Join us in Devon for a meal celebrating the fishermen dedicated to protecting our oceans. The Amis team ventured to Long Beach Island to visit Viking Village, a 1920s commercial fishery located on Barnegat Light that specializes in scallop, tuna, golden tile, and other local NJ catch.
Viking Village partners with National Marine Fisheries Service, the government agency responsible for protecting the nation’s oceanic resources to lead to a sustainable, thriving fishery here on our coast. At this dinner, you'll hear from the experts on what it means to be sustainable in the fishing business and the process and regulations that dictate their every catch!
Our chefs will be showcasing these local fishes in four inventive courses complemented by a curated wine pairing.
$85 / person
Includes four-courses, curated wine pairing, tax, and gratuity.
The name Viking Village most likely comes from its Scandinavian roots. The fishing port was originally a lobster co-op called the Independent Fish Co., and founded in the 1920s by a group of Norwegian fishermen. Over time, the fishing town expanded their variety of catch, adding longlines and gillnets to their fleet. Viking Village, Inc. was established in 1967 and then purchased by the current owners, the Larson and Puskas families. John Larson and Louis Puskas bought Viking Village so they could pack their own Golden Tilefish being produced by their boats, eventually naming Barnegat Light the “tilefish capital of the world”.
Ernie Panacek has been working at Viking Village since 1980. What started as a part time job as a gillnet owner, captain and mechanic, turned into a managerial position in 1989. We spoke with Panacek to learn more about the fishery, how it is managed, and the peak time for each species they bring in.
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