The Vancouver Aquarium makes for a pretty good dinner date. Not only did they pioneer Ocean Wise, a groundbreaking seafood conservation program that inspired some of the country’s best chefs to partner along, but then said chefs are always happy to pitch in when a fundraising gala or two need feeding.
Such was the scene for the landmark Night at the Aquarium Gala last week, which celebrated Van Aqua’s 60 years of ocean conservation and education, and managed to raise more than $460,000 to continue that work.
It was the first time the aquarium had done a sit-down dinner amidst the fishes, and culinary masters like Rob Clark of The Fish Counter, Chris Whittaker of Forage, James Walt of Araxi, Frank Pabst of Blue Water Café, Warren Barr of The Wickaninnish Inn and Ned Bell of YEW seafood + bar did not disappoint, presenting six enchanting courses of vegetarian, sustainable and/or Ocean Wise delights for the $350-a-plate evening.
As candlelight reflected off the pools of languid Pacific sea creatures, we supped on earth-friendly dishes like albacore tuna in broth and Northern Divine sturgeon with raspberry “caviar”.
Then, we moved outside to the live auction area, where host and professional flirt Fred Lee heckled the 450 guests into submission. Paddles flew, bids soared, and hundreds more marine animals can now be rescued and rehabilitated.
But as the glow of the night fades, the conservation efforts continue, so here are five lesser known facts about the Vancouver Aquarium that might surprise you:
1) VanAqua’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre opened in 1960, and to this day is the only hospital of its kind in the country.
2) We often hear about high-profile pup rescues and fuzzy cuteness, but in 2013 the Vancouver Aquarium started going out on the water to do sea lion disentanglements, and have to-date saved more than a dozen sea lions from painful deaths due to plastic debris. (See video)
3) Van Aqua veterinarian Dr. Martin Haulena developed a special protocol for these rescues, leading to the first time in Canada anyone successfully darted and disentangled a sea lion in the wild.
4) In addition to Ocean Wise, the Vancouver Aquarium started the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, which drew more than 59,000 participants last year to pick up trash off the country’s beaches.
5) And last but not least, this adorable visitor-shot clip of two sea otters holding hands is the most viral video ever to come out of the aquarium walls, with 21 million views and counting. The otters have since snuffled off this mortal coil, but their cuteness lives on forever. —Kelsey Klassen
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