It was a dark and stormy night.

But that didn’t stop hundreds of conservation-conscious seafood lovers from crowding the halls of the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center for the first ever Sensible Seafood Fest, A Celebration of Sustainable Foods on Sept. 30. The oysters were out of this world. The scallops were scary good. And the butternut squash and crab bisque was, well, let’s just say I think I cried a little bit.

The flavors of all the dishes on offer were that much tastier with the knowledge that they featured sustainable local and regional ingredients.

Chef Paul Benson of Distinctive Gourmet (the exclusive onsite catering company for the Virginia Beach Convention Center) preparing seared sea scallops stuffed with crab seasoned with lemon and basil.

Presented by the Aquarium and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the event was slated to take place primarily outside on the Aquarium’s Nature Trail and Bay & Ocean Pavilion, but wet weather transformed it into a slightly cozier, but no less delicious indoor party.

As I was leaving to attend the event, my 9-year-old warned me that I probably shouldn’t eat any seafood in front of the fish at the Aquarium—presumably because that would be like eating a burger in a cow pasture, but thankfully it wasn’t that crowded. The festivities were contained to the lobby and special exhibit area and featured booth after booth of salt water vittles in addition to one small room dedicated to educational displays. And, phew, there was no marine life looking on.

The $35 ticket price included as much food as you could sample and a couple of adult drink tickets (beer and wine). More than a dozen local restaurants, all partners in the Aquarium’s Sensible Seafood labeling program, served up a variety of seafood dishes in tasting-size portions.

This happens to be oyster season and fresh, regional oysters were definitely the stars of the show. Some were steamed, but most were raw and straight from the Chesapeake Bay, the Lynnhaven River, the James River and other nearby waterways. Most of the oysters were served with traditional accompaniments like fresh lemon, horseradish, hot sauce and saltine crackers. But The Boot of Norfolk got creative with a side of Prosecco Lemon Granita, a kind of lemony shaved ice made with the Italian equivalent of champagne, which added a sweet and tangy freshness to the oyster experience.

Distinctive Gourmet, the exclusive onsite catering company for the Virginia Beach Convention Center, was in the house preparing what were without a doubt the biggest, fattest scallops I’ve ever seen. The scallops, from the southern Virginia coast, were stuffed with crab seasoned with lemon and basil, lightly breaded and seared. The gorgeous final presentation in a martini glass included a drizzle of asiago cheese sauce and a sprinkling of microgreens on top. It tasted even more amazing than it looked.

There were a couple of standout soups on the menu. Abbey Road Pub & Restaurant from Virginia Beach served an Oysters Rockefeller Bisque, a savory and satisfying soup version of the classic seafood dish with oysters, bacon, Parmesan and spinach. My personal favorite was the aforementioned butternut squash and crab bisque from Tautog’s in Virginia Beach. It was decadently sweet, creamy and comforting, especially with a dollop of whipped cream on the top (sounds odd, but it was fantastic).

Sodexo Chef Robbie Delaney of the Cafe at the Virginia Aquarium serving Ray Over Cumin Lime Slaw and Crispy Corn Tortillas.

Sodexo, the food purveyor for the Cafe at the Virginia Aquarium, was thinking outside the fishing net with their choice of ray over cumin lime slaw and crispy corn tortillas. Many chefs and proponents of sustainable regional seafood have been pushing Chesapeake ray (AKA cow-nosed ray) as a good, versatile seafood choice in recent years (in part because rays decimate other seafood populations and need to be put in check). This ray was breaded in corn beer batter and made a nice complement to the crisp, brightly flavored slaw.

There was one non-seafood booth just to keep it interesting. Jake’s BBQ of Virginia Beach was dishing out some kickin’ NC-style minced pork with fresh coleslaw, baked beans and rolls. No one seemed to mind the anomaly.

All of the food choices were indicated by colorful descriptions on chalkboards, including the “sourcing” information for the main ingredients—primarily seafood.

It was easy to find at this festival, but shopping for sustainable seafood can be a tasking experience. The Aquarium has created a Sensible Seafood pocket guide and partnered with many area restaurants by establishing a Sensible Seafood label for menu items that qualify as such.

But the vast majority of seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported, and there’s no one consistent labeling system that gives products a green light as far as sustainability.

“If you really want to buy seafood that you know is sustainable, you have to ask a lot of questions,” says Vicki Clark, Marine and Seafood Education Specialist at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and one of the educators on hand at the festival, “and that’s what I encourage people to do.”

If you want to find out more about sensible local seafood, click here.