Buying local and sustainably-caught seafood is a great way to shrink your carbon footprint and support the local community.
Great Options That Are Easy to Prepare
In general fresh equals flavor and when shopping for fish the same rule applies. When thinking about purchasing fish, wild-caught fisheries and fish farms can also improve your environmental footprint but some options might feel intimidating to prepare. But there are plenty of options that you can feel good about selecting, that are delicious and sustainable.
Some of my favorite go-to seafood options here in the northeast:
American lobster (also known as Atlantic Lobster, Maine Lobster, Canadian Lobster)
Northern or Whiteleg shrimp (also known as Ebi, Pink Shrimp, Salad Shrimp)
Clams
Salmon
Snapper
Flounder (great for kids!)
Stripped bass
Does Frozen = Fresh?
Fish is probably the most perishable item at the store lasting at most one day if fresh. Lots of it goes bad before supermarkets can sell it so they mark up prices to cover their costs, which is why it's so expensive. The fish you find at your local grocery store most likely arrived frozen, with an amount selected to be thawed and sold that day. In fact unless it specifically says "fresh" the default is frozen.
That said there are only so many locations within the US that have fresh fish options available. Thankfully we now have some fish that has been "flash-frozen" at collection. This refers to the process where the fish is caught, prepped and frozen typically within 12 hours. When purchasing frozen fish look for flash-frozen fish and from a smaller species if possible. Younger (and smaller) species have had shorter amounts of time exposed to water pollutants and contaminants.
Another option is "chilled" fish. These purveyors will catch fish and ship them chilled, not frozen. For example there are a number of Pacific Northwest companies that ship small allotments of wild-caught, chilled, but not frozen salmon when available during specific times of the year.
Point It Out in the Tank and Buy It Live
Ideally freshwater fish kept in tanks are fed clean feed and the tank water is changed daily. Many Asian markets carry fish and crustaceans in tanks ready for purchase. The fishmongers at these stores will de-scale and filet the fish if you wish.
As always, you want to choose the freshest fish possible. How do you tell if it's fresh? Make sure it's free from damage (missing skin or fins), clear eyes that are not cloudy, gills that look clean and not mucous-y and nothing that smells fishy.
Good options are tilapia, striped bass, mackerel or yellow croaker. And when in doubt, just ask what's fresh!
Buy From a Local Seafood Store
Supporting local businesses not only helps local economy but at times can also provide a better product. These business owners care about their product and know exactly where it came from and even when it was caught.
"Look for fish caught in America, Canada, Iceland or New Zealand. These countries have the best fishing management practices in the world." -Chef Kysha Harris of The Spruce Eats
Can Seafood Be Sustainable?
There are a lot of great online resources that are searchable and can explain the differences between various fishing options. Online tools such as Seafood Watch from the Monterey Bay Aquarium allow you to search by fish or region to find better choices in your area.
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