SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION FOR
CULINARY PROFESSIONAL
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Part 4: Seafood in the Food Service Industry

Road Map
• Current situation: The unique
aspects of seafood, where it comes
from and the state of global fisheries.
• Problems in sourcing: How the
way we fish and farm seafood impacts
the environment—and why it is so
important
• Making a Difference: How
foodservice professional can play a part
if sustainable seafood by being able to
recognize healthy fisheries and making
wise choices as to which seafood they
menu.
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Seafood Is Unique
• Fish: from small, short-lived anchovies to large, carnivorous fish that live
more than 50 years like sharks and orange roughy
• Invertebrates: shellfish like mussels, oysters, snails
• Algae: foraged and farmed
The term seafood encompasses a wide variety of products:
All seafood comes from two sources:
• Wild-caught
• Farmed (aquaculture)
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WHAT IS HAPPENING?
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World Fisheries And Aquaculture Production FEED
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Biomass Of Table Fish In 1900
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Biomass Of Table Fish In 1999

The maximum wild capture fishery potential from the
world’s oceans has probably been reached. - FAO
90% of fisheries « fully-fished or
overfished »- FAO
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And We Are Now Fishing In Places Where Management
Efforts Are Infeffective
Source: Mora, Camillo, et al., Management Effectiveness of the World’s Marine Fisheries. PLOS Biol 7(6)
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Dead Zones
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Plastics Pollution
Much of the world’s plastic pollution comes from food-related waste.
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By 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fishes.

Threats To Seafood Sustainability
Pollution of freshwater
Persistent carcinogens (DDT, PCBs, etc.), heavy metals, phosphates and
other chemicals have created rivers and lakes too polluted for
swimming or fishing; and water that is unsafe to drink.
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SOURCING PROBLEM
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OVERFISHING
85+% Of Fisheries Are Fully Exploited Or Worse
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Impacts On Ocean Wildlife
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Impacts On Ocean Habitat: Fishing Gear
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Impacts On Ocean Habitat: Fishing Gear FEED
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Threats To Seafood Sustainability
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU)
IUU fishing can be stopped when seafood buyers ask for
information about where their seafood came from and how it was
caught.
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Aquaculture:
Open Farms And Impacts On Ocean Habitats
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SOLUTION FOR FOODSERVICES
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What Fish Should I Choose
• Work with a reputable fish purveyor who can provide insights as to the sustainability,
whether it is aquaculture or wild-caught, of each species.
• Research characteristics of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture (following slides)
• De-emphasize the most common seafood solutions (salmon, tuna, shrimp). This
narrow focus put pressure on these fisheries with significant environmental impacts.
• Farm-raised carnivorous fish result in heavy harvesting of small fish which effects
ecosystems.
• Serve seasonal seafood
• Serve local seafood
• Serve non carnivorous species and small fish
• SERVE MORE VEGETABLES AND GRAINS. While there are excellent health benefits
attributed to consuming fish, it is still an animal protein. Refer to the EAT Lancet
Report.

Characteristics Of Sustainable Fisheries
Fishing Impacts
on the desired
species are
minimized;
A healthy and
abundant fish
population is left in
the water to
ensure future
generations
Bycatch Impacts
on other species
that are caught
or injured
unintentionally
are minimized or
non-existent
Management:
Fishery regulations
balance the needs of
the fisherman and
the long-term
survival of the fish;
Catch is limited to
the right number
from the right place
in the right season
Habitat Impacts
on ocean, river
or lake habitats
are minimized;
There are places w
here fish and
other species can
grow, feed and
reproduce
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Characteristics Of Sustainable Aquaculture
Data:
Complete,
accurate farm level
data help buyers
understand a
farm’s impacts.
Effluent: Farms
that reduce their
waste
production and
discharge reduce
their impact.
Habitat Impacts:A
farm’s location, on
land or in the water,
changes the farm’s
impact on habitats
and resources.
Chemicals:
Chemical use on
farmed fish
impacts nearby
species.There are
also human health
concerns.
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Characteristics Of Sustainable Aquaculture
Feed: Ingredients
used and their effi
cient conversion t
o fish protein can
have global ecolog
ical impacts. Feed
is a defining factor
for aquaculture.
Escapes:There are
many kinds of
impacts on
nearby wild fish
and ecosystems
caused by
escaped farmed
fish.
Disease: Farms
can host and
spread disease
and parasites to
nearby wild fish,
increasing their
mortality.
Source of Stock:
Reliance on wild
populations for
farm stock can
have similar
impacts to fishing.
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Algae
Aside from fish, our waters can be a source of algae which
(microalgae and macroalgae). Both have a promising future!
Microalgae
These are single-celled plants, rich
in oils, proteins and carbohydrates.
Then can produce fuel, food for
aquaculture, food for humans and
animals, plastics, textiles, paper, and
medicines.
Macroalgae
These are large water plants,
known as sea plants or seaweed,
that are full of essential minerals
and nutrients. There are a wide
variety of these that are
cultivated or harvested wild and
sold in markets across the globe.
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Other Chef Trends
• Serve “trash fish” which are fish
that traditionally the fishermen did
not save and tossed back into the
water.
• Reduce seafood portion size in
favor of more plant-based.
• Cooking from the whole net
It is always important to educate
the consumer as to why certain
seafoods are served. This can
increase business by
demonstrating your commitment
to the future.
Pan roasted red fish with
spring vegetable fricassee and
asparagus veloute, Grace,
Chicago, USA
Photo courtesy of Flavor and the Menu
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Need Help Finding Robust Seafood
Recommendations
There are organizations world-wide that have created guiding recommendations about
the sustainability of popular seafood items. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch®
program provides science based, peer-reviewed recommendations for approximately
2,000 of the most popular seafood items. Visit SeafoodWatch.org or download the app
for a complete listing
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