Gone Fishin’!
We humans are on the horns of a dilemma—we have to eat, but what can we eat that doesn’t damage ourselves or the environment? We’re bombarded daily with conflicting messages about what to eat and what not to eat. Yesterday, butter was a killer; today, it’s keeping us young and our skin dewy. The latest study tells us how good fish is for us, then a headline screams we’re emptying the oceans. Grocery stores have become minefields—palm oil, GMOs, high-fructose corn syrup, inhumane meat and fish. Fish is one of the most daunting food items to buy right, right now. Information is always changing: Farmed or wild caught? This tuna, but not that tuna. Shrimp from here, but not from there. It’s getting so we need a degree in marine biology to put a healthy and harmless meal on the table.
We gingerly approach the fish counter, shocking videos of factory trawlers looping away in our heads, sweaty hands clutching our dog-eared and (since the latest findings) probably outdated Seafood Watch or Ocean Wise shopper’s guide. You’ve got questions, but the kid behind the counter hasn’t got any answers. So, here’s what we suggest: get to know your fish monger; shop small and local when possible—cultivated oysters, mussels and clams, inland farmed freshwater fish and lake fish; and whenever possible, eat more jellyfish (seriously, they’re clogging up the oceans!). Stick to the most reliable and up-to-date sources of information, such as the aforementioned Ocean Wise and Seafood Watch, but also the
