Riverina seafood market looking to help fix heart attack capital of NSW

That's according to one local doctor and he's decided to combat this unfavourable distinction by opening Wagga's new and only seafood store - Riverina Seafood Market.

Dr Milton Hasnat is a recently retired epidemiologist who relocated to Wagga when his wife took a role at Wagga Base Hospital.

And when he realised Wagga didn't have access to his favourite fresh, healthy seafood, he decided to act.

"Simultaneously Wagga is known as the heart attack capital, in NSW Wagga is the highest for hospitalisation for heart attacks," he said.

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At an adjusted rate of per 100,000 population, Wagga has 2479.8 hospitalisations per year for cardiovascular disease, compared to 1666.3 for the rest of NSW, according to NSW health data.

A number of factors contribute to that fact, but diet plays a big role, said Dr Hasnat.

The Heart Foundation recommends all Australians should aim for 2-3 serves of fish per week as part of a healthy diet, he said.

Aussies eat about 12kg of fish per person, per year, but fish is still in fourth place behind beef, pork and poultry. Something Dr Hasnat wants to change.

"Seafood contributes to a healthy heart and intake of more seafood reduces the risk of heart disease, it's also recommended by the heart foundation of Australia," he said.

"So, I thought let's do a business that has something to do with my speciality."

Dr Hasnat's business partner is the former owner of Country Curry Kebab on Baylis Street, Ryan Martin, who is leaving kebabs behind for his first culinary love.

"I lived in Sydney for 17 years, in 2020 we moved to Wagga ... we realised we actually don't have fresh seafood here," he said.

"I used to work in a seafood restaurant in Sydney ... it's the best meal, if you get a seafood meal you feel different to when you eat a meat meal."

And with their fresh seafood store now up and running, the pair have plans to bring Wagga it's only specialist seafood restaurant.

"We think Wagga deserves a nice seafood shop and a restaurant as well," Mr Martin said.

Riverina Seafood Market is located on Murray Street, in between Riverina Spice Warehouse and South Wagga Butchery

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