To kick off our Eco Eats section there is no better place to start than one of the current dietitian’s dilemmas. How do we encourage people to eat 2-3 fish meals a week for those fab omega 3’s and still keep a green conscience? At last count there were 18 targeted fish species in Australian (Commonwealth) waters that are overfished. But that’s not even half of it. Overfishing is not the only measure for determining the sustainability of fisheries. Ecosystem change, habitat damage and bycatch are other measures. Add this to the impacts from land-based sources of water pollution, marine pests and climate change, and our ocean life is under threat. So how do we best protect and still utilise our healthy ocean catch? The answer was revealed last week by the Australian Conservation Foundation in their new and exciting sustainable seafood program. Aptly delivered to a room of foodies and greenies (with a large proportion of aquatarians I gather) as part of the amazing Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.
Australian Sustainable Seafood Assessment Criteria (ASSAC)
According to Dr Chris Smyth, with the fab title of ACF Healthy Oceans Campaigner, until this initiative Australia lacked an appropriate sustainable seafood assessment process for wild caught and farmed seafood products. So the core of the Australian Sustainable Seafood Assessment Program is a set of ground-breaking assessment criteria developed by ACF, the University of Technology, Sydney and a team of leading marine scientists. As explained passionately by Chair of the Science Reference Panel, Dr Trevor Ward, “A key feature of the Program is its focus on seafood products, not species.” Why? Well the same species may be caught or farmed sustainably in one area but not in another. As a result, the assessment for each product can only be applied to the species, the location and the practises used by the producers. They cannot be applied to the same species harvested or produced in other locations. And the bonus of this approach? It also helps promote another one of my passions, food provenance and high-quality regional seafood cuisine.
Wild-catch seafood products – the criteria are the status of wild stocks, the nature and level of bycatch and the impacts on habitats and ecosystems.
Farmed seafood products – the criteria are risk from disease and parasites, the site and cumulative impacts of the operation, interaction with wildlife and the sustainability of wild fish food sources.
You can find out more at www.acfonline.org.au/seafood
What’s on the menu?
The panel have assessed five seafood products in a pilot assessment project. And we had the pleasure of enjoying four of these at the launch event with signature dishes developed by upcoming apprentice chefs from Delaware North and hosted by Chef Adrian Richardson :
Pilbara red emperor – Pilbara Trap Fishery, Western Australia
The red emperor, Lutjanus sebae,which grows up to a metre long, lives across Australia’s northern tropical waters in around coral reefs, lagoons and flats. Those on our menu were caught using fish traps, a highly targeted fishing method and one of the least damaging, with very low habitat impact and bycatch.
Cone bay barramundi – Marine Produce Australia, Western Australia
Wild barramundi, Lates calcarifer, are found in turbid waters of the estuaries, creeks and mangrove forests of tropical Australia. Those on the menu have been farmed in the sea along a small and isolated part of the Western Australian coast at Cone Bay, 100 kilometres north of Derby. The farming operation has very low environmental impacts.
Yellow-eye mullet – Lakes and Coorong Fishery, South Australia
The yellow-eye mullet, Aldrichetta forsteri, grows to about 40 centimetres in length and lives around sandy areas in estuaries. The Lakes and Coorong fishery is a well–managed small scale fishery operated by fishing families using small boats and harvesting techniques that have low levels of habitat impact and bycatch.
Western king prawn – Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery, South Australia
Spencer Gulf has the world’s largest population of the western king prawn, Penaeus latisulcatus. The trawl fishery in Spencer Gulf uses management and harvesting techniques that ensure the prawns are caught in an ecologically sustainable way with low level of habitat impact and bycatch.
What’s to come down the line?
The Australian Sustainable Seafood Assessment Program will continue to assess seafood products but also do a whole lot more to enhance sustainable seafood choices. This will include outreach programs to assist various seafood-selling sectors – restaurants, fish markets, supermarkets, delicatessens and fish and chip shops – in their choice and marketing of seafood.
And as dietitians we are slowly finding our voice in this global food issue. Chaired by the vivacious Nicole Senior APD, our Food and Environment Discussion Group of the Dietitians Association of Australia is firing up and looking forward to an awareness raising event as part of the upcoming national conference.
Postponed….
There is so much more to catch on to with this topic, and hot debate including the recent Japan tuna saga, that I’m just going to have to postpone to the next installment. But I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments? Can my RD colleagues share some initiatives OS? How about you…got a sensational seafood recipe to share? Don’t be shy.