Food Label Series: Seafood

The second installment to the food label series is SEAFOOD.

You can read the first part on EGGS AND CHICKEN HERE.

Sustainable seafood is seafood caught or farmed in a way (1) that does not harm the ecosystem and (2) does not harm the vitality of the species. Industrial farming applies to seafood but in a different way. Farmed fish can be fed corn, soybean oil, ground-up fish, or ground animal parts and if enough food isn't available they will eat feces. In some instances, fish were actually fed other animals' manure! (Think about it: what the animal/seafood is eating so are you. ) When purchasing farmed fish you definitely want to look for certain labels that ensure you are getting quality seafood.

Another reason for looking for certified labels is fraud. There are 30,000 different fish in the sea. Quite a few differ slightly in appearance which increases the possibility of fraud.  This can have a negative impact on your health and the environment. Other ways consumers are defrauded besides seafood being mislabeled, are less seafood than the label reads, adding ice to increase the weight, and shipping the seafood through other countries to avoid tariffs and duties.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program examines several factors to put fish in several categories to help the consumer make informed decisions when it comes to purchasing seafood.

Click the image to see the complete consumer guide.

Another label to look for is the Marine Stewardship Council:
This label guarantees the seafood was caught by methods that do not deplete the natural supply nor harm the natural environment.

Also, look for  the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) label:
This certifies that seafood farms are environmentally and socially responsible.

HERE ARE SEAFOOD LABELS TO BE MINDFUL OF:

Wild caught: This is typically the best seafood to purchase and eat. The fish/seafood is living in a natural habitat. But unfortunately, this can sometimes cause big problems with fishing methods like trawling which catches other marine life in their nets. The more the ecosystem is damaged the greater chance of extinction of certain seafood.

Organic seafood: This really doesn't exist. The closest you can get is the fish you catch in the lake, stream, or ocean where they live in their natural habitat and follow the circle of life.

One final label is  "COOL" - Country of Origin labels:  Some safe countries are America, Canada, Iceland, and New Zealand. These countries have some of the best fishing management.

When purchasing fish and shellfish in the supermarket make sure the product does not smell bad or appear slimy. If you live far inland, buying frozen and defrosting is best. Either allow it to sit overnight in the fridge or place it in a container of cold water changing it every 30 minutes. Never thaw frozen seafood in the microwave.

I hope this helps!