10 ways to ensure the fish you are eating is sustainably caught and healthy.

One of the most confusing oceans to navigate is that of seafood. First there’s the question of mercury and other contaminants. How do you avoid those? Then comes the issue of a reliable source. Where breeds the healthiest fish, and sustainably so at that? Lastly, and equally as important, how’s the fish supposed to look, feel and smell? All these considerations are quite overwhelming and often end with a frustrating shrug and sigh.

With so much to consider, it can be tricky to get your buck’s worth in terms of your health and the environment. Luckily, we’ve done the research and have put together ten ways you can ensure you are eating the most sustainable fish the world has to offer.

Do Your Homework

Before going to the grocery store, check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch for a comprehensive guide to ocean-friendly seafood. According to the organization’s Communications Director Ken Peterson, “Seafood Watch is far and away the source used by consumers and major seafood buyers in North America to shape their seafood buying decisions in ways that promote healthy fisheries and healthy oceans.” The site outlines each fish’s market name, where it is caught and  how it is caught, indicating which variation of a particular fish is the “Best Choice,” a “Good Alternative,” or one to “Avoid.”

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

Choose seafood that is not only good for you, but also good for the environment. Monterey Bay Aquarium has created a “Super Green” list including seafood with the highest levels of omega-3s and the lowest levels of contaminants as well as a summary of the “Best Choice” ranked fish on the organization’s Seafood Watch. These recommendations apply to women of childbearing age, men and children, so they can be trusted to take everyone into account.

Know How Fish is Caught

Select fish that is caught using methods with lower environmental impact such as hand-lining or potting. The Marine Conservation Society explains the various fish-catching methods and why some are better than others.

Carry a Pocket Guide

Most of us don’t have the time to research when making an impromptu stop at the fish market, so being equipped with a fish list is a way to ensure you always make the most well-informed decision come check-out time. The Environmental Defense Fund has put together the easy-to navigate Pocket Seafood Selector and Pocket Sushi Selector to give you a helping hand.

Choose a Reliable Market

Keep tabs on your local grocery stores and inquire how often each receives its seafood shipments and what the regular turnover is. The higher the rate of seafood turnaround, the more likely the fish you buy is as fresh as can be.

Don’t Buy Fishy Fish

Given that we associate the “fishy” smell with something that has gone putrid, under no circumstances should you purchase fish that smells nasty, acidic, or pungent. Fresh fish has the scent of clean water with a slightly briny or cucumber overtone.

Look Skin Deep and Beyond

On the outside, look at the fish and confirm that it is clean and metallic as opposed to dull or discolored. The eyes should be bright and clear and the gills should bear a vibrant red tone – fish that has gone old bears gills with a faded brick color. On the inside, make sure that if there is liquid on the meat, that it is clear instead of milky. Rotting fish will have milky flesh. Don’t forget to press against the flesh of the fish – if an indentation appears and stays, the fish has gone bad.

Ask Questions

When perusing the seafood section of your grocery store or market, take your assumptions with a grain of salt. Engage in conversation with a salesperson, asking questions that aren’t answered by packaging or labeling, and get the scoop on some of the details that aren’t so readily available. It’s rare to be offered information about how fish is caught, so ask for it! Developing a relationship with seafood personnel is also a great way to get the most comprehensive information time and time again.

Rotate Your Fish

Try to venture outside your repertoire of, say, three types of fish and try your hand at making dishes with other fish deemed the healthiest and most environmentally friendly by the “Super Green” list. Eat sustainably across the board, not just with one type.

Spread the Word

Tell your friends and family about seafood sustainability and encourage them to apply these tips to their culinary seafood escapades. The best way to share, you ask? Why, only whilst devouring seared salmon over lentils.

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

Image: tarotastic

The post Pescatarian: 10 Ways to Make Sure You’re Eating the Most Sustainable Fish appeared first on EcoSalon.

In conjunction with a new report called State of Seafood, Monterey Bay Aquarium has issued a new “Super Green List” of seafood options that are good for both environmental and human health.

The “Super Eight”, as I’m calling them, are low in environmental toxins, high in Omega -3s and farmed or caught in ways that have a low impact on the environment.

Not long ago, here at EcoSalon, I listed my own personal list of 11 sustainable seafood options. It’s interesting to see the differences between my list and Monterey Bay’s.

Tuna is not on my list because it’s hard to get information on where and how tuna is caught, so I tend to avoid it. Some of my other choices are on Seafood Watch’s “almost as good list” and some others are more obscure or don’t contain as many Omega-3s. Other than that, we’re actually not that far off.

I’m glad the aquarium developed this super simplified list. I find the approach helpful for consumers. Instead of telling people what not to eat, it gives consumers a list of tasty options that are okay to eat. But consumers don’t always know where to find and how to prepare these items.

That’s where I come in, giving you the entire “Super Green” list with tips for sourcing, links to recipes or suggestions for preparing.

1. Albacore Tuna (troll- or pole-caught, from the U.S. or British Columbia)

This fish is difficult to find fresh in markets across the country because it is caught by small-scale fishermen. If you live on the West Coast near a harbor, you can sometimes buy it fresh, right off the boats during its season (July-October). Otherwise, you will find it canned year round and across the country in specialty stores. (And it’s not cheap) The can should be clearly marked as troll or pole caught Pacific Albacore, otherwise it’s not the right fish.

Use it to make a classic Niçoise salad with baby lettuces, olives, hard-cooked eggs, boiled small potatoes, and steamed green beans all topped off with a homemade vinaigrette.

2. Mussels (farmed)

Nearly all mussels found in the fish markets these days are farmed. Mussels are easy to prepare and quick cooking. Rinse them well to remove any sand and pull off their beards. Then, put them in a large covered pot over medium-high heat with a mixture of white wine, water and some combination of aromatics like fennel, onions, shallots, garlic, ginger, fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro, lemon, or orange. Steam them until they open (3 to 5 minutes). Finish with a pat of butter or a drizzle of olive oil and serve with salad and bread.

3. Oysters (farmed)

Make sure they are fresh and eat “˜em raw with a simple mignonette made of finely chopped shallots and Champagne vinegar, or just a squeeze of lemon. Don’t know how to shuck? Here’s a tutorial. Why are oysters sustainable? Here’s a piece on EcoSalon that lays it out.

4. Pacific Sardines (wild-caught)

My favorite fish hands-down! Small fish are lower in contaminants than larger, longer-lived fish. The sardine fishery is very healthy, and sardines are flavorful and stand up to robust preparations.  This article has more information and a recipe.

5. Pink Shrimp (wild-caught, from Oregon)

These are the classic shrimp for shrimp cocktail, but you could also use them in a ceviché or make a salad stuffed into an avocado, in a recipe like this one.

6. Rainbow Trout (farmed)

Widely available across the country, farmed trout is mild and versatile. It’s also easy to prepare. I like to stuff the fish with aromatics like fresh herbs and green onions, splash a little white wine or citrus juice on it and inside of it and then grill or bake it whole until the flesh flakes easily with a fork and is no longer translucent (about 15 minutes).

7. Salmon (wild-caught, from Alaska)

There are many species of Pacific salmon including King, Chinook, Chum, and Pink. Atlantic isn’t one of them. Atlantic salmon is code for “farmed.” Simple is best with this special fish. A quick marinade with herbs, chopped garlic, and lemon juice followed by a turn on the grill or under the broiler; or a simple treatment of salt and pepper followed by a sear in a very hot cast-iron pan always does the trick for me.

8. Spot Prawns (wild-caught, from British Columbia)

These are large prawns sold with the head on. They are available in small specialty fish markets on the West Coast, but I’m not sure how available they are in the East. They have a sweet flavor reminiscent of lobster. And if you should be so lucky as to find them, you should do nothing more than throw them on the grill as is and then peel, squeeze a little lemon juice on them, and eat. Or, you could dip them in butter. And yes, you are supposed to suck the heads. Which also (along with the leftover shells) make a great fish broth.

Image: koadmonkee

This is the latest installment in Vanessa Barrington’s weekly column, The Green Plate, on the environmental, social, and political issues related to what and how we eat.

The post How to Cook Fish: Seafood Watch’s New “Super Green” List with Serving Suggestions appeared first on EcoSalon.