Three conservation groups will release their guides to sustainable sushi next week in an effort to inspire sushi consumers to take ocean and species health into consideration when deciding what to eat. "Every sushi restaurant serves some sustainable items. We've created the tools so people can find those good choices -- and enjoy them!" said Seafood Watch's Sheila Bowman. "If you care about the future of the oceans, you'll want to use the pocket guides and avoid red-listed sushi." Blue Ocean Institute, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium have already released general sustainable seafood guides, but the sushi-only guidance targets a specific demographic -- sushi-lovers who often "leave their sustainability conscience at the door when they walk into a sushi restaurant." The guides include both English and Japanese names to help with identification. According to the guides, top sustainable sushi eats include U.S.-farmed abalone (awabi), albacore tuna from North America (shiro maguro), and farmed Arctic char (iwana). Poor sushi choices include bluefin tuna (toro), monkfish (ankoh), red snapper (tai), and freshwater eel (unagi).
source: Associated Press, The Californian, Los Angeles Times
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Comments
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anthony11 Posted 3:42 am
16 Oct 2008
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aquaken Posted 3:52 am
16 Oct 2008
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caniscandida Posted 6:08 am
16 Oct 2008
the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Blue Ocean Institute and others deserve much praise for advising consumers of seafood on which seafood choices are better, and which are worse.
But the controversial word "sustainability" has different meanings in different contexts. I entirely agree that consumers of seafood should be dissuaded from buying marine animals whose numbers are dwindling, or whose reproductive cycles are long, or whose cultivation or capture involve some form of environmental destruction, e.g. pollution, the degradation of ecosystems, and the taking of by-catch.
But to recommend as "sustainable" the consumption of species who do not present such difficulties is short-sighted.
I must agree with Anthony11 on this matter. Marine ecosystems are too variable, and our knowledge of all that affects the health of marine species is too limited, for us to be able to pronounce confidently that certain kinds of consumption of marine animals are truly "sustainable" in the long term.
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CyberBrook Posted 8:58 am
17 Oct 2008
Seaweed and veggies, however, are on the right track for compassion, health, and sustainability.
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Misstaratot Posted 4:37 am
04 Nov 2008
I am doing research for Mangrove Action Project. As shrimp farms are causing devastating loss to mangroves I have decided to look at the consumer to analyze their choices in shrimp consumption. Please help me out in my research. THIS SURVEY IS SHORT! Click on the link below.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=BLGwxmZzj1tLeimZeqP ...
Thanks
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