Blue Foods, Bright Futures
How the Blue Foods Forum Sparked Coastal Innovation
In February 2025, Oregon’s first Blue Foods Forum brought together an extraordinary mix of chefs, economists, artisans, food innovators, marine scientists, and ocean advocates for three days of hands-on collaboration and culinary inspiration.
Hosted by Winter Waters and the Oregon Ocean Cluster in close partnership with Ecotrust, Oregon Kelp Alliance, Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center, and many other partners, this community-building event sparked lively dialogues about interconnected ecosystems, circular economies, and the future of coastal food systems. What emerged was not just inspiration but a wave of tangible innovation that continues to shape Oregon’s coast today.
Outcomes of the Blue Foods Forum in action: Local Ocean Seafoods
Local Ocean Seafoods returned home from the Forum deeply inspired. Within months, they launched a 100 percent fish utilization program to reduce waste at their restaurant, transforming what once might have been discarded into delicious, purposeful products.
Today, their fish skin pet treats and collagen-rich fish bone broth are both success stories, now available at select retailers, online, and at their Newport market.
These new lines show how creative thinking can turn sustainability into both flavor and opportunity.
Darlene Khalafi, Business Innovation Specialist for Local Ocean Seafood’s 100% Fish Program, with the newest innovation, Savory Salmon Bone Broth
Creative ventures launched after the Blue Foods Forum: Ocean Art
The ripple effects extended far beyond a single business. Artists, makers, and food innovators have built new bridges since that gathering, sparking collaborations that continue to grow. Sullivan Seed Studios, who joined the Blue Foods Forum lineup at the last minute, went on to host their first Ocean Art workshop at ADX Portland. Solfiskur brought Icelandic-inspired fish skin jewelry and Pacific Northwest seafood to the KNOW Fish Dinner at Bar Carlo in April, a direct outcome of a connection made with Yakobi Fisheries at the BlueFoods Forum.
In Philomath, a new business called Reclaim Cooperative formed to launch Oregon’s first fish leather tannery. This group is already hosting hands-on workshops at Central Coast Food Web, sharing knowledge about traditional materials and circular design.
Coastal infrastructure born from the Blue Foods Forum: Oregon Ocean Cluster
The Oregon Ocean Cluster has also built momentum since February, introducing Mariculture X, an emerging seawater research and development system and accelerator farm created in partnership with Oo-nee Sea Ranch and Central Coast Food Web at the Yaquina Lab in Newport. This infrastructure project is one of six new strategic initiatives under the Cluster’s umbrella, designed to fuel the next generation of blue economy entrepreneurs.
Urchin-Inspiration after the Blue Foods Forum
The inspiration continues to spread. An Ecotrust staff member who visited Oo-nee Sea Ranch after the Forum recently began experimenting with watercolor pigments made from purple urchin shells, inspired by conversations during the site visit.
That creative journey is featured in Ecotrust’s new podcast, Tending the Tides, another example of how ideas shared at the Forum continue to ripple outward.
For Winter Waters, these stories represent what the Blue Foods Forum was all about: bringing people together to reimagine what is possible when we work with, rather than against, our coastal ecosystems. From fish broth to fish leather to ocean art, these projects prove that blue foods can be a source of innovation, resilience, and community pride.
The next chapter is already being written, and we cannot wait to see where the tide takes us next. Save the date for the Blue Foods Forum 2026: February 1st & 2nd in Portland, Oregon.