Sustainable Seafood

Across the globe, unsustainable fishing practices and habitat destruction pose threat to the oceans, marine animals and seafood we love.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

In fact, responsible harvesting, advances in fish farming and your conscious culinary choices directly support sustainable fisheries and make healthier, sustainable fish more readily available while protecting our oceans for decades to come.

With every meal of fish you choose, you cast a vote… and cast the nets and lines that harvest hundreds of threatened and unsustainable species. The time to be responsible is now – before our seas are fished out and it is too late.

Choosing Sustainable Seafood

Here’s what you can do for your health and the health of our environment:

Before You Buy: Ask your local fishmonger or restaurateur about the catch-method and source of your seafood choices. If it does not specify “wild”, it’s usually farmed.
Mind the Method: Choose shellfish grown on farms using racks, lines or nets which are suspended in the water. These methods minimize damage to bottom habitat during harvesting.
Choose Sustainable Substitutes: Many sustainable fish can be easily substituted in recipes for depleted or contaminated species. For example, striped Bass is a perfect stand-in for some depleted species including Black Sea Bass, Rock Cod, Red Snapper, Grouper and Roughy.
Ban the Contaminated Catch: Many seafoods can be contaminated with mercury, dioxins like PCB’s and other pollutants due to the method or farming or their natural environment.

Use Ocean’s Alive Pocket Seafood Selector to guide you when shopping for seafood, and keep a clear conscious and “clean” plate free of contaminants by choosing the recipes here at Healing Gourmet. We are committed to solely using sustainable, low-contaminant seafood as ingredients in our recipes (check out our article on the dangers of farmed fish and best choices here). With your help, we can keep healthy seafood on the menu… and sea life in our oceans.