Top Ten Sustainable Fish To Buy
In my last post, we went through the basic do’s and don’ts of seafood shopping. And luckily, one of our favorite sources at UBB, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program, does an amazing job at identifying which types of fish are problematic, which are good choices, and how to pick alternatives. But since the Seafood Watch Program covers pretty much every fish under the sun, I thought it’d be good to review their Super Green, September 2010 list of go-to fish to get a better idea of what to buy. I also included a delicious recipe for each fish so that if you do want to try it, you have an idea of where to start.
Before we start, I want to preface with the fact there are many farmed fish on this list, which may surprise you. Many people have developed a stigma against farmed fish altogether and reasonably so, because generally farmed fishing can lead to many environmental problems such as the spread of pollution and disease, habitat destruction, management oversight, and escape of farmed fish into native habitats.
But, thanks to innovations in closed loop farming systems, there are clean, healthy, and sustainable farms out there that actual surpass other methods of fishing and have great environmental benefits. You just need to know where to look.
The best farms are typically referred to as “closed and looped” farming systems, which can minimize the spread of pollution and disease, preserve habitats, and properly manage the quality of life for the fish. It is important to know which fish farms are known for poor farming standards, and which use cleaner systems. Keep this in mind when you are reviewing this super green list!
o Albacore Tuna (troll or pole-caught, from the U.S. or British Columbia)
- Albacore Tuna is migratory fish (found in its’ best form in the northern waters) that avoids any bycatch when troll or pole caught. Additionally, the mercury that is typically found in tuna and harms human health is not found in troll or poll caught albacore tuna.
- Sweet and Sour Seared Tuna Steaks
o Freshwater Coho Salmon (farmed in tank systems, from the U.S.)
-Farmed salmon is considered to be one of the most unsustainable fish on the market. Fortunately, for us salmon lovers, there are some breeds that are being raised on well managed farms. One example is US raised Freshwater Coho Salmon, which is considered a sustainably raised tank fish because of a reduced risk of escape and minimal spread of toxins into the outer environments. In fact, this strict regulation of Coho Salmon farming makes it one of the Monterey Bay’s “super green” choices.
-Broiled Salmon with Citrus Glaze
o Oysters (farmed)
- Oysters are a filter feeding fish, which means that they also work well in an aquaculture (farmed) environments because they depend less on feeding from freshwater fish, which can be problematic with other farmed fish. Another plus: they provide minimal risk to the outside environment when raised in a closed system.
- Oysters Rockefeller
o Pacific Sardines (wild-caught)
- Many wild sardine populations (especially in the Atlantic Ocean) are being seriously threatened by overfishing. But this rapidly reproducing fish has seen a comeback in the Pacific Ocean, where populations are doing remarkably well. So if you are going to eat Sardines, make sure they are Pacific and wild caught!
- Greek Salad with Sautéed Sardines
o Rainbow Trout (farmed)
- Trout is another fish that is primarily farm raised in the US markets. Many fish need to be fed more protein to survive than they actually provide to people eating them, but because Trout tends to convert their protein better than other farmed fish, it requires less feed and therefore conserves resources in a farmed environment.
- Chicken Fried Trout with Green Tartar Sauce
o Barramundi (farmed, from the U.S.)
-Known as the “sustainable sea bass,” Barramundi is a delicious but underutilized fish. Like Arctic Char, Barramundi in the US are raised in environmentally sound, closed recirculating tank systems which are clean ways to raise this fast and quick developing fish. In this situation, farmed is preferable to wild caught methods, because when caught in the wild there is a high risk of disease and damage to wild habitats.
- Barramundi Fish Tacos
o Dungeness Crab (wild-caught, from California, Oregon or Washington)
-The Dungeness crab fisheries are well managed, with strict overfishing regulations and seasonal limits on catching. Additionally, this breed of crab is caught in traps, which are also eco friendly because any bycatch or undersized crabs can be returned to the water unharmed.
-Spicy Maryland Crab Soup
o Longfin Squid (wild-caught, from the U.S. Atlantic)
- Longfin squid is one of the few breeds of squid known to have an abundant and healthy population. While most squid are caught using trawls that leave behind bycatch and can damage natural habitats, wild caught in the American Atlantic is less bycatch-heavy.
- Spaghetti with Squid, Bell Pepper, & Lemon
o Mussels (farmed)
-Like other shell fish, farming is ideal for raising mussels because they do not feed on fish oil or fishmeal, and disease is rare. And in the case of mussels, when farmed they are raised mid-water, as opposed to naturally when they are grown on the ground and require dredging (which can be extremely damaging to sea floors).
-Linguini with Mussels and Spicy Red Sauce
o Arctic Char (farmed)
-Most Arctic Char in the US markets comes from farmed tanks. But tanks used to raise Char are land based, closed (which limits the affect on wild habitats) and recirculating tanks (meaning it treats their waste water). Keep in mind that closed, recirculating tanks are usually a good system to look for when shopping.
- Atlantic Char with Fennel and Orange
[First Photo: http://current.com/news-and-politics/93280839_supermarkets-bid-to-get-shoppers-to-switch-to-sustainable-fish.htm]
[Second Photo: http://citrusandherbs.blogspot.com/2011/09/mediterranean-fish-stew.html]
Molly is the Copy Writing and PR intern. She loves discovering new ideas and ways to be sustainable! Share your ideas or comments with her at [email protected].