Seafood Tips

This information was provided by Giovanni's Fresh Fish Market in Morro Bay, California.

Ask your fish market the point of origin of your fish. Is it wild caught or farmed? Many times farmed fish is more inexpensive, but are fed antibiotics and in some cases dyes to color the flesh. Fresh fish should not smell strong. It should not look dry. If you are purchasing whole fish, the eyes should be clear and the scales in place.

By purchasing fish that is locally caught or comes from another region in the United States you are helping fishermen and their communities.

Species sustainability: What does that mean?

Simply put the definition is: "A rate of use, that does not exceed rates of re-generation." In short, the fish are reproducing faster than we are catching them. For more information, see the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Are our oceans being overfished?

It depends on who you ask. Special interest groups funded by several trusts spend about $30 million annually funding litigation, consumer boycotts, and lobbying to advance their view that most of the seafood consumed in the United States is not sustainable.

However, the National Fisheries Institute - a leading authority on world fish populations - says exactly the opposite. In fact, they say that almost all of the globally bought seafood for the U.S. market is already harvested at a rate that meets the world's present demand WITHOUT compromising the ability of the species to re-generate for future generations.

Some facts:

Industry leaders say 75 percent of the worlds fisheries are currently operating at sustainable levels.
A recent report shows "by-catch" (species caught unintentionally) has declined by 12 million tons. Thanks in part to more efficient fishing gear, federal regulations, and rebuilding programs put in place in recent years by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
A recent report to congress by NOAA many species are steadily coming off of the "over-fished" list.

Did you know?

Eating seafood at least twice a week can cut your chances of a heart attack by nearly 50 percent. That's half!
Men eating a diet high in Omega-3 foods such as salmon and tuna reduce their risk of advanced prostate cancer by 40 percent!
A federal panel of nutritionists recommended that because seafood is so healthy for you, our federal government should recommend Americans eat it twice weekly as part of a national nutrition policy.