I don't think we have yet addressed seafood on this blog. It's true that we're not living on the coast, but fish is available at many Richmond restaurants, and articles like this one tell us we should definitely be eating fish, at least occasionally: rates of heart disease are lower among fish eaters, and most of us have probably heard about the across-the-board benefits of eating omega-3 fatty acids (found in high concentrations in fish). Protection against heart disease, diabetes and cancer, inhibition of early Alzheimer's progression, positive effects on depression and other mental disorders, and other assorted benefits come with occasional fish consumption.
I have avoided buying seafood for some time now because I know overfishing is a huge problem worldwide, and it takes lots of gasoline to ship fish to Richmond from the coast. However, that's not to say I never find occasion to indulge in seafood; with this in mind, I would like to point all our readers to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. This is exactly the kind of guide I've been looking for -- a resource that helps us make more sustainable choices about which fish to eat. Check out the Consumer Guide. This includes printable pocket guides indicating which kinds of fish to eat and which to avoid. There are also some cards you can use to inform local restaurants on seafood concerns. In particular, the Southeast regional guide should definitely be considered next time you go to a nice restaurant: you will be empowered to make better choices for our oceans and the environment.
Thank you for spreading the word about our program. I'm glad you find our guides useful. Be on the lookout for the sushi guide coming out October 22.
ReplyDeleteHumberto Kam
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Seafood Watch has its roots in the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Fishing for Solutions exhibit which ran from 1997 to 1999 and produced a list of sustainable seafood. It was one of the first resources for sustainable seafood information together with the Audubon Society's What is a fish lover to eat which also came out in the late 1990s.
ReplyDelete-----------
Mellisa
Guaranteed ROI
Nina Planck has a great chapter on seafood in her Book 'Real Food What to Eat and Why'. Basically she makes a very convincing argument for why ever single one of us...and her arguement is Every one of us... should be eating fish at least once a week. She mentions the Monterey Bay Aquarium list and details some of it.
ReplyDeleteIt also provides an interesting discussion about the need to farm raise fish that are herbivores and leave the carniverous fish to be caught wild.