In the midst of all the attention organic vegetables and free-range meats have been garnering, it is easy to overlook the importance of our choice in seafood. Many species of fish and marine life are being threatened, yet are wildly available in many supermarkets still. Though we may not be aware, what we choose to consume can greatly impact the marine eco system in this supply and demand market.


The Disappearing Fish

At our current rate of consumption, many species of marine life will be extinct within the next fifty years as the result of three primary things: overfishing, bycatch, and habitat damage.

Overfishing is by far the biggest threat to many species of fish. Many types of fish are being overfished due to consumer demand. Chilean seabass and bluefin tuna are the most notable species that are being caught much faster than they can reproduce, leading to dwindling numbers that continue to decline drastically. Made popular by chefs, consumer demand is far outweighing the supply and unlike other types of animals that can be easily tracked, it is hard to regulate fishing over international waters.

Bycatch refers to the unintended catching of other species than the one targeted. With close to 100 million tones of fish caught a year, there are many bycatches occurring through gillnets and longlines fishing techniques. While the attention has been on dolphins being caught and killed in tuna nets in the past, many endangered turtles, sharks, and birds succumb to fishing systems designed to maximize catches each year.

Habitat damage, like bycatch, goes hand in hand with overfishing. As the ocean is a delicate ecosystem, increased demand for one type of fish will lead to overfishing of it, which in turn leads to fish disappearing from the food chain. In addition, to catch a lot of high-demand bottom feeding fish such as flounder and shrimp, trawls and dredges are used which scrape up and destroy the environment of the sea floor.


Fish Farming

The demand for certain types of fish has lead to fish farming/aquaculture, the raising of a species for consumption. Contrary to what some might believe, this is not always a good alternative nor sustainable, and in many situations, is actually damaging to the environment and eco-system. Farmed salmon, for instance, is much worse for the environment than wild caught salmon as many of these farms utilize open pens that release high amounts of waste that flows directly into the ocean, disrupting the delicate ecosystem. In addition, they can spread nonnatural parasites and diseases to wild fish swimming close to the pens. Some types of fish farms, such as many eel farms, are actually not even sustainable as they capture fry from the wild and transplant them to the farms, raising and selling them for consumption before they are able to reproduce.

However, this is not to say all fish farms are bad. Many inland self-contained fish farms pose no environmental hazard and are sustainable and many mollusk farms are also beneficial to the environment. Consumers should just be aware that a label of "farm raised" does not always mean it's a good thing.


What Can We Do?

As the fish industry is largely dependent on demand, consumers should make a conscious effort to avoid types of seafood that are being overharvested. There are many alternatives to popular choices and with a bit of research, it is easy to find which types of fish are sustainable. Organizations like the Marine Stewardship Council certifies sustainable fisheries in much the same way other environmental agencies certify eco-friendly products. In addition, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has a searchable and printable guide to which types of seafood is best for the environment with alternatives to threatened species. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has a similar database.


Some Seafood we Should Avoid and Their Alternatives

Chilean Seabass
Made popular by chefs in fine dining restaurants, they are being overfished at such an alarming rate that governments around the world are regulating their harvesting to the point that criminal organizations are trading them on the blackmarket like drugs. As very few fisheries are certified to be sustainable, a better alternative is the striped bass or the sablefish. Both are in good supply.

Bluefin Tuna
Made popular by sushi chefs, bluefin tuna is another fish that is being overharvested. Part of the problem lies in that they are slow to mature and many that are caught have not yet had a chance to reproduce. "Farmed" bluefin tuna are often young fish that are caught in the wild and put into pens to be fattened before sold. Atlantic yellowfin tuna, also known as ahi tuna, is a good alternative.

Farmed Salmon
As stated before, farmed salmon poses many environmental problems to wild stock and should be avoided. Wild caught salmon is not only a more eco-friendly choice, but actually better for your health due to less contaminants as farmed salmon is often fed fishmeal with limited variation versus the diverse diet of wild salmon.

Atlantic Halibut
Along with other Atlantic flatfish, halibut has been overfished to critical levels. While conservation groups are trying to rebuild the population, the numbers are still declining. Instead, choose Pacific halibut, which are in greater abundance due to the smaller fishing boom on the west coast.

For more information, on overfishing and the future of seafood, visit the sites above or pick up: The End of the Line: How Overfishing Is Changing the World and What We Eat.