Sustainable Seafood
Wed, Apr 8, 2009
Fresh caught whitefish from Georgian Bay
Complaining is always easier than doing anything about the situation. For years, I’ve heard about threats to our oceans, but wasn’t sure what I could do as a consumer. So, taking the path of least resistance, I stopped ordering fish in restaurants and bought salmon only on special occasions. But avoidance isn’t always the answer. Education often is.
Thanks to SeaChoice.org I can now make wise and sustainable choices, learn about the latest salmon ratings and even download a copy of Canada’s Seafood Guide.
Despite knowing the long-term benefits of making sustainable choices, I still feel a bit awkward quizzing a server on a romantic night out or pushing the high school student behind the fish counter at Zehrs for more information. Am I a wimp? Do you question the fishmonger, or just go by the signs and hope for the best?
If you’re a chef, how diligent are you about sourcing your fish and seafood? Have you eliminated any items from your menu because of sustainability issues? If so, has anyone complained? Do you advertise your fish philosophy? If so, do ethical menu options sell better?
You should do a little research on recent trends in the Caviar industry. Caviar indeed not to eveyone’s liking, but here’s the deal. In recent years, the legal caviar industry was pulling in about $200 million per year. Yet the illegal industry, that is the black market and poachers, was pulling in billions. So there is a shift now to farm raised caviar by even the most discriminating houses. And caviar experts have seen the light, and are educating users.
Even about 6 years ago, farm raised caviar was considered crap. And it was. But there has been much improvement in the product, and the most discriminating tastes are leading the shift in trend to help put the poachers and black market out of business. Kudos to them.
Look to PBS.org (public broadcasting) for some of your research should you wish to pursue – I saw the story on one of their news programs.
As far as food in general, we try and buy local whenever possible, including fish.
Pangaea Restaurant in Toronto, is launching their Ocean Wise Menu today. http://www.oceanwisecanada.org and http://www.pangaearestaurant.com
Do you know any other Canadian restaurants with initiatives like this? Tell us!
I guess I’m late in responding, but this issue is dear to me. I have been aware and making an effort to only serve sustainable seafood on my menus for years. It is still always a fight for information even with the top fish mongers. So basically, I don’t serve much other than nordic shrimp, oysters and lobster in season, the occasional scallop, arctic char or wild salmon. I relate to your discomfort at the restaurant and store; I’m getting tired of making everyone feel bad with my demands. But at the same time, so many people seem in the dark, despite media attention and books like Bottomfeeder. What to do? I am impressed by progress I see in other cities (like Slowfish in TO); in Montreal, the situation is shameful. It is hard to find a sustainable choice, even in top restaurants. But it is in the more modest restaurants that it is worst, where people gobble up cheap farmed salmon and shrimp en masse without a second thought.
Oh and I’m very interested by developments in farmed caviar. Thanks for the link above. I have tried some forgettable sturgeon caviar from here, but some promising samples too. It’s only bound to get better!
Yes, the Oceanwise.org website has done a good job listing off national chains and independent restaurants by province who adhere to the Oceanwise program. (But the website doesn’t have a separate page for the partner restaurants, so you have to click through on the main page.)
There are a few surprises too…Panagao pizza, really? That was a surprise to me but good for them. It’s the “mass market” conversions that will make the biggest dent.
Seafoods are very rich in Iodine too.::~
Interesting, Libby. I’m not a caviar fan, so hadn’t considered this aspect of the industry. Grescoe does touch on caviar in Bottomfeeder.
Thanks for mentioning PBS. For those interested, here’s a link to the caviar story.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/episodes/gutted/info-graphic-a-guide-to-sushi-fish/roe/486/