Built on Canadian Seafood, Supporting Local Fishers

Born and raised in Port Alberni, Mica Verbrugge, owner of Effingham Oysters, believes in the importance of supporting local and making quality, affordable fresh and frozen Canadian Seafood and Shellfish available to the Alberni Valley and Vancouver Island.

We work directly with local fishermen based on Vancouver Island, including Port Alberni and Tofino.

We operate a CFIA licensed facility (finfish, crustacean and shellfish HACCP certified), complete with cold storage and live tanks for shellfish and crab, when available.

We are proud to be the exclusive distributor of Effingham Oysters, a Pacific Oyster farm operating in Barkley Sound, home of the Broken Group Islands and the Pacific Rim National Park.

Since June 2022, we have been operating the Cold Storage and Alberni Ice facilities on behalf of the Port Alberni Port Authority at The Dock+.

Media

Videos

“Barkley is the jewel of the Southern Coast…” – Brian Vogrig, Captain of the Nita Maria

BC Wild Salmon – Your Nation’s Table (filmed in June & July 2022)

Effingham Oyster, a BC Food Hub Success Story (Credit: Province of BC)

Food Hubs BC – The Dock+, Port Alberni (Credit: Province of BC)

News Articles

Build It and They Will Come: How a Port Alberni food hub is helping reimagine our local food systems

Port Alberni’s food hub a hit with small businesses processing local resources, Carla Wilson / Times Colonist

Canadian Seafood Processing, Export Navigator

Products

**Wild BC Chinook (King, Spring) Salmon**

Location

Eat Canadian Seafood is located in at The Dock+ in the former Port Fish building on the waterfront at the Fisherman’s Harbour in Port Alberni, British Columbia.

The building was derelict over a decade and it’s revitalization was made possible by a grant from the BC Government under its Feed BC mandate. Read more here.

Suite 100 – 3140 Harbour Road, Port Alberni, BC

Eat Canadian Seafood at The Dock+, Port Alberni, BC

The Dock+ at Fisherman’s Harbour, Port Alberni, BC

About

MICA VERBRUGGE, OWNER + OPERATOR

Eat Canadian Seafood is operated by Mica Verbrugge (owner of Effingham Oysters). Mica has experience in management, retail, fishing, farming and aquaculture.

Mica has a Business diploma from the University of Victoria, a degree in Nautical Science and a Fishing Master 3 ticket from Transport Canada. He also owns and operates Effingham Oysters and Whiskey Creek Christmas Tree Farm.

Commercial fisherman (spot prawns, tuna, halibut, sablefish), 14+ years;
Retail and wholesale of Effingham Oysters since November 2013;
Retail and wholesale of Christmas trees, as Whiskey Creek Christmas Tree Farm, since 2005, including an outstanding community service award from Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce;
Training in Food Safety from BCIT, FoodSafe Level 1, Forklift Ticket and Marine First Aid.
Export Navigator program.
Alacrity Canada, Digital Marketing Bootcamp, 2021.
Food Business Refresh program, Farm Food Drink, 2020.
Seafood Business Accelerator, Vancouver Island University, 2023.

(Photo credit: Charles Seaborn)