What Exactly Is In that Fish Sandwich?

Companies like McDonalds, Dennys and Long John Silvers are likely to be forced to locate an alternate fish source in the near future as the hoki fish in New Zealand takes a nose dive in population.

As reported in the New York Times last Thursday the fish, found primarily about a half mile below the surface off the costs of New Zealand, is declining in population rebirth. This fact has many environmental agencies, most notably the Blue Ocean Institute (BOI) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), on edge because the fishery was considered sustainable.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) even granted the fishery a prestigious certification back in March of 2001 noting it as being well managed as well as sustainable. When this new news surfaced the WWF attempted to block recertification but the MSC granted it regardless in 2007.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

“The world’s insatiable appetite for fish, with its disastrous effects on populations of favorites like red snapper, monkfish and tuna, has driven commercial fleets to deeper waters in search of creatures unlikely to star on the Food Network.

One of the most popular is the hoki, or whiptail, a bug-eyed specimen found far down in the waters around New Zealand and transformed into a major export. McDonald’s alone at one time used roughly 15 million pounds of it each year.”

Wow. That sure is a lot of fish. And that is just for one restaurant. No wonder the population decreased, it appears this particular species has been over fished. In fact the tons per year that New Zealand allows to be fished decreased from 275,000 in 2000 to just 100,000 in 2008. That is a decrease of almost 22,000 tons per year.

Not only has there been a rapid reduction in the number of available fish to capture, there has also been evidence found of ecosystem damage and the unintentional killing of other air and marine life such as sharks, albatross, petrels, fur seals and skates.

Because so much attention was raised in regard to this issue, restaurants like McDonalds, Dennys and Long John Silvers have drastically cut back on their consumption of hoki fish.

It is more important than ever to ensure our food comes from reliable, sustainable sources. When it comes to fish the BOI is a wonderful resource as they rate a large array of fish on this very scale (among other factors).

Before it is consumed we should all know where and how it is sourced.

Blue Ocean Institute Rates Over Thirty Five Seafood Species

During our visit to the EcoTarium in late December I picked up a pamphlet entitled Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood while walking through the water area. I put it aside for the time being but picked it back up this morning and sat down to read through the ratings of marine life as food. The Blue Ocean Institute (BOI) has provided amazing information on everything from clams to swordfish to Chilean sea bass and just about everything in between. The information on the pamphlet was updated in the fall of 2007.

Their rating system is based on a few factors -- abundance, fish/farm methods, damage to habitat, sustainability and mercury levels. The pamphlet categorizes each species with a key that include colored fish (which range in colors from dark green to red -- dark green is best overall), a fish silhouette inside a blue oval (signifying sustainability by the Marine Stewardship Council [MSC]), and a flag (indicating high mercury levels).

The website for BOI also includes the information on each of these fish but I found a few draw backs by using the online option as opposed to the accordion-fold paper pamphlet. First, the website forces the user to click on a thumbnail of each fish type (such as salmon) which then shows the rating of each of the different types within the species (Atlantic, Alaska, Pacific) on a corresponding page. In order to review all marine types it is necessary to click back and forth; it is possible to review all types but is a little bit more time consuming. The next issue is that it is much easier to pull this quick reference guide out of a purse or wallet while at a restaurant since not everyone has access to the Internet from their handheld device; smarter choices can be made while eating out. Finally, I did not find all of the same information as readily online; to find a rating for clams, mussels or oysters online I had to enter the name into the search box but they are listed first on the pamphlet.

Despite any of these drawbacks to the reference guide, I did find the website to be extremely informational as it also includes a plethora of information specific to sushi, Seafood FAQs, video, guide to chefs and loads of additional information as related to our oceans and what we consume from their depths. Also, the website has the guide available for download and it can easily be cut out, folded and carried on the go.

Overall I feel that the Blue Ocean Institute is a fantastic organization for information on how we all can make a difference by selecting seafood that is safer and sustainable so I am granting this organization a Four Leaf Rating.

I will continue to check in with this organization from time to time to see if and when their pamphlet information is updated. I applaud BOI for their determination to provide us with unbiased facts with regard to the foods we enjoy eating that come from the sea.