Consumers can Help Save the Fish

As you might have heard, a few weeks ago a report came out of Dalhousie University predicting that if we continue to harvest and consume fish at our current rate and with our current practices then by 2046 the ocean will be empty of fish!

This study disturbed me in many ways; one, I plan to still be alive forty years from now, but more importantly, I felt helpless in being able to positively impact this situation in anyway. As a result, it made my Friday to read an article in E-Magazine which said that we, as consumers, can help to alleviate this problem by making our fish purchases more wisely!

The problem was, I expect like most folks, I really have no idea what would be a 'good seafood choice' and a 'bad seafood choice'. Images of me standing in the seafood aisle paralyzed from indecision raced through by brain.

Problem solved!

Check out this site: Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch for a great, one page, printable guide on which seafood to buy and why. This guide provides clear and simple information what are the best to worst choices when buying seafood. Unfortunately, it is US focused, so the Canadians in the crowd will have to use our imagination a bit.

For example, Halibut from the Pacific Ocean is a 'Best Choice'; Halibut from the Atlantic Ocean is listed as 'Avoid'. Frankly, I don't know why this is, but I do know that this type of information is readily available on the packaging and most restaurant menus thereby allowing me to make a choice that I feel good about.

I would highly recommend you print off a copy of this guide to take with you on your next trip to the grocery store or dinner outing.

Please note though, there are some 'common fish' such as Sole that for some reason are not on the guide. On the Monterey site there is a search tool that will quickly pull up this information and it might be worthwhile to jot down on the back of the guide the options for those types of seafood you commonly consume, but are not included.