sustainable seafood

At last, sustainable sushi cards are on the way!

My latest column for Away.com features seafood choices along the U.S. east coast. While flash-freezing and overnight shipping has made it possible to enjoy seafood nearly anywhere, there's something to enjoying local specialties.

Next time you're headed to the shore, whether it's Maine's lighthouses or Florida's beaches, keep these sustainable seafood tips in mind.

Grist's Checkout Line with Lou Bendrick has a handy guide to the confusing world of sustainable seafood today -- here are the basics, check out the post for the full story:

1. Eat as locally as possible.

2. Ask questions when you shop for fish.

3. Read labels.

4. Choose wisely at restaurants.

5. Eat lower on the food chain.

6. Have your go-to sustainable favorites in mind.

7. Be careful with the Big Two -- shrimp and salmon -- which can, as Bendrick punnily points out, be a literally lousy option.

As promised on Monday, a post devoted to Taras Grescoe’s Bottomfeeder, which I just finished reading.

I’ve heard Grescoe called the “Michael Pollan for the oceans,” and I think that designation is pretty accurate. They are both compelling writers -- Pollan deals with the land and how it feeds us (and how we treat it in return), and Grescoe does the same for the oceans.

My friends and family have noticed that in the past few months, especially since I started reading Taras Grescoe’s new book Bottomfeeder, I’ve become a sustainable seafood evangelist. (More on that book at a later date, it deserves its own post.) “Is that farmed salmon?” I’ll ask, or, eyeing some frozen shrimp, “Do you know where those come from?” In fact, I ought to tone it down a notch – otherwise I have a feeling people are going to stop inviting me out for meals.

We know we're pretty great, but sometimes it's nice to be recognized by others, too...

In its August issue, Food & Wine magazine honors Oceana, along with North Atlantic Salmon Fund, Cleanfish and the Ocean Conservancy, with Eco-Ocean Awards. The award winners are recognized for their efforts in helping to make seafood sustainable.