Even though I’ve been studying nutrition, sustainable food choices, and food policy for a long time, I still had a lot of questions about fish and seafood. It seemed like “the last frontier,” as I can’t see underwater to learn about fish in the same way that I can observe cows, chickens, pigs, and plants.
Even though I understood that wild-caught fish have ideal nutrition as they are eating their natural diet, I have been concerned that our growing consumption of fish and seafood is damaging wildlife populations and their ecosystems.
To educate myself and share the learning with you, I have been studying three areas:
- Wild-caught fish and seafood;
- Aquaculture or fish farming;
- Local fisheries in Upstate SC
I’m excited to share with you an interview with Jackie Marks of the Marine Stewardship Council.
Jackie shared with me:
- How overfishing and unsustainable fishing practices can damage not only the fish populations, but also the ocean/lake/river environments and our communities
- The Marine Stewardship Council is a neutral third-party organization that sets international standards for sustainable fishing. These ensure the fish population is not being depleted too much, the environment is not damaged by fishing, and that there is a good management plan in place for long-term success.
- Look for the MSC logo – “the little blue fish” – to ensure that products are healthy for the eco-system, and ask for MSC-certified fish in restaurants.
- There is HOPE. We can make an impact with our daily and weekly choices.
- Surprise! All of McDonald’s Filet-o-Fish sandwiches are sourced from MSC-certified Alaska pollock.
Our purchases impact the environment in a huge way! Please ask for MSC-certified and/or local and sustainably-caught fish and seafood.
Here’s the logo so you can look for MSC-certified fish and seafood.
Share this post with friends and family to help spread the word.
Please let me know in the comments about what you will do to choose sustainable seafood.
You might also be interested in these blog posts:
- Three types of sustainable seafood farms
- If you’re in the Southeast, check out this related interview with Andrea Margiotta of the SC Aquarium “Good Catch” program.
- #1 Priority for Organic Food
- Buying the Best Chicken and Eggs
- ABCs of GMOs -What you need to know now
Ready to make conscious, informed food choices for the long-term? Check out the self-paced program Five Star Eating.