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Shellfish Festival celebrates Baynes Sound bounty
Sunday, June 15th, 2008 by GetawayBC.com
If the oyster is the shellfish industry, than the pearl is certainly Baynes Sound.
Each year, led by the B.C. Shellfish Growers’ Association in Comox, the Valley celebrates its locally produced and internationally renowned fare at the Comox Valley Shellfish Festival.
The event is designed to teach local residents more about the products grown in Baynes Sound – so they can develop pride in their business community, and the environment that encourages it.
According to the BCSGA, Baynes Sound is one of the highest producers of shellfish in the province – and the labour-intensive industry benefits the economy by providing many jobs and supplying an ever-present demand. Local production is worth between $20 million and $25 million, employing 600 people.
The industry also protects the quality of water in the Sound because clean water is required for shellfish aquaculture.
The Comox Valley Shellfish Festival – developed to celebrate those accomplishments – was started initially as part of the Cultural Capitals of Canada initiative in the Comox Valley last year. The event also highlights partnerships with the K’