Eating “next-generation” fish can help save the ocean
Developing a taste for a variety of fish could dramatically lower levels of bycatch, the name for unwanted fish dredged up in pursuit of more popular seafood. A demand for bycatch, also known as trash fish, would promote a healthier marine ecosystem, too. Photo source.
Think back on the last few times you ate fish. Chances are it was shrimp, canned tuna, or salmon— these three make up nearly 60 percent of the seafood Americans eat. That’s a problem. The high demand on a select few species has led to the overfishing of wild populations, as well as an increase in aquaculture, both of which can be environmentally harmful when not managed sustainably.
So how about developing a taste for monkfish, skate, or porgy? This is the hope of the environmentalists pushing to reframe lesser known fish like these as the better seafood option. The goal is to help take the pressure off threatened and endangered fish. When fish are removed as important food sources for other fish, as well as seabirds and marine mammals, the ocean ecosystem is disrupted.
Monkfish, skate, and porgy are among the varieties sometimes called trash fish, baitfish, or bycatch, all names for what is left over after fishermen have emptied their nets of the desired catch. There’s a lot of it. “I think in the best-case bycatch scenarios, you’re talking about at least two-to-one, and that’s pretty high,” said Paul Greenberg, author of several books on seafood, including American Catch. “In the worst shrimp fisheries, it’s five to one or 10 to one.”
An increase in demand for certain popular species, like salmon, has led to an steady increase in aquaculture, which can become polluted when not managed sustainably. Photo source.
Rebranding bycatch as a desirable seafood option is a path to sustainability endorsed by groups like the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), which developed a seafood guide, and Chefs Collaborative, which once hosted trash fish dinners, but have since abandoned the term in favor of “next generation” or “all-American.” Supporters underscore that these less well-known varieties are nutritious, delicious, and affordable. Alan Lovewell, CEO of Real Good Fish, a California-based CSA, has learned to call it by another name. “Rather than calling it trash fish,” he told HuffPost, “we call them underloved.”
Aquatic farming helps replenish the supply of popular fish, like halibut and cod, but it can come with its own set of environmental problems. Fish raised in close proximity can spread diseases to each other which can then be transferred to wild populations. Many farmed fish are treated with pesticides and antibiotics. Furthermore, the concentration of waste damages the surrounding environment through eutrophication. Finally, while farming can help protect the numbers of wild fish, some operate as ranches that harvest fish from the wild and grow them to full size in captivity, further adding to the problem of wildlife depletion.
EAT LIKE A FISH
Consumers created a market for salmon, tuna, and cod. Environmentalists are now urging us to create one for skate, rockfish, and red grouper. Eating with the Ecosystem, a New-England organization that pushes local seafood consumption, suggests that humans “eat like a fish,” which consume a wide variety of species within their local ecosystem.
Other ways to eat for the good of the ocean:
Download a seafood app. The Seafood Watch app, developed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, rates fish as “best choice,” “good alternative,” or “avoid.” You can search by fish, traditionally caught or farmed, location, and variety. The method by which fish are caught is hugely important when assessing sustainability. Search for octopus, for example, and you can see that choosing Giant Pacific Octopus caught in pots in the US is the best choice and that octopus caught using bottom trawls, which can raise the risk of damaging coral reefs, should be avoided. The app also indicates which species to avoid. Orange Roughy, for example, does not currently have a sustainable option for farming or fishing.
Source your fish. Not all fish farms are bad. A number of them, including Verlasso, which farms salmon, have figured out more efficient ways to feed fish and are building sustainable models that minimize a farm’s impact on the ocean. One way to find reputable farms is to rely on eco-certification labeling. Monterey Bay Aquarium has a short list of labels it recommends, including ASC certified, Naturland, BAP certified, Canada Organic, and Friend of the Sea.
Eat local. We import 80 percent of the fish we eat, which of course drives up greenhouse gas emissions. So try to eat fish caught locally, whenever possible.
Eat frozen. Speaking of carbon emissions, it’s much smarter to choose frozen fish over fresh. Frozen generally means it can be transported by boat or truck, whereas time-sensitive fresh fish must be flown into a store, generating more in carbon emissions.
Order something new. Focusing on a handful of species means boats are on the water longer, expanding ranges in search of their catch. This translates into more carbon being pumped into the atmosphere, mostly from fuel use. So get to know and love other fish. Paul Greenberg encourages the consumption of bivalves (mussels, oysters, clams) because they filter and clean the water, without requiring fish food. They also provide high levels of omega 3 fatty acids.
Garden and Gun published a guide to trash fish in the South. The Gulf of Maine Research Institute suggests redfish, mackerel, and dogfish, among others. Here’s a short list of the better known sustainable fish: sardines, monkfish, mullet, skate, porgy, hake, squid, and anchovies.
Oceana, which works to protect and restore the ecosystem, suggests that eating smaller fish, like sardines and anchovies, is more efficient than using them for fish food. These smaller fish also carry more calories per gram of meat, making them a more efficient source of protein.
Lesser known “bait fish” that is considered delicious include Atlantic butterfish, scup, dogfish, sea robin, Jonah crab, sand crab, peekytoe crab, Acadian redfish, groundfish, black cod, Pacific grenadier, sand dabs, rock crab, gaper clams, and basket cockles.
Join a fish CSA with an emphasis on sustainability. Joining a CSA can be a great way to introduce yourself to new types of fish. The drawback is that many fly their fish to clients, so it’s a mixed bag in terms of sustainability – if you live in Ohio you may want to order up some carbon offsets with your fish! California CSAs include Real Good Fish, Sea Forager, and Trashfish. Sitka Salmon Shares specializes in bringing sustainable fish into the Midwest.
