100% Fish is the ethos of using everything we already have completely while trying to create the most value possible from it. We adopted this term from our friends at the Iceland Ocean Cluster when we learned how they transformed their economy from a developing country into an industrialized nation while maintaining some of the world’s most sustainable fisheries. 

In conventional seafood processing, a fish might only yield between 35-65% of it’s total body weight into a fillet. We aim to upcycle seafood byproducts to use up the rest of the fish and create zero-waste via 100% utilization

For Local Ocean, 100% Fish is more than using whole fish in nose-to-tail seafood butchery. It’s about creating a symbiotic system that takes a $12 fish and generates $4800 in economic output from it by refusing to throw away any part of it. By upcycling formerly discarded fish parts into consumer products, we are bringing a 400x economic multiplier effect to the Oregon coast. When we utilize the whole catch, we are honoring the contributions of our region’s fishing families and creating year-round jobs in a seasonally-driven community. 

By transforming the parts of the fish that usually go to waste into new products (like bone broths, seafood snacks, pet treats, and garden inputs) we increase the economic value of each fish landed. That means higher value and less pressure on Oregon’s small-boat fishers, more year-round jobs for coastal food workers, and a stronger, more resilient working waterfront.

When you buy a 100% Fish product, you’re keeping money circulating locally, supporting an employee-owned restaurant, and helping preserve Newport’s identity as the heart of Oregon’s commercial fishing fleet.

Absolutely. Traditional seafood processing in the U.S. takes only the fillet. The rest is often thrown away or used in low-value side streams like fish meal or bait. Our program diverts these usable parts from the landfill and transforms them into high-value products. This reduces food waste, lowers the carbon footprint of each harvest, and supports a circular economy model that mimics the efficiency of nature.

While there’s no formal U.S. certification for “whole-fish utilization,” our practices align with globally recognized standards for sustainable fisheries and waste reduction. Local Ocean sources from Oregon’s responsibly managed fisheries—many certified or recognized by NOAA, the Marine Stewardship Council, or regional fishery councils for sustainability and strong science-based quotas.

Our employee-owned structure and perpetual purpose trust governance ensure that environmental and community benefits are built into our business mission and all the products we sell.

Yes! We offer wholesale case packs with low order minimums and free delivery within Lincoln County. We also ship wholesale nationally throughout the U.S. via Faire. Tourist attractions, retailers, pet stores, gift shops, breweries, seafood shops, coastal markets, and eco-minded businesses are already coming aboard.

Email darlene@localocean.net for pricing, samples, or custom orders.

We’re building a regional network of partners who want to put more value into each catch and reduce waste across the supply chain. Like-minded businesses can participate by:

• Joining pilot programs for byproduct aggregation

• Supplying byproducts (skins, bones, shells, scraps)

• Collaborating on co-branded or value-added seafood products

• Co-developing recipes and nose-to-tail seafood butchery specialty cuts

• Working with our team to create new market opportunities
  
  

If you’re a fisher or processor interested in participating, email info@localocean.net and we’ll get you connected. We are open to partnerships and investors who are interested in supporting our 100% Fish program, if interested email darlene@localocean.net