Saint-André-de-Seignanx, France

Pirate Cannerie

Pirate Cannerie has a story as unique as its name, nestled in the Landes region but drawing its spirit from the nearby Basque Country. The brains and brawn behind this artisanal venture is Lucie, a 34-year-old visionary who embarked on this journey alone in April 2022. She operates out of an old duck farm, transformed into a cannery, just a few kilometers from where she sources her fish at the auction in Ciboure.

Lucie is dedicated to sustainable practices, choosing her fish directly from small fishermen in Saint Jean de Luz. She deals in mackerel and sardines, and also dives into the less mainstream, such as Tacaud, alongside staples like tuna and Pyrenean trout from Saint Étienne de Baigori. Pirate Cannerie is not just about canning fish; it's about sustaining local ecosystems and economies. The cannery operates on a small scale, ensuring that each batch is seasonal and fresh. This means not all recipes are available year-round, but this rotation keeps the offerings exciting and environmentally conscious.

Looking ahead, Lucie plans to include octopus in her lineup, a species that's become invasive due to warming waters—a move that aligns with her mission to combat food waste through innovative canning. Trout remains a constant, available throughout the year, providing a reliable option for enthusiasts of her modern, tasty recipes.

Pirate Cannerie stands as a bulwark against the tides of industrial fishing and food waste. It's more than a business; it's a crusade to protect artisanal fishing and nurture the local palate with every can produced. Lucie's initiative not only addresses the shocking statistic that a third of the world's caught fish never reaches our plates but also presents canning as the ultimate solution to food waste in the fishing sector.