Advocates seek more locally caught seafood at NC festivals

WANCHESE, NC (AP) — Advocates for North Carolina’s fishing industry are criticizing two of the most heavily promoted seafood festivals in the state for offering predominantly foreign imports.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reports (http://bit.ly/28WW958) organizers of the Outer Banks Seafood Festival in Nags Head and the North Carolina Seafood Festival in Morehead say they encourage vendors to serve home-caught products. But they say they can’t force them to do so.

David Bush of the N.C. Fisheries Association says advocates know it’s not possible to provide only North Carolina seafood at all events. But he says they feel underrepresented.

The number of fisherman and the amount of seafood landed has declined over the years, and that scarcity has increased prices.

However, the executive director of the N.C. Seafood Festival says surveys show visitors want more local seafood.

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Information from: The News & Observer, http://www.newsobserver.com

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