I took a trip to Seattle this last weekend, and amongst the many things I did, my family and I made sure to take advantage of the rare sunny weather and take a short boat tour. Gliding amongst the blue water, under the warm sun watching sail boats with a view of the city in the background, I was completely taken away by the beauty of the ocean. As I usually am when in its presence, I was mesmerized by the gorgeous color, reflection of sunlight off the ripples of the ocean, and enjoying the cool breeze that reflected from it. I was completely oblivious to the scary truth that lay beneath it.
A recent article in Wired Magazine stated that 96 percent of edible seafood is currently endangered. Science magazine predicted last November that the world’s supply of seafood could nearly be gone by 2048. It sounds hard to believe that such vast oceans covering about 70 percent of the earth could ever run low on food supply. However, it is our avid appetite for seafood that has sparked an increase in fish farming and over-fishing, driving these fish to near extinction.
Though fish are traditionally meant to be wild-caught, and are much healthier that way, technology to harvest fish offshore created problems including over-fishing and the releasing of bycatch (unwanted creatures) back into the ocean. Fish farming currently provides at least half of the worlds seafood supply. According to an article in Seattle’s Conscious Choice magazine, Inland farms require large amounts of wild-caught fish to feed the farm grown. In that same article, it is stated that it takes three pounds of wild-caught feeder fish to feed one pound of farm raised salmon. How ironic is that? We are taking larger amounts of feeder fish straight from our oceans to feed a smaller amount of fish raised on a farm! The aquaculture process also contaminates water ways with antibiotics used to treat the farm-raised fish.
For those of us who prefer a healthier wild-caught fish to feed our seafood craving, fish farming has definitely made it more difficult to find, and the USDA is not helping. While standards for organic seafood are in draft with the USDA, at least 18 seafood companies are claiming “organic” or “wild-caught” on their packaging- but that’s a whole other blog.
Preserving our fish supply is as easy as purchasing or ordering certain fish only while they are in season and resisting them when they are not. Choosing to pay the higher price for wild-caught fish rather than settling for the less expensive farm-grown will help create a difference in demand. The ocean is undoubtedly breathtaking from the outside, but if we really stop to take a look at what is happening beneath that gorgeous blue surface, it may not look so pretty anymore. We can still change that.
A recent article in Wired Magazine stated that 96 percent of edible seafood is currently endangered. Science magazine predicted last November that the world’s supply of seafood could nearly be gone by 2048. It sounds hard to believe that such vast oceans covering about 70 percent of the earth could ever run low on food supply. However, it is our avid appetite for seafood that has sparked an increase in fish farming and over-fishing, driving these fish to near extinction.
Though fish are traditionally meant to be wild-caught, and are much healthier that way, technology to harvest fish offshore created problems including over-fishing and the releasing of bycatch (unwanted creatures) back into the ocean. Fish farming currently provides at least half of the worlds seafood supply. According to an article in Seattle’s Conscious Choice magazine, Inland farms require large amounts of wild-caught fish to feed the farm grown. In that same article, it is stated that it takes three pounds of wild-caught feeder fish to feed one pound of farm raised salmon. How ironic is that? We are taking larger amounts of feeder fish straight from our oceans to feed a smaller amount of fish raised on a farm! The aquaculture process also contaminates water ways with antibiotics used to treat the farm-raised fish.
For those of us who prefer a healthier wild-caught fish to feed our seafood craving, fish farming has definitely made it more difficult to find, and the USDA is not helping. While standards for organic seafood are in draft with the USDA, at least 18 seafood companies are claiming “organic” or “wild-caught” on their packaging- but that’s a whole other blog.
Preserving our fish supply is as easy as purchasing or ordering certain fish only while they are in season and resisting them when they are not. Choosing to pay the higher price for wild-caught fish rather than settling for the less expensive farm-grown will help create a difference in demand. The ocean is undoubtedly breathtaking from the outside, but if we really stop to take a look at what is happening beneath that gorgeous blue surface, it may not look so pretty anymore. We can still change that.
3 comments:
If you are looking for a good farm raised fish, take a look at the farm that raises arctic char in West Virginia -- www.wvchar.com. The fish are raised in pure spring water and don't use antibiotics, hormones or chemicals. Also, by using an indoor facilty the water is not exposed to enviromental conditions and the product is toxin free, unlike farm raised salmon. The company is listed as a preferred supplier on seafoodchoices.com
Awesome! I'll look into that. Thanks!
wow, i had no idea that the fish were in that great of danger. It bums me out because I love seafood, and especially sushi, and everyone knows, the fresher and more natural grown the fish, the better the sushi. This article makes me take some things into consideration. I'll definitely check what's in season next time I'm ordering. I dont know if I'll even be alive in 2048 but if I am, I'll still want my seafood.
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