Bluefin tuna, one of the most majestic of all sea creatures, and unfortunately for them, one of the tastiest, is in severe trouble from overfishing; it is on the brink of commercial collapse. The populations are down 90% from what they were in the 70's, and scientists are questioning whether to farm raise Blue fins, and if it will work, or if we will have to sadly watch this species swim its way to extinction.
Farm raising tuna is not ideal for a number of reasons. Bluefin behavior makes it very problematic/ Tuna take up to 12 years to reach sexual maturity, and getting them to breed outside their natural habitat is difficult. Living in a cage does not produce cues for sex hormones and reproduction. Scientists have developed a drug treatment that mimics the hormone, but is that really where we want our bluefin tunas, filled with hormones like the rest of industrially grown food? Plus, tunas are massive, fast fish- unlike the salmon, that can have their hormones injected in them by picking them up, they have to be shot with a spear by divers to get the hormones in their bodies. Seems like a bit too much intervention and manipulation, wouldn't you say?
Besides being over fished, the gear used to catch blue fin entangles sea turtles, sea birds, and sharks, endangering more populations than just the tuna.
American fishermen are seemingly the most compliant group with regards to fishing moratoriums of blue fin, but worldwide overfishing and the demand for the fish is too great, and it's looking dismal for the longevity of the species. As consumers and sushi eaters, there is something we can do to help these miraculous animals survive and thrive so that they will be around longer for our enjoyment. THe most important thing we can do is support measures that protect the breeding grounds of blue fin, and measures to manage fishing and stop overfishing.
1. Check with your sushi restauranteur where their blue fin is sourced. If it is from the Mediterranean, avoid it. Ask the restaurant not to serve blue fin unless it has been sustainable fished.
2. Do not purchase Atlantic blue fin from fish markets.
3. Look up the Pocket Sushi Guide on Monterrey Bay Aquarium's website for quick access to education.
Sign the form letter to show your support for management of and recovery for this species.
5. When in question, don't order blue fin. There are plenty of environmental and tasty alternatives.
Your Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood
November 2008
Every bite you take has an environmental impact. Are you aware of where your produce is grown, and how the farmer cares for the soil, the air, and the water? Do you select your fish with confidence and a clear consciousness? We need to pay attention to our ecological impacts on the environment so that these resources, like seafood, are available and safe for our children and our children's children to eat and enjoy.
Here is a quick guide for discerning which fish are good eats and which to avoid, and why:
We hope this helps you make healthy and eco-wise decisions while choosing your seafood!
Health Watch: How Clean are YOUR Cleaning Products?
If you are what you eat, and you are what you eat eats, it is important to choose foods that are raised and grown clean and healthfully. What you eat affects your health and well being, but just as importantly, what surrounds you in your home affects your health from the outside in; you are also what you absorb and ingest.
Is your home your haven from pollution? Bad news- it’s probably is not as “fresh” as you think. The air pollution inside of a home after a day of cleaning can be two to up to 100 times worse than the outside air pollution of the most polluted cities in the world, according to the US EPA. That indoor pollution is caused by cleaning products’ “off-gassing.” You ingest and absorb the chemicals you breathe and touch, and most typical household cleaners are highly toxic.
Boycott Canadian Seafood to Help End Destructive Seal Hunting Practices
The largest commercial slaughter of marine mammals in the world takes place for a few days a year by a few thousand Canadian fishermen- the seal hunt. The seals, including many babies, are killed for their fur, which accounts for a very small percentage of fishermen’s income, in fact a mere twentieth of it on average.
In Newfoundland, for example, 98% of the fishing income is derived from selling actual fish and shellfish, 2% from seal hunting. Because the income earned by fishing is so much more substantial than by that of seal hunting, Canadian fishermen cannot afford to lose that pipeline. ProtectSeals network began a boycott of Canadian seafood the moment the first baby seal was killed, realizing that the only wa to put enough pressure on the fishermen was to cut off their primary source of income. The power to force the Canadian fishermen t stop their hunting lies in the hands of the consumers and the companies that sell seafood.
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