2025 Local Seafood Summit

We are expecting 200-300 attendees at the 2025 Local Seafood Summit from across the United States, Canada, and affiliated islands. Participants will have a range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives related to community-based fisheries and seafood systems. What makes our events impactful is that everyone in the “room” brings knowledge and expertise.

The summit will feature more than 25 sessions that align with one or more tracks: 

• Building Community – Foster meaningful connections and long-lasting relationships amongst participants so that they are supported and empowered to create transformative change in the seafood system.
• Providing Technical Assistance – Develop and deliver relevant and accessible tools, trainings, and resources that participants can utilize to strengthen local seafood businesses, communities, and cultures.
• Raising Profile – Amplify research, local and traditional knowledge, and stories that bring visibility to the importance of community-based fisheries and highlights opportunities for change in the seafood system. 
• Facilitating Change – Empower participants to effectively engage in local, regional, national processes that impact the seafood system and advocate for systemic changes.

We received the highest number of session proposals we have ever gotten! We are no longer accepting session ideas.

Registration for the 2025 Local Seafood Summit is now open (register). For details about the post-summit field trips, please see the subsection below. 

November 9

Early Registration (4:00 – 6:00 PM)

Guided Hike (1:00 – 2:00 PM)

Immerse in the amazing flora and fauna that call Alabama’s Gulf State Park home and see an incredible view of our beautiful Lake Shelby. There are nine unique ecosystems to explore and always something exciting to see during a guided nature walk in the park. Registration is required (click “Get tickets“). 

Guided Bike (4:45 – 5:45 PM)

The Learning Campus is the basecamp of education for the Gulf State Park. With over 28 miles of trails, taking a guided bike ride is the best way to explore Alabama’s biodiversity. Attendees will launch into the trails from one of the free bike-share locations in the park. Registration is required (click “Get tickets“).

Welcome Social Event (6:00 – 8:00 PM)

We are hosting our pre-summit welcome social at the Beach Pavilion in the beautiful Gulf Shores State Park. The evening will feature good food, community, and music by Barbara Garrity-Blake and Brian Blake from the Cajun Zydeco Band, Unknown Tongues.  

November 10

Registration (8:00 – 9:00 AM)

Welcome

Sense of Place

Keynote

Marketplace of Ideas 

Concurrent Sessions I-III 

Networking Session 

Seafood Soiree 

November 11

History Hike (8:00 – 9:00 AM)

Join our educators on a deep dive through time! Discover more about the Civilian Conservation Corps that started work on “Gulf State Park” before it officially opened in 1939, as well as the Indigenous people and European settlers, and the impact they had. Hikers will also learn about some of the prehistoric plants and animals that roamed the land! (~1 hour/tour). Registration is required (click “Get tickets“). 

Welcome Back & Reflections (9:00 – 9:30 AM)

Concurrent Sessions IV – VII

Keynote Panel

Reflections & Future Outlook

November 12

Field Trip # 1: Water is Life Oyster Farm, Near Futures Projects, and Magical Apalachicola Bay (Nov. 12-14) (Register)

Field Trip # 2: From Bourbon Street to the Bayou – A Gulf Seafood Adventure (Nov. 12-14) (Register)

Lodging

The Local Seafood Summit will be hosted at The Lodge at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama, November 9-12, 2025. The venue overlooks the Gulf of Mexico and is within driving distance of fishing communities across the region. Gulf State Park  has a wide range of accommodations available onsite, including a lodge (where the Summit will be held), cabins, and a campground:

• Lodge at Gulf State Park: We have reserved a block of rooms at a discounted rate at the Lodge at Gulf State Park. Rooms are limited, so book your room as soon as possible in order to secure a discounted rate. Please use Group Code 94G.
  • The discount code is available until October 18 or until the group block is full.
  • Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-618-4350 or online.
  • Instructions for Guests wishing to check availability to extend their stay for additional contracted nights:
    • Edit travel dates at the top of the landing page, then click the UPDATE icon
    • If the requested dates are not available at the group rate, reach out to Central Reservations at 1-800-618-4350 and mention your group code 94G for assistance.
• Cabins at Gulf State Park: For those who are interested in more space and/or sharing space with others, there are several cabins available at Gulf State Park. 
• Campground at Gulf State Park: There is a large campground at Gulf State Park with hundreds of campsites available. https://reserve.alapark.com/gulf/campsites

There are also other rental options (studios, condos, houses) in Gulf Shores. You can search for rentals on VRBO and AirBnB.

Flights & Transportation

The Lodge at Gulf State Park is within driving distance of multiple airports:

Pensacola International Airport (1 hour)
Mobile International Airport (1 hour and 15 minutes)
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (3 hours and 30 minutes)

More information about transportation to and from local airports will be posted this summer.

Do want to learn more about the Gulf and the communities in the region? We are offering two unique, post-summit field trips that are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.  

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Field Trip # 1. Water is Life Oyster Farm, Near Futures Projects, and Magical Apalachicola Bay

***Pre-registration is required*** 

Trip Hosts: Xochitl Bervera, Kung Li

We are delighted to welcome a delegation of participants from the Local Seafood Summit to tour our farm, connect with our community, and be part of local efforts to build a vibrant, sustainable local food system here in Apalachicola, centered in the wisdom and legacies of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities.

Come spend a day and night with us to meet the Apalachicola Bay, recognized as one of the most biodiverse estuarine systems in the Northern Hemisphere. In these rich and nutrient-filled waters where the river joins the sea, we grow oysters in floating bags. The bay is currently closed to wild harvesting due to the collapse of the wild reefs and local oysters are hard to find. We grow oysters so our community can once again enjoy delicious, protein and zinc-packed oysters as the reefs recover. We are part of traditions that seek to produce food in the right relationship with the land and waterways and help maintain a way of life that loves and respects the waters of this area and all that she provides. 

On our field trip, we will meet with local heroes and sheroes who are building new pathways toward food sovereignty, protecting our River and Bay, and preserving the diverse histories and culture of this area. We hope to have frank and engaging conversations about how building a local food system can have a role in preventing this very special place from becoming yet another resort town. We will visit or see the farm, weather permitting. Then we invite you to join the local community for a feast in celebration of our seafood workers, past and present!

For more information, you can visit:

https://www.facebook.com/waterislifeoysters

www.nearfuturesprojects.org

Trip Logistics 

Participants will travel from The Lodge at Gulf State Park to Apalachicola, Florida on Tuesday, November 12. Participants will be expected to travel to Apalachicola on their own. If there is interest, we can coordinate group transportation.

Participants will spend November 12 exploring the Alabama and Florida coast on their own (suggested places to visit will be provided). November 13 will be the main day of the field trip. We will convene in Apalachicola early in the morning and wrap up late in the evening after the community dinner. Participants should plan to depart on November 14 or continue to explore the coast on their own.

Cost Estimate

Field trip participants will be responsible for booking and covering the cost of some meals, lodging, and vehicle rentals. There will also be a reasonable registration fee ($95) to cover the cost of the community dinner. Recommendations for accommodations will be provided. 

Registration

Space for the field trip is very limited and we expect that there will be a waitlist. If interested, be sure to complete this form ASAP.  

*** To hold your spot for the field trip, you must be registered for the summit  ***

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Field Trip #2. From Bourbon Street to the Bayou – A Gulf Seafood Adventure

Trip Hosts: Chef Dana Honn and Captain Lance Nacio

***Pre-registration is required*** 

Join us for a delicious and eye-opening journey into the heart of Gulf seafood!

We’ll kick things off in New Orleans, where the rich flavors of the coast come alive at a happy hour at Nikkei Izakaya/Broadside Pavillion  — a relaxed gathering featuring local oyster and shrimp producers, regional seafood experts, and an ever-curious crew of change makers. Taste the Gulf’s bounty, learn the stories behind what’s on your plate, and get to know the faces behind sustainable harvesting. Come hungry — appetizers will be served and the conversations will be lively.

Later that evening, settle in for a sit-down dinner of local seafood curated by Chef Dana Honn. The 5-course menu is built around the concept of exploring new opportunities in sourcing that better represent the region’s evolving fisheries. This isn’t your average seafood dinner — it’s a celebration of innovation and stewardship through food.

The next day, we hit the road for a true dockside experience. After a scenic drive out of New Orleans, we’ll join Lance Nacio and his crew at Anna Marie Shrimp for a classic shrimp boil. Then we’ll tour the F/V Anna Marie (if she’s in port), explore the docks, peek inside the processing and storage facilities, and even check out the food truck they bring to farmers markets.

This is your chance to see firsthand what sustainable Gulf seafood looks like — from boat to boil — and to meet the folks pioneering new approaches to fishing, mariculture, and community-based seafood economies.
Bring your boots, your appetite, and your questions.

For more information, you can visit:

https://nikkeiizakaya.com/ 

https://annamarieshrimp.com/ 

Trip Logistics 

Participants will travel from The Lodge at Gulf State Park to New Orleans, LA on Tuesday, November 12. It is expected to take approximately 3.5-4 hours, depending on traffic. Participants will be expected to travel to New Orleans on their own, unless there interest in coordinating shared transportation.

Participants will arrive in New Orleans and have time to check into your hotel before convening at Nikke Izakaya (at The Broadside) for a happy hour from approximately 4 – 6 PM. This will be followed by a sit-down dinner highlighting local seafood from 6 – 8 PM. After dinner, you are free to explore NOLA on your own.

On Thursday, November 13 there is time for a breakfast before continuing east to Montegut and the home of Anna Marie Shrimp, which is approximately a 1.5-hour drive. We will start with a shrimp boil at approximately 12 PM, followed by a walking tour of the F/V Anna Marie, processing facility, and dock. Participants can either depart after the event, around 3 PM (and continue to explore the coast on their own) or stay a second night in NOLA and drive/fly home on Friday, November 14. The New Orleans Airport is about 1-hr from Montegut and ~20-min from downtown NOLA. If you drive back to the Pensacola Airport in Florida, you will have to arrange your own transportation.

Recommendations for accommodations will be provided.

Cost Estimate

Field trip participants will be responsible for booking and covering the cost of some meals, lodging, and vehicle rentals. There will also be a reasonable registration fee to cover trip activities (happy hour, dinner, and shrimp boil), which we are estimating to be between $150-$200 (with the potential for additional costs if shared transportation is arranged). 

Registration

Space for the field trip is very limited and we expect that there will be a waitlist. If interested, be sure to complete this form ASAP.  

*** To hold your spot for the field trip, you must be registered for the summit  ***

We are committed to lessening barriers for participation for our programming, including the seafood summit, by providing scholarships to practitioners to help off-set the cost of attending the summit. Priority for financial support was given to seafood harvesters and other related attendees. At this time, scholarship applications are closed. 

We encourage participants to bring “swag” to share with participants or donate items for our silent auction. 

Guidelines

• Bring promotional swag or auction items to the Summit
• There will be two sections including swaps and silent auction: 
  • • In the swaps section, leave something that you would like to share with others.
    • Feeling charitable? Donate something to the Local Catch Silent Auction. 
• Drop off your swag or auction items at the designated table during registration
• Be mindful of space and bring what you and others can easily transport.

What should you bring?

• Items with your business logo including t-shirts, hats, mugs, etc. 
• Paper items like newsletters, annual reports, research papers, etc.
• Shelf-stable, packaged seafood products, like canned salmon, dried seaweed
• Artwork, poetry, books, creative expressions
• A CSF subscription or gift cards
• Other items are also welcome!