Love seafood and conservation? Sustainable seafood is the catch of the day—listen up:
When it comes to seafood, choosing sustainably sourced fish is “essentially the only conservation you can do with your fork,” comments Aislinn Gauchay of the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.
Fresh, sustainable seafood for the win. (via Pixabay)
She says overfishing has long been a concern in the Great Lakes, but since many troubled species have rebounded, consumers in the region can now find good, local options.
With support from Shedd, the University of Michigan and the Seafood Watch program at the Monterey Bay Aquarium recently evaluated five fish species. They found that lake whitefish, rainbow smelt, lake trout, yellow perch, and walleye are all sustainably managed in the Great Lakes.
So, if you cook one of these fish up now and again, consider it culinary conservation.
Get schooled:
- Use the Seafood Watch App to look up any seafood item and discover if it is sustainable. The top five Great Lakes fisheries are represented, thanks to the Shedd.
- Check your state’s DNR website for a list of fisheries and their current consumption/contamination concern/risk. Illinois residents, here you go.
- Get the scoop on Illinois fish advisories.
The fine print:
- This segment was produced in partnership with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future.
