There’s something fishy about the smoothies at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center
A fishy treat of sorts for the most maritime of Laguna Beach’s population is making waves on Laguna Canyon Road.
Fish smoothies, a made-to-order delicacy that likely tastes of the sea’s briny tang, are served by the Pacific Marine Mammal Center to the ocean animals that the center works to rehabilitate from illness and injury.
Fish smoothies are commonly used in marine animal rehabilitation and are typically given only to patients that are too weak to eat on their own, said Krysta Higuchi, a spokeswoman for the Pacific Marine Mammal Center at 20612 Laguna Canyon Road.
The smoothies typically are made of semi-frozen herring or capelin. They include Pedialyte, which restores electrolytes and helps with hydration; Karo syrup, which can help increase glucose levels; and Nutri-Cal, a high-calorie supplement. Other medicines and supplements are added depending on the animal’s condition and needs.
There also are different formulas for different stages of health in order to wean the animals off the liquid diet.
“It’s like when you have a starving kid. You can’t give them a hamburger right off the bat,” Higuchi said. “You have to slowly reintroduce whole fish into [the animal’s] diet, so that’s what we’re doing here. We’re grinding up this fish and creating these fish smoothies because it’s easier for it to go down for them to digest. And we’re adding things that will help them along the way.”
Campers at Camp Pinniped, a summer program the center uses to teach children about marine conservation and the environment, are tasked with helping to make the smoothies as part of their animal care activities.
Camp Pinniped, based out in Laguna Beach’s Pacific Marine Mammal Center, is a week-long program that allows for children to understand human impacts on the environment and experience life in a marine rescue center.
One intrepid camper Thursday asked what the fish smoothies taste like. Hannah Lipofsky, a camp counselor directing the group, said they likely don’t taste very good but that seals and sea lions are carnivores and don’t need things like grape flavoring to eat.
The camper replied without pause: “Then they should make grape-flavored fish.”
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