Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. In ecology, the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time. Sustainability in fisheries combines theoretical disciplines, such as the population dynamics of fisheries with practical strategies such as avoiding overfishing through techniques such as individual fishing quotas, curtailing destructive and illegal fishing practices by lobbying for appropriate law and policy, setting up protected areas, restoring collapsed fisheries, incorporating all externalities involved in harvesting marine ecosystems into fishery economics, educating stakeholders and the wider public and developing independent certification programs.
The primary concern around sustainability is that heavy fishing pressures such as over exploitation and growth will result in the loss of significant yield; that stock structure will erode to the point where it loses diversity and resilience to environmental fluctuations; that ecosystems and their economic infrastructures will cycle between collapse and recovery with each cycle less productive than its predecessor and that changes will occur in the trophic balance.
What is sustainable seafood? Sustainable seafood refers to fish that are caught or farmed with consideration for the long-term viability of individual marine species and for the oceans' ecological balance as a whole. In other words, sustainable seafood is fish for the future. Awareness of oceans and their importance to humans is increasing. As chefs and consumers, we can choose seafood from better managed fisheries to minimize our impact on the environment.
So how can you help??
BUY LOCAL
When you buy local seafood that is caught responsibly, you are supporting the local economy and sustainable seafood. At present, local fishers face competition from imported seafood that may not have been caught according to our local regulations. South Carolina's shrimpers, for example, have worked hard to reduce by-catch (fish and other things caught unintentionally) and to shrimp where trawling is less damaging to ocean floor habitat. Not to mention, when you buy locally, you are also ensured the freshest seafood!
Sexy Fish: Carolina Wreckfish
Our Sexy Fish this week is the Carolina Wreckfish. In North America, the only place wreckfish are caught is off the coast of South Carolina at a place called the "Carolina Bump". This is the only documented spawning site in the Atlantic Ocean. When you purchase this fish, you are supporting a domestic heritage fishery. However, wreckfish is a notoriously difficult fish to catch. Fishing equipment consists of single weighted lines with no more than a handful of circle hooks baited with squid. But because of the fishing method there is no destruction of bottom habitat and no discarded by-catch thereby protecting the environment. Due to these fishing methods, the Carolina Wreckfish is harvested in accordance with the National Marine Fisheries Service sustainable fishery regulations. You can learn more about these practices at www.fishwatch.noaa.gov.
The Carolina Wreckfish is a cousin to both the seabass and the grouper. They are a bass-like species that are bluish Grey above and paler below with a silvery sheen. Their fins are blackish brown. Juveniles have black blotches on their head and body. Their name comes from juveniles tending to hang out in "shipwrecks". Wreckfish have a big mouth with a big head and a rough ridge across the upper part of the gill cover. The maximum size for the fish is 6.5 feet in length and 220 pounds. It has a firm white flakey flesh and is ideal for roasting and pan searing. It is a great alternative to Chilean Sea Bass. It is seasonally available. The fishery is closed during spawning season (January 15 - April 15).
Click here to view a fact sheet on Carolina Wreckfish from www.FishWatch.com
Pan-Seared Wreckfish with Orange-Basil Pesto
Serves 4
Ingredients
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4 wreckfish filets (about 6 oz each, cleaned and skinned)
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salt and ground pepper
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3 tablespoons butter
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3 tablespoons olive oil
For the Pesto
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1 cup fresh basil leaves, well-packed
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1 tablespoon pine nuts
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2 cloves garlic
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3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
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1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
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salt and ground pepper
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1 tablespoon orange zest
Directions
Rinse fish and pat dry. Lightly season all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil. Place the fish in the pan, evenly and generously spaced, and cook through until just sizzling (about 4 minutes). Turn over and repeat. Cook until the flesh is just beginning to separate and the center is opaque. Meanwhile, prepare the pesto. Pulse the basil leaves about 4 times in the bowl of a food processor. Add the pine nuts, garlic and Parmesan and continue to pulse. Gradually incorporate the olive oil by drizzling into the spout of the processor. Place the pesto in a bowl and season with the salt and pepper, whisking in the orange zest. To serve, spoon some pesto in the center of plate and place the fish on it. Garnish with an orange slice and basil leaves, if desired.
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