Someone wrote to me today asking shere to find the sustainable, farm-raised fish recommended in the May Meat Challenge.
I
have researched seafood companies that I recommend. You can find them
listed in our Shopper's Guide in our website. There is one company I
will be adding soon: Henry & Lisa's. I especially suggest their
shrimp if you eat that (available frozen at Oliver's) and their sardines
(available several places including Oliver's & Whole Foods). Their
other fish are all from Pacific Ocean sources, which I do not eat due
to radiation from Fukushima, which is still leaking.
There
is a serious concern about shrimp, especially from Southeast Asia where
much of it is from slave ships. Southeast Asian men are kidnapped and
forced to work in deplorable conditions on large shrimping ships. This
is known because sometimes one escapes and reveals this terrible
travesty. The stores that buy this shrimp are Whole Foods, Safeway, and
many others. This has become a huge industry and so common that there
is an entire organization devoted to tracking and exposing this
practice.
Other
shrimp comes from the Gulf of Mexico which is so polluted from oil
spills. I do eat some fish but only from Iceland, Norway, and Scotland
with some from Maine and other East Coast locations. I get Changing
Seas smoked salmon at Whole Foods, Duck Trap smoked trout at Olivers,
Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's sells the same product for cheaper with
their own label. These are both companies that raise clean farm-raised
fish. Loche Duart is a fish company that sells to some restaurants
including Fork Roadhouse on Bodega Hwy. west of Sebastopol. I took my
BFF for salmon dinner there for her birthday. They also serve Stemple
meats. I had the black bean burger and it was excellent with a side of
vegan parsnip pureed soup that was awesome. They feature organic and
sustainable foods - pricey but my burger was reasonable.
I
have vetted the fish from Whole Foods so when I buy fresh fish I get it
there. I haven't vetted the fish at Oliver's yet, where I prefer to
shop, but that is coming. I only buy fresh fish when I cook for
guests. When I cook for myself I cook vegan. I do love the Changing
Seas smoked salmon and an occasional can of sardines on Wasa crackers. I
also love canned kippers from Maine and Maritime Canada. And, I
occasionally eat the whitefish salad sold at Oliver's - but that is a
treat that I have not vetted.
If
you are watching for Atlantic salmon instead of Pacific salmon, be
aware that Atlantic salmon is also raised in Oregon now. I found out
about that when many thousands of Atlantic salmon escaped their nets and
created a major concern by local indigenous fisheries raising local
Coho salmon which is much smaller. There was a fear that the larger
Atlantic salmon could wipe out the Coho. There is so much to know about
and care about. When I get salmon it is always from the Atlantic
Arctic where the water is cleaner and I make sure that my farm-raised
salmon is not raised using terrible toxins.
I hope this helps.
Love,
Emerald