By : Emily Main
Yes fish, no fish, red fish...OK fish? Our oceans have become so depleted of
wild fish stocks, and so polluted with industrial contaminants, that trying to
figure out the fish that are both safe and sustainable can make your head spin.
"Good fish" lists can change year after year, because stocks rebound
or get depleted every few years, but there are some fish that, no matter what,
you can always decline.
The nonprofit Food and Water Watch looked at all the varieties of fish out
there, how they were harvested, how certain species are farmed, and levels of
toxic contaminants like mercury or PCBs in the fish, as well as how heavily
local fishermen relied upon fisheries for their economic survival. These are
the 12 fish, they determined, that all of us should avoid, no matter what.
1. American Eel
Why It's Bad: Also called yellow or silver eel, this fish,
which frequently winds up in sushi dishes, made its way onto the list because
it's highly contaminated with PCBs and mercury. The fisheries are also
suffering from some pollution and overharvesting.
Eat This Instead: If you like the taste of eel, opt for
Atlantic- or Pacific-caught squid instead.
2. Caviar
Why It's Bad: Caviar from beluga and wild-caught sturgeon
are susceptible to overfishing, according to the Food and Water Watch report,
but the species are also being threatened by an increase in dam building that
pollutes the water in which they live. All forms of caviar come from fish that
take a long time to mature, which means that it takes a while for populations
to rebound.
Eat This Instead: If you really love caviar, opt for fish eggs
from American Lake Sturgeon or American Hackleback/Shovelnose Sturgeon caviar
from the Mississippi River system.
3. Atlantic Cod
Why It's Bad: This one was difficult to add to the "dirty
dozen list," says Cufone, because it is so vital to the economic health of
New England fishermen. "However, chronic mismanagement by the National
Marine Fisheries Service and low stock status made it very difficult to
recommend," she says. Atlantic cod stocks collapsed in the mid-1990s and
are in such disarray that the species is now listed as one step above
endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of
Threatened Species.
Eat This Instead: The good news, if you love fish 'n' chips (which
is nearly always made with cod), is that Pacific cod stocks are still strong
and are one of Food and Water Watch's best fish picks.
4. Imported Catfish
Why It's Bad: Nearly 90% of the catfish imported to the US
comes from Vietnam, where use of antibiotics that are banned in the U.S. is
widespread. Furthermore, the two varieties of Vietnamese catfish sold in the
US, Swai and Basa, aren't technically considered catfish by the federal government
and therefore aren't held to the same inspection rules that other imported
catfish are.
Eat This Instead: Stick with domestic, farm-raised catfish,
advises Marianne Cufone, director of the Fish Program at Food & Water
Watch. It's responsibly farmed and plentiful, making it one of the best fish
you can eat. Or, try Asian carp, an invasive species with a similar taste to
catfish that's out-competing wild catfish and endangering the Great Lakes
ecosystem.
5. Imported Shrimp
Why It's Bad: Imported shrimp actually holds the designation
of being the dirtiest of the Dirty Dozen, says Cufone, and it's hard to avoid,
as 90% of shrimp sold in the U.S. is imported. "Imported farmed shrimp
comes with a whole bevy of contaminants: antibiotics, residues from chemicals
used to clean pens, filth like mouse hair, rat hair, and pieces of
insects," Cufone says. "And I didn't even mention things like E. coli
that have been detected in imported shrimp." Part of this has to do with
the fact that less than 2% of ALL imported seafood (shrimp, crab, catfish, or
others) gets inspected before its sold, which is why it's that much more
important to buy domestic seafood. (Read more about The
Not-So-Simple Life of Shrimp and how to make the best choices for your
dinner table.)
Eat This Instead: Look for domestic shrimp. Seventy percent of
domestic shrimp comes from the Gulf of Mexico, which relies heavily on shrimp
for economic reasons. Pink shrimp from Oregon are another good choice; the
fisheries there are certified under the stringent Marine Stewardship Council
guidelines.
6. Atlantic Flatfish
Why It's Bad: This group of fish includes flounder, sole, and
halibut that are caught off the Atlantic coast. They found their way onto the
list because of heavy contamination and overfishing that dates back to the
1800s. According to Food and Water Watch, populations of these fish are as low
as 1% of what's necessary to be considered sustainable for long-term fishing.
Eat This Instead: Pacific halibut seems to be doing well, but
the group also recommends replacing these fish with other mild-flavored
white-fleshed fish, such as domestically farmed catfish or tilapia.
7. Atlantic Salmon (wild-caught & farmed)
Why It's Bad: It's actually illegal to capture wild
Atlantic salmon because the fish stocks are so low, and they're low, in part,
because of farmed salmon. Salmon farming is very polluting: Thousands of fish
are crammed into pens, which leads to the growth of diseases and parasites that
require antibiotics and pesticides. Often, the fish escape and compete with
native fish for food, leading to declines in native populations. Adding to our
salmon woes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is moving forward with
approving genetically engineered salmon to be sold, unlabeled, to unsuspecting
seafood lovers. That salmon would be farmed off the coast of Panama, and it's
unclear how it would be labeled. Currently, all fish labeled "Atlantic
salmon" come from fish farms.
Eat This Instead: Opt for wild Alaskan salmon now, and in the
event that GE salmon is officially approved.
8. Imported King Crab
Why It's Bad: The biggest problem with imported crab is that
most of it comes from Russia, where limits on fish harvests aren't strongly
enforced. But this crab also suffers from something of an identity crisis, says
Cufone: "Imported king crab is often misnamed Alaskan king crab, because
most people think that's name of the crab," she says, adding that she's
often seen labels at supermarkets that say "Alaskan King Crab,
Imported." Alaskan king crab is a completely separate animal, she says,
and it's much more responsibly harvested than the imported stuff.
Eat This Instead: When you shop for king crab, whatever the
label says, ask whether it comes from Alaska or if it's imported. Approximately
70% of the king crab sold in the U.S. is imported, so it's important to make
that distinction and go domestic.
9. Shark
Why It's Bad: Problems associated with our eating too many
sharks happen at all stages of the food chain, says Cufone. For one, these
predatory fish are extremely high in mercury, which poses threats to humans.
But ocean ecosystems suffer, too. "With fewer sharks around, the species
they eat, like cownose rays and jellyfish, have increased in numbers,"
Cufone says. "And the rays are eating--and depleting--scallops and other
fish." There are fewer of those fish in the oceans for us to eat, placing
an economic strain on coastal communities that depend on those fisheries.
Eat this instead: Among the recommendations for shark
alternatives are Pacific halibut and Atlantic mackerel.
10. Orange Roughy
Why It's Bad: In addition to having high levels of mercury,
orange roughy can take between 20 and 40 years to reach full maturity and
reproduces late in life, which makes it difficult for populations to recover
from overfishing. Orange roughy has such a reputation for being overharvested
that some large restaurant chains, including Red Lobster, refuse to serve it.
However, it still pops up in grocer freezers, sometimes mislabeled as
"sustainably harvested." There are no fisheries of orange roughy that
are considered well-managed or are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council,
so avoid any that you see.
Eat This Instead: Opt for yellow snapper or domestic catfish
to get the same texture as orange roughy in your recipes.
11. Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Why It's Bad: A recent analysis by The New York Times
found that Atlantic bluefin tuna has the highest levels of mercury of any type
of tuna. To top it off, bluefin tuna are severely overharvested, to the point
of reaching near-extinction levels, and are considered "critically
endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Rather
than trying to navigate the ever-changing recommendations for which tuna is
best, consider giving it up altogether and switching to a healthy, flavorful
alternative, such as Alaska wild-caught salmon.
Eat This Instead: If you really can't give up tuna, opt for
American or Canadian (but not imported!) albacore tuna, which is caught while
it's young and doesn't contain as high levels of mercury.
12. Chilean Sea Bass
Why It's Bad: Most Chilean sea bass sold in the US comes
from fishermen who have captured them illegally, although the US Department of
State says that illegal harvesting of the fish has declined in recent years.
Nevertheless, fish stocks are in such bad shape that the nonprofit Greenpeace
estimates that, unless people stop eating this fish, the entire species could
be commercially extinct within five years. Food and Water Watch's guide notes
that these fish are high in mercury, as well.
Eat This Instead: These fish are very popular and considered a
delicacy, but you can get the same texture and feel with US
hook-and-line-caught haddock.
Source : http://health.yahoo.net
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