Seafood Watch

Fish is generally believed to be a healthy alternative to red meat and poultry. But the farming and fishing techniques involved in capturing certain types of seafood wreaks havoc on the delicate eco-system in the ocean. What's worse is that high levels of mercury found in certain fish can lead to cancer and birth defects. This news doesn't mean you need to write-off tuna melts and salmon dinners, but it does mean that you should be an informed consumer. The Monterey Bay Aquarium publishes a West Coast seafood guide which outlines eco-friendly options, as well as fish to avoid. Check out their website at www.seafoodwatch.org before your next trip to the seafood market or a trip to your favorite sushi bar. The choices we make as consumers effects demand, which ultimately effects fishing techniques. The best options are fish that are abundant in the ocean, and that are captured--whether wild or farmed-- in environmentally friendly ways.

Quick list of some common no-no's: Farmed Salmon, Imported Shrimp(farmed or wild), Imported Mahi Mahi, Imported King Crab, and Tuna that is captured using longline fishing techniques.

Betters options: Farmed US Talapia, Wild Alaskan Salmon, US Mahi Mahi, US Shrimp(farmed or wild), Tuna that is captured using troll/pole fishing techniques, Dungeness Crab, Alaskan Snow Crab, and Imitation Crab(Dog Fish)