Understanding sustainable seafood in a sea of information

American Tuna - a sustainably caught canned tuna
Photo credit: Taylor Blanchard

For years, health professionals have touted the benefits of eating more seafood because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, high in protein and low in saturated fat.¹ Yet for anyone looking to eat sustainably, seafood is one of the most confusing food categories to understand.

Further complicating the matter, it’s difficult to live by one mantra or apply one sweeping guideline such as “eat local,” because the sustainability issue varies depending on where and how the fish were raised and caught. U.S. farm-raised salmon? Bad. U.S. farm-raised catfish? Good. ²

Luckily for consumers, there are a few resources to help. First, Congress passed a mandatory country of origin labeling law that became effective in April 2005. All seafood must list the country of origin and production method (farm-raised or wild caught) – with the exception of “processed” seafood, which includes seafood that has been cooked, smoked, canned, or mixed with other ingredients.

Second, the California-based Monterey Bay Aquarium, through partnerships with regional zoos and aquariums, as well as fish and aquaculture experts, produces regional seafood pocket guides to aid consumers in making sustainable seafood purchases (see link below to download guide). The guide specifies seafood that might be susceptible to high levels of mercury or other contaminants, and categorizes seafood as “best choices,” “good alternatives” and “avoid.” The best seafood choices are, “abundant, well-managed and caught or farmed in environmentally friendly ways.”

The worst choices are either overfished, raised in a way that degrades the environment or caught in a manner that destroys other sea life, or a combination of these factors.

Unfortunately for Charlotte and other locations in the Southeast, many of the best choices for seafood are caught in the Pacific – meaning the seafood had to travel thousands of miles before reaching your table. Also, many of the species that the Monterey Bay Aquarium recommends avoiding are ubiquitous in the Southeast and less expensive – including Atlantic cod, Atlantic salmon and Atlantic halibut.

Take action
So what’s a conscious consumer to do? While eating sustainable seafood is confusing and requires more thought and research, Charlotte consumers can:

• Inquire about the origin of seafood on the menu when dining out.
   
• Ask chefs and restaurants to carry more sustainable seafood.
   
• Look for wild-caught North or South Carolina shrimp and try to avoid farm-raised shrimp from Asia.
   
• Search out locally and sustainably produced fish such as farm-raised Carolina catfish and trout.
   
• Make sure your local fishmonger accurately labels the country of origin and processing method.

• Download a Monterey Bay Aquarium regional Seafood Watch Guide and research various types of seafood
• iPhone App for sustainable seafood information
• Marine Stewardship Council
• See how North Carolina supermarkets stack up when it comes to sustainable seafood. Visit Greenpeace Seafood (and click on "Search Your State's Supermarkets" in the upper right hand corner.)
   

 ¹American Heart Association

² Farm-Raised Salmon and Farm-Raised Catfish