The End of the Line – Sustainable Seafood Panel

Today is in 3 parts:
Part 1: What a weird start today. Up early to go to the dentist. Got there, and now I know why I never received a reminder card nor a call. The place had sheriff notices and whatnot and I figured that was that.

If anyone knows what happened with Craig Bernhart of Mountlake Terrace’s Family Dental Clinic, I’d love to find out about that. And maybe get my records.

Part 2: A former colleague came to visit at lunchtime. We went to Blue Moon Burgers. I told him about the penguin invasion (above picture is of one of the Penguins on the March). We talked and talked. And talked some more. Dentists, Palin, election, catching up, Tahoe, the Caribbean.

Part 3: In the evening, I headed downtown for Traca’s event at the W Seattle: a viewing of The End of the Line followed by a Sustainable Seafood Panel. The event sold out in a day – glad I got in early. (Good coverage was in many places, including Leslie’s Fresh Picked Seattle)

What I learned between the film and the panel with Becky Selengut, Jon Rowley, Casson Trenor and Shauna MacKinnon:

The collapse of world fisheries is a huge threat, devastating communities once the fish are gone. We are about 40 years from complete loss. See also: the Newfoundland cod collapse in the 1990s.

The collapse was miscalculated previously, thanks to false data from China.

There are things we can do to help stocks replenish. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has great educational outreach efforts. You don’t have to go veggie, just make better choices. They’ve got an iPhone app to help while shopping, too.

Eat lower on the food chain — fish like mackerel, mussels, anchovies, sardines are all more sustainable, less toxic, and healthier — more of the good omegas. Look for the silver.

It takes 20 lbs. of the small fish to produce 1 lb. of bluefin tuna.

Shellfish are another good option in many cases. Especially North American varieties.

Speaking of North America, we’re ahead of Europe in sustainable fishing habits. Way ahead of Asia.

There is no such thing as certified organic fish. Legally-speaking.

The local PCC is considered the greenest grocer in the United States, by Greenpeace. If you’re local in Seattle and confused about what’s okay to buy – they are trustworthy in products they sell. (Just, uh, avoid the vegan baked goods. shudder)

I am not exactly a treehugger. But after a little education it would be unconscionable to continue my frequent habit of routinely ordering spicy tuna at sushi. Time to limit it to being a treat and develop new tastes.