Fish and Seafood

[Barbara from New Jersey]

I've just read a book by Paul Greenberg called "American Catch: the Fight for our Local Seafood."   This book explains why about 90% of the fish and seafood Americans eat is from foreign sources, mainly Asia and India.  Because of our environmental laws, we have the cleanest and healthiest fish/seafood in the world.  We export most of it.  We import the farmed products grown in filth and fed anything available to enhance quick growth, bathed in antibiotics because of parasites and disease.  These are sold at a low price which substantially undercuts that of American fisherman. 


An easy to read 250 page book, Greenberg writes about history, politics, environmental policy and marine biology.  The frightening part is how blatantly unhealthy most of the imports are and how these foreign coastlines are left void of life because of the way the farmed fish are raised. the book sure gives you pause every time you are tempted to buy that cheap fish and seafood at you local market. 

[Rita]

I'm always so hesitant to eat fish these days.   I'm also never sure about taking omega 3, after that report came out that most of it is rancid.


Thank goodness that pastured eggs have omega 3 in them.

[Barbara from New Jersey]

Yes, it is very disconcerting!  I really like to eat fish and sometimes seafood.  All you needed to do was basically wash a filet or steak off, wipe it with an oil to seal it, sprinkle with salt and pepper and broil, 10 minutes to the inch. Squeeze some fresh lemon on it and you had a fast and healthy meal.   Scallops, shrimp and lobster are simple as well.  I never ate much in the way of mussels or oysters because they are filtering organisms and I thought that they might just be too polluted to eat. 


As a state with a relatively long coastline, fishing is making a comeback because the state has really made efforts to clean up their rivers and estuaries and also stopped dumping effluent.  The Hudson River is also benefitting. Both NY and NJ are using mussels and oysters to clean up the dirty water as an experiment.  Hard to believe that 100 years ago the oysters around Manhattan and up the Hudson River were world famous for their taste and size.  At least there is some hope to undo the damage of the post WWII era. 

[Rita]

Did you hear about the escape of 300,000 farmed Atlantic salmon in the Pacific, which may threaten the Pacific salmon?


http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/08/29/546803147/why-are-atlantic-salmon-being-farmed-in-the-northwest