For The Seafood Lover In You

Hey, seafood lovers! I thought I'd throw out a recommendation for those of you who give a rip about sustainable fisheries and being responsible stewards of oceanic ecosystems: download the appropriate Seafood Guide for your region from the Monterey Bay Aquarium web site. You can print it, fold it, and keep it in your wallet or purse for reference when ordering seafood to avoid eating and therefore promoting the decimation of certain species or destruction of ecosystems.

I haven't had one for a while because mine expired (they change from time to time as populations decrease or bounce back), but now that I have a new one, I'll be referring to it regularly again.

In addition to populations being threatened, there are other factors to consider. Certain fish farming practices, particularly in unregulated countries, lead to huge amounts of basically toxic runoff which then negatively affects neighboring ecosystems secondarily. Also, trawling huge nets through the water can result in "bycatch" (catching/killing and discarding unintended species) or actually ripping up the seafloor, destroying swaths of natural habitat somewhat like clearing fragile rainforest habitat.

That said, this isn't about panicky environmentalism; it's a fair approach based on solid science. It's about making choices based on the most sustainable options first, then the "Good Alternatives", then avoiding certain options to minimize demand for destructive practices.

Some restaurants responsibly purchase their seafood only from sustainable or non-threatened populations, but most simply respond to market demand by supplying whatever we consumers demand to eat. While ordering responsibly is probably the most helpful thing we can do, I think there's something to be said for asking your server questions: "Where is your salmon from? Is it farmed? Is it from Alaska?" I've found they often don't know, so they may have to go ask someone. And now at least two people know customers are concerned about this and may eventually take note and respond by purchasing more responsibly. If they don't give me a clear answer, I let them know I'll need time to pick something else.

I also printed a sushi guide! I didn't know they had those. I'm excited to use it!