Guest Blog by Katy Morris



I have been searching for articles on the internet that illustrated the importance of eating sustainable meat when I stumbled upon the following article from the site http://www.saisriskandarajah.com/happymeat/why.php   As a carnivore as well as an advocate for sustainable travel,  I believe it is very important that people understand how choosing sustainable meat is beneficial to both us and the animals while traveling and in everyday life.  When traveling internationally, it is especially important to inquire about the local meat selections to insure you won't be eating an animal that is endangered or protected.  For example, there are seven species of sea turtles and they are all protected by the Endangered Species Act ( http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/ ) ; however, only six of the turtles live in US waters. In some countries such as in the Cayman Islands, marine turtles are used for stew which is a big tourist attraction. This example illustrates how a delicacy like turtle soup is used as a tourist attraction and also a source of income for the restaurant industry.  (Note: Most turtles used for soup are farmed locally in the Cayman Islands, but poaching still occurs and is not strictly regulated)  The following article relates how eating sustainable meat has a positive impact on animal welfare, the environment, the economy, and personal health. 

http://www.saisriskandarajah.com/happymeat/why.php

"The reasons for eating sustainable meat instead of industrially-produced meat are incredibly diverse, ranging from the ethics of how we treat people, animals and the planet to the pleasure of eating something that tastes good. These reasons fall into four basic categories:

• Animal welfare
• The Environment
• The Economy
• Your Health"

Guest Blog by Katy Morris

I consider fish and seafood to be meat, so I have decided to include a page dedicated to informing people of the most sustainable fish that is available on the market.  In an interview with Milton Chiu, the consumer safety inspector for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) seafood inspection program, he discusses what the tern sustainable seafood means to him, what his role in sustainable seafood, and why his role is important.  This interview was taken from http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/profile_milton_chiu.htm

Profiles In Fishing

Milton has been a Consumer Safety Officer with NOAA for over 20 years. To pay for college Milton worked in salmon canneries across Alaska as a quality control inspector for the fishing industry. After college, he thought he was going to work for the FDA but then learned about the seafood inspection program at NOAA and applied.

What does the term "sustainable seafood" mean to you?

Sustainable seafood means that it is managed properly so the resource is available at the present and for generations to come. Since NOAA's Seafood Inspection Program inspects the seafood for school lunch programs, I have seen more seafood available for this program now than 20 years ago.

What is your role in the sustainable management of U.S. fisheries?

My role is to diligently monitor what is being offered for inspection. That means making sure that the seafood we inspected and certified is wholesome, properly labeled and handled to maximize marketability. That means being aware of species substitution, exploited and illegally harvested species. 

Why is your role so important?

I provide consistent inspection services and make sure that only safe, wholesome product with economic integrity reaches the market. This is accomplished by inspecting the product or by auditing the process. For instance, as a sensory panelist, I contributed to the recovery of Gulf of Mexico fisheries from the Deep Water Horizon oil spill disaster of 2010.

The following is a guide of the best and worst fish to eat


Best Choices 
Arctic Char (farmed)
Barramundi (US farmed)
Catfish (US farmed)
Clams (farmed)
Cobia (US farmed)
Cod: Pacific (US non-trawled)
Crab: Dungeness, Stone
Halibut: Pacific (US)
Lobster: California Spiny (US)
Mussels (farmed)
Oysters (farmed)
Sablefish/Black Cod (Alaska & Canada)
Salmon (Alaska wild)
Sardines: Pacific (US)
Scallops (farmed)
Shrimp: Pink (OR)
Striped Bass (farmed & wild*)
Tilapia (US farmed)
Trout: Rainbow (US farmed)
Tuna: Albacore (Canada & US Pacific, troll/pole)
Tuna: Skipjack, Yellowfin (US troll/pole)

Good Alternatives
Basa/Pangasius/Swai (farmed)
Caviar, Sturgeon (US farmed)
Clams (wild)
Cod: Atlantic (imported)
Cod: Pacific (US trawled)
Crab: Blue*, King (US), Snow
Flounders, Soles (Pacific)
Flounder: Summer (US Atlantic)*
Grouper: Black, Red (US Gulf of Mexico)*
Herring: Atlantic
Lobster: American/Maine
Mahi Mahi (US)
Oysters (wild)
Pollock: Alaska (US)
Sablefish/Black Cod (CA, OR, WA)
Salmon (CA, OR, WA*, wild)
Scallops (wild)
Shrimp (US, Canada)
Squid
Swordfish (US)*
Tilapia (Central & SouthAmerica(farmed)
Tuna: Bigeye, Tongol,Yellowfin (troll/pole)

Worst Choices
Caviar, Sturgeon* (imported wild)
Chilean Seabass/Toothfish*
Cobia (imported farmed)
Cod: Atlantic (Canada & US)
Crab: King (imported)
Flounders, Halibut, Soles (US Atlantic,
except Summer Flounder)
Groupers (US Atlantic)*
Lobster: Spiny (Brazil)
Mahi Mahi (imported longline)
Marlin: Blue, Striped (Pacific)*
Monkfish
Orange Roughy*
Salmon (farmed, including Atlantic)*
Sharks* & Skates
Shrimp (imported)
Snapper: Red (US Gulf of Mexico)
Swordfish (imported)*
Tilapia (Asia farmed)
Tuna: Albacore*, Bigeye*, Skipjack,
Tongol, Yellowfin* (except troll/pole)
Tuna: Bluefin*
Tuna: Canned (except troll/pole)

All sustainable seafood information from http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.aspx