Nova Star Cruises, which operates a daily cruise ferry between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and Portland, Maine, has partnered with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to promote lesser-known and underused seafood species found in the Gulf of Maine but seldom offered on restaurant menus.
The Out of the Blue program, launched by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in 2012, encourages the use of sustainably harvested local species. As an official partner, Nova Star Cruises committed to featuring one of five recommended fish varieties on the menu of its fine-dining restaurant, Currents, at all times. The featured species include Acadian redfish, Atlantic mackerel, cusk (cape shark is a regional name sometimes used for cusk), whiting, and Atlantic pollock—options recognized for their abundance and lower environmental impact compared with some more familiar choices.
Nova Star Cruises is one of ten program participants. Its onboard chef and management team worked with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to develop a sustainable seafood policy and put the program into practice. The company also arranged sourcing contracts with regional suppliers in Nova Scotia to ensure a steady supply of fresh fish for the ship’s menu.
As part of the cruise enrichment series, the GMRI sustainable seafood project manager joined Nova Star to give presentations about the importance of improving sustainability throughout the seafood supply chain. These talks aim to educate guests about local fisheries, the benefits of diversifying seafood choices, and how sustainable sourcing supports both coastal communities and healthy marine ecosystems.
Nova Star sails from Portland nightly at 8 p.m. and returns the following day at 6:30 p.m., with the service running through Oct. 13. Passengers onboard can enjoy Currents’ menu selections that highlight these sustainable Gulf of Maine species, accompanied by information about the fish and the fisheries behind them.