local fish and treat them with a great deal of respect. I understand some of the reasons behind the outrage, and hope it can be equally directed to places who serve non-sustainably sourced fish from all over the world. If you want to make a difference, go after large seafood companies, corporate chains that encourage Atlantic salmon farming and raping international waters. It's easier to bully a chef-owned farm-to-table restaurant; ironic because our model champions our local food concerns and environmentalism. We are part of the fabric of our community, have an open door, and nothing to hide. Lastly, it might do your group some good to lobby to have this fish listed as endangered. Also the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guide has nothing to say on the subject. These are sources widely used by chefs, writers, and others to determine how and what to eat. Best Regards, Brendan McGill