This platter of succulent, smoked fish is usually thrown away... Back in March I had the privilege to spend 4-nights aboard MV Flightless in Dusky Sound, Fiordland with the crew from Pure Salt. I expected sensational scenery, wildlife encounters and a great adventure. I wasn't disappointed.

But what I didn't expect was to find a company that is the very embodiment of regenerative tourism, and which is operating under the radar, delivering tangible benefits to the environment without any fuss or the blatant greenwashing which we've all become accustomed to from the corporate world.

Owners Seán Ellis and Maria Kuster operate Pure Salt much like a social enterprise, ploughing profits back into their conservation projects in Fiordland. They encourage and inspire their guests to get involved with hands-on and impactful conservation work and actively support the Department of Conservation (DOC) and other conservation groups in Fiordland.

Pure Salt offers sustainable employment opportunities to an incredible crew of passionate staff (actually, some of the very best staff I've encountered in the NZ tourism sector), and everything onboard MV Flightless is geared to low impact, sustainable tourism... Which brings me in a convoluted way back to that fish...

Nothing onboard MV Flightless is wasted. This incredible platter of smoked hāpuku (groper) comprised of the fish frames, wings and other off cuts which would usually be tossed overboard, and even the fish heads were used to make stock. Truly every ounce of the fish was used, from nose to tail...

Sean, Maria and their like-minded crew have a philosophy towards tourism which much of the industry would do well to research and embrace.