Wondering how to buy sustainable fish or seafood but not sure where to start? Here’s a quick guide to get you up to speed quickly.
Are you interested in sustainable fish and seafood? The difficult part is that there are so many options and labels at the grocery store that it’s completely overwhelming. Is farmed fish a sustainable fish or should it be entirely wild caught? What about fresh or frozen fish: which is better? Are there any types of fish I should avoid?
Alex and I have been mostly vegetarian for the past 10 years (and most recipes in this space are vegetarian), but we occasionally eat sustainable fish or meat. Thing is, we realized there are still some subtleties of buying sustainable seafood that we don’t understand. Since Alex and I wanted to know more, we thought you might want to hear it too! So we called in an expert to clarify: and luckily we have a friend who is an expert in this area. It’s JD Schuyler, director of the documentary Last Man Fishing (Spring 2019) and the face behind Skyler Creative, who has spent the last 3 years of his life researching this topic. We caught up with JD to quiz him on all things sustainable seafood and his answers are simple, direct and insightful.
What to look out for when buying sustainable fish/seafood?
Buying sustainable seafood can seem overwhelming, but there are a few key things to keep in mind to get started:
- Fished in the US: For example, buy Gulf shrimp instead of Indonesian shrimp. Overall, the United States manages its fisheries better than most other countries, and fish caught in the United States is your best bet. 90% of the seafood we eat in the United States is imported. Imported seafood is at risk of being overfished, caught under unfair labor conditions, or farmed in environmentally harmful ways. Imported seafood is also hurting American fishermen and seafood producers. (This article is for US consumers.)
- Types of Durable Gear: It matters how your fish is caught. Look for hook and line as an example of a durable type of gear. Bottom trawling is considered to be the most destructive and least sustainable method.
- Fresh or frozen: A big misconception about fish is that “the best is the best”. As soon as an animal dies, it begins to decompose. Freezing suspends this process. If a fish is frozen on board the boat it was caught on and stays frozen until it reaches your kitchen, it’s of much better quality than a raw fish that lasted a week (and is changing every moment after it’s caught worsened). your plate.
What do you think is the best place to buy seafood?
Most grocery store fish counters are an example of the broken fish system that has too many middlemen and lacks transparency. Always ask where and how your seafood was caught. Community supported fishing are the seafood version of a CSA. CSFs across the country provide a direct way to buy quality, sustainable fish that reflects transparency and fair pay for American anglers. LocalCatch.org has a map to help you find a CSF near you.
Is farmed fish bad or good?
Talking about farmed fish is complicated because each species and origin presents different topics. If you just want some advice: Always always buy wild salmon. Farmed salmon is generally marketed as a sustainable fish; However, the fish are fed other wild forage fish that are not sustainable seafood. The model for farmed salmon must consider its food supply and its impact on the environment. Salmon kept in pins in the sea can introduce disease and parasites into wild salmon stocks. Farmed fish can be done well, but more transparency is needed before anyone can get excited about it.
Baked salmon with chimichurri sauce
Are There Types of Seafood I Should Never Buy?
Yes! See the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch List for reference. This list is not without error and I have heard many complaints from anglers about the list. But overall I think they are trying to educate the consumer honestly and effectively.
What else should I know about how to be a responsible consumer of sustainable seafood?
Being a responsible consumer can be overwhelming and costly, but it’s important to know how your seafood was caught and how it ended up on your plate. You can rest assured that the extra money spent on sustainable seafood helps support the values of transparency, sustainability and fairness. Another great resource is Ecotrust’s Four Easy Steps to Better Seafood Choices.
Thanks again to JD for helping us understand sustainable seafood! Follow his journey at Last Man Fishing and Skyler Creative.
Looking for sustainable fish and seafood recipes?
Want to test your new knowledge of sustainable seafood in the grocery store? Here are some seafood and fish recipes to get you started:
