(Captain Tattoo) I love seafood. I don’t believe there is a type or style of seafood I don’t like. Lots of people the world over are just like me. For that reason I’m very concerned about our ability to continue supplying the world’s demand for seafood. The global catch of wild fish leveled off over 20 years ago. Seventy percent of the world's fisheries are being harvested at capacity or are in decline.

 I remember when getting shrimp anywhere away from the coast was a luxury. A dinner of crab legs was almost unheard of and very expensive. Humans have been fishing the oceans for thousands of years. But over the past five decades technology has allowed us to fish farther, deeper and more efficiently than ever before. Scientists estimate that we have removed as much as 90 percent of the large predatory fish such as shark, swordfish and cod from the world's oceans.

 

Thanks to improved industrial fishing techniques, refrigeration and transportation you can find almost any type of fish, no matter how exotic, in any location, no matter how far from the coast. Increased availability has increased demand which encourages increased fishing.

It is more important than ever that we understand marine eco-systems and develop sustainable fishing methods. The United States has made great strides regulating our fisheries so that we can have a sustainable supply of seafood for our tables. Yet, other countries have not. Regulating wild-caught seafood as well as developing a viable aquaculture industry can help answer the world populations growing demand for seafood.

We consumers can also help by raising awareness of which species are in decline and which ones maintain healthy population levels. In addition, we need to purchase our seafood from the best managed, most sustainable fisheries. Through better practices, we can create healthy, abundant oceans for everyone.

Seafood Watch, a program of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, is about making this vision a reality. Working with consumers, fishermen, restaurants, retailers and suppliers, they have been making a difference since 1999. They offer loads of easily accessible, current information on specific species health and populations as well as the best managed fisheries, as well as some pretty tasty recipes. They even offer a handy pocket guide that you can carry with you when you shop or order a meal at your favorite seafood restaurant.

Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium web site to learn more about sustainable seafood and aquaculture. Become a smarter consumer as well as a better cook. Together we can help insure delicious, healthy seafood for generations to come.

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

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