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 Look for the sustainable fishing certified symbol issued by the Marine Stewardship Council    www.MSC.org 

The David Suzuki Foundation and others are warning us that some salmon farms and some shellfish farming methods are detrimental to our environment and other species. We must be responsible consumers. Limiting the amount of seafood and eating sustainable seafood is a decision you can feel good about! If everyone cared enough to change their behavior just a little bit, we would be very close indeed to solving one of the major problems facing our planet today: demand for unsustainable sea resources. It is easier to say what not to eat, than it is to provide a list of safe choices, especially because of the variances between localities.

      Eating sustainable fish and seafood is one of the most important decisions a consumer can make. Many of us like, if not love, fish seafood dishes and over 120,000,000 million people are dependant on fish for part of their incomes, (this being particularly true for developing countries). Unfortunately, reckless fishing practices, driven by greed or desire for profit, have decimated both the under water habitat, and the species that inhabit our oceans. Harvests peaked around 1980, and ever since fishermen have been spending more time and resources for fewer fish and smaller catches. In their efforts to maximize yields, an enormous destruction of habitat and species has ensued.

      By some accounts, for every pound of seafood brought to market, 10 pounds of ‘dead catch’ are thrown away. This great loss of life should not be allowed to continue. In fact, it can’t continue: at present rates of decline, our oceans will likely be barren wastelands in this generation’s lifetime. On a global level, most fisheries are poorly managed and in some cases fish stocks have been fully exploited (52%), over-exploited (16%), or depleted (7%), with the percentage remaining simply being unknown.

      If you eat fish and seafood, we urge you to make responsible decisions as a consumer, after all, if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem!

      Greenpeace have identified a list of species which are under particular pressure. We are asking supermarkets to stop selling these species, a process that concerned consumers can help influence further by avoiding these species when they buy fish.

These DO NOT EAT species are:

Shellfish farmed in a manner which hurts our environment & other species

Salmon farmed in a manner which hurts our environment & other species

Atlantic cod

Tuna, including Albacore, Bigeye and Bluefin (but excluding Skipjack)

Tropical prawns (wild and farmed)

Haddock (except line-caught Icelandic)

European Hake

Atlantic Halibut

Monkfish

Atlantic salmon (wild and farmed)

Swordfish

Marlin

Sharks (including Dog Fish and Huss)

Skates and rays.

We strongly recommend you visit www.seachoice.org, as they have one of the most comprehensive list of fish and seafood’s that are sustainable, that cause concern, and that should be avoided completely. Seachoice is a collaborative effort between 5 well respected ENGO’s, being:Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, the David Suzuki Foundation, Ecology Action Center, Living Oceans Society and Sierra Club British Columbia.

For a comprehensive list of sustainable fish and seafood choices, please visit:

www.seachoice.org

http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/take-action/impact-of-seafood/#/seafood-decision-guide/

http://www.mcsuk.org/downloads/fisheries/fishweek/FishWeek_FishList_Jan2011.pdf

http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/oceans/what-we-are-doing/sustainable-seafood/sustainable-seafood-frequently-asked-questions

How do you enjoy seafood when many popular species have been overfished and populations are now depleted? By choosing ocean-friendly substitutes that are healthy, sustainable, and just as delicious as your current favorites.

Here, chef and seafood expert Barton Seaver shares sustainable—and flavorful—substitutions for many overfished and depleted species.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Bluefin is the king of the sea. There is really no substitution for this fatty, rich, unique species—hence its great appeal. However, we have eaten our way through this species’ ranks. It is a taste that is lost for many generations to come, maybe forever.

In most preparations, the bluefin can be substituted for by pole-caught yellowfin tuna, which although not quite as elegant, is a great eating experience. For preparations such as grilled tuna, seek out blackfin tuna, albacore, or even the tuna cousin, wahoo.

Atlantic Cod
Atlantic cod has a very similar cousin on the West Coast called Pacific cod, which is nearly an identical stand-in. It has the same flaky yet dense flesh and it cooks with the same distinctive flavor. It also responds well to the wide variety of cooking methods usually written for Atlantic cod. Also try Pacific ling or Alaskan pollack as a substitute.

Atlantic Halibut
This is a no-brainer. Choose Pacific halibut. It is nearly the same eating experience and is often less expensive and easier to find than its Atlantic brethren. The fish come from very sustainable fisheries ranging all along the West Coast. Especially great fish come from the cold waters of Alaska.

Chilean Sea Bass (Patagonian Toothfish)
As a substitute for any preparation, try Alaskan sablefish. Also know as black cod, these fish share the same buttery, rich flesh, which can be cooked using almost any method. Sablefish is available year round and is quite a bit less expensive than Chilean sea bass.

Freshwater Eel
Try Spanish mackerel as a substitute for this dense-fleshed seafood. Both share a deep rich flavor that pairs well with a preparation in which a sweetened sauce is used. Try glazing the mackerel fillet with a traditional hoisin-based sauce or a little lemon juice mixed with honey or maple syrup. For traditional Italian-style dishes, the mackerel braises equally as well as the eel and is great when cooked slowly in white wine as part of a traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner around Christmas.

Grouper
Try wreckfish from the South Carolina banks. It has a similar sweet flavor with a thick flaky fillet. It is great with a traditional blackening spice on the grill and it also takes very well to techniques such as beer-battering and sautéing for tacos. There are also a number of farmed options that work quite well as a replacement. Try barramundi from Australis, a company in western Massachusetts. This fish has a delicate skin and clean sweet flavor very reminiscent of smaller groupers.

Farmed cobia is beginning to make a big splash on the market, and in the next few years I think that we will see a great growth in cobia in the marketplace. Cobia is a near perfect cross between grouper and swordfish. It is a hit on the grill and a very forgiving fish to cook, meaning that it doesn’t dry out quickly.

Orange Roughy
This meaty, white-fleshed fish can be replaced by a number of options. Good quality farm-raised tilapia from the U.S. is a great example. Try brining the tilapia before cooking in order to really develop the flavor of the fish. Slowly roast it with a pat of butter on top and most of your dinner guests might not ever know the difference. Also try wreckfish from South Carolina as a great substitute.

Shark
My favorite recipes for shark like fish all start with a good marinade in acid, such as lemon juice or sherry vinegar, with a lot of spices. In place of the shark, try farm-raised sturgeon from the U.S. It has the same density and appealing steak like chew to it. When making soups, sturgeon has the same cartilaginous texture that thickens and enriches broths and chowders. Farm-raised cobia is also somewhat similar in texture to shark and is a great substitute, especially in grilled or roasted preparations.

Shrimp
There are some fantastic shrimp out there that nearly no one knows about. Oregon pink shrimp or Maine pinks are delicious products that are very inexpensive and very convenient. Available all year round as frozen products, these work well in soups, salads, cocktails, sandwiches, and nearly every other preparation you can imagine. They are smaller than warm-water shrimp but are clean and sweet in flavor and a real treat.

There are also some farm-raised shrimp options available from U.S. producers that are great eating. They are only a little more expensive and you can eat well knowing that you are supporting ecofriendly practices and helping to create jobs for Americans.

There are some wild-caught options, as well, such as Fisherman’s Daughter wild Sonora Coast shrimp from CleanFish, which is delicious and a great sustainable story. Also look for fresh wild shrimp from the Gulf States and the Carolinas.

Snapper
Try barramundi from Australis, a company in western Massachusetts. It is a clean-flavored, sweet-flesh fish that is nearly identical to snapper in texture. It is widely available and well priced for the quality of fish that it is. It works equally as well roasted whole as it does cooked as fillets. It's great in ceviches as well.

Sturgeon/Paddlefish (Wild-Caught)
Look for domestically farmed sturgeon, as it is highly sustainable and a delicious product. It is identical in texture and has a cleaner, more esteemed flavor than its wild counterpart. It can be an expensive product, though, due to the long time it takes for them to grow to market size—almost six years.

Yellowtail (Imported)
Try the excellent product from Kona Blue called Kona Kampachi. It is a fantastic eat with a super oily, rich flesh. It is great as a raw dish but equally fantastic as a grilled or roasted dish. It is grown by a very progressive company that is making great strides at creating new sustainable technologies for the aquaculture industry. Good people and great product making a better future for us all.