Sustainable Seafood - An Elusive Catch

In my personal quest to eat food that is more local, I have made good progress in a lot of categories.  I now buy grass-fed beef from a Santa Barbara-area ranch.  I buy fruits and vegetables through Tanaka Farm’s CSA program and at our weekly farmers markets.  And I am growing more food in my own backyard.  What has proven more elusive to me is local seafood.  Ironic, since we live near the ocean.

And if I did find local seafood, would I want to eat it?  The oil islands, breakwater, and frequent sewage spills make me a bit skeptical.  But Dave Anderson, part of Seafood for the Future, tells me I don’t need to worry.  According to Dave, the California Current Is “actually quite clean very close to the shore here and there is no problem with commercial fish from a health standpoint.”  He says the real reason there aren’t many local fish available has to do with both our palettes and China.

The main commercial catch off our local coast are sardines and squid, but many Americans prefer to stick with the greatest hits (a.k.a. shrimp, salmon, and tuna.)  So the primary market for our catch is overseas.

And here’s a crazy fact.  According to all the fish experts I talked to, most seafood processors are now in China.  So locally caught squid that becomes the calamari I love is actually sent to China where it is cleaned, frozen, and shipped back to California.  That situation will hopefully change as we continue to work on processing technology.

Seafood Watch, part of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, maintains a sustainable seafood guide by region of the country.  Dave Anderson feels these lists are great, but that they are only a starting point.  His organization partners with concerned local chefs and listens to their methods for making informed seafood choices.  So I contacted David Coleman, Executive Chef of Michael’s on Naples, who is passionate about serving sustainable food. 

David agrees that sustainable is a tricky concept when it comes to seafood.  His primary criteria is “freshest”, meaning seasonal and with the shortest possible shipping route.  He says he sources fish “only when it is in season (wild caught) and from fisheries that are using sustainable practices.”  He has developed a good working knowledge of what should be in season and “trusted purveyors” that ensure a great product at a good price.  And David does use a lot of local seafood in the restaurant, including California spot prawns, squid, sole, yellowtail, mackerel, and sardines.  It’s a good place to expand your seafood palette.

If you want to cook seafood at home, there are only a few places around that sell whole local fish.  I went to the San Pedro Fish Market and met with Tommy Amalfitano, who has been in the seafood business for over 50 years.  When I called the Fish Market, they had local white sea bass, halibut, thresher shark, and leopard shark available.  That fish is as fresh as it comes.  According to Tommy, if the commercial boat pulls up its nets at 8 am, the local catch hits his market by noon.  And his staff will cook it right in front of you, which is fun for the whole family.  But be sure to ask what is local, because fish from San Pedro is only 1 to 2% of their inventory.

I asked all three of my fish experts what new seafood I must try, given that I am guilty of the shrimp/salmon/tuna myopathy.  Dave Anderson said Sablefish and Black Cod are “extraordinary.”  David Coleman said “Branzino is a house favorite as well as halibut when in season and octopus can be suprisingly palatable even to those who are not very adventurous.”  Tommy Amalfitano eats seafood every day of his life and invited folks to come to the market where he would be happy to teach anyone how to enjoy something new. 

While I was disappointed that most fish I eat isn’t truly local, I am determined to keep eating seafood.  After all, it is a great source of those long-chain omega-3s that we all need to be healthy and that I can’t stomach taking in a giant pill.  Armed with my sustainability guide and Seafood for the Future’s list of local restaurant partners, I am prepared to branch out and find my Nemo.

Additional resources:

Seafood for the Future (www.seafoodforthefuture.org) – A non-profit with lists of Southern California restaurant partners that have made a commitment to using abundant and well-managed seafood

Michael’s on Naples (www.michaelsonnaples.com) - A local restaurant committed to serving sustainable and diverse seafood

San Pedro Fish Market (www.sanpedrofishmarket.com) – A local fish market that still buys seafood straight off the boat

Seafood Watch (www.seafoodwatch.org) – A non-profit that maintains a sustainable seafood eating guide