Sustainable Seafood
By Janis Jibrin, RD
When I sit down to a seafood meal, I don’t want anything on my conscience. I want to know that my fish shellfish isn’t endangered, or in some other way, damaging the environment.
Fortunately, there are lots of “green” choices, right in your local supermarket or fish market. You’ll find them in the Complete Seafood Guide or the Seafood Best Bets on this website.
For more information on environmentally sustainable wild and farm-raised seafood, turn to Chapter 10 of The Pescetarian Plan. It explains:
- How the U.S. and other countries are combatting overfishing
- What’s behind the eco-labels you see on seafood, such as “Marine Stewardship Council”
- Which fishing techniques are kind—and cruel—to the oceans and other waterways
- The pros and cons of aquaculture (fish farming)
With just a little knowledge, you can pick sustainable seafood and do the earth a favor. A “green” fish is much better for the environment than poultry or pork, and way better than beef!
Want to help clean up the oceans and advocate for more environmentally clean fish farms? Contact any of these reputable organizations for information and ideas on how to pitch in. And if I’ve missed a worthy organization, please fill me in by emailing me at Janis@ThePescetarianPlan.com.
General Environmental Organizations that also have Marine and/or Aquaculture Campaigns
Environmental Defense (formerly Environmental Defense Fund)
Organizations Concerned with Saving and Protecting the Oceans
Deep Sea Conservation Coalition
Marine Conservation Biology Institute
Organizations That Focus on Protecting Fish and Championing Sustainable Fishing Practices
Marine Fish Conservation Network
Wild Oceans (formerly the National Coalition for Marine Conservation or NCMC)
Marine Environmental Research and/or Policy Organizations for Protecting the Oceans and Waterways
Pew Charitable Trust Environment Initiatives
Scripps Institute of Oceanography
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Organizations Focused on Protection of Whales and other Marine Creatures
International Marine Mammal Project
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society