Sustainable Seafood Choices

What comes to mind when you think of seafood? Mmm!?! Well, although seafood is yummy, there are a lot of problems with some contemporary fishing methods. Fifty years ago, it was a common thought that the ocean had a limitless supply of fish. Back then, fishers could go out for a few hours and catch a bounty with little effort. As the human population has more than doubled and seafood demands have drastically increased, fishers are having to work harder and longer for a smaller prize. We have been taking these animals faster than they can reproduce for years and are now starting to feel the effects. Atlantic cod, which used to be caught by the boat-full, is now so scarce that a single individual cannot be found on most days out. This example demonstrates how people are radically changing coastal marine ecology and that the idea of an ever-producing ocean is false.

With elevated fishing efforts, increased habitat destruction through the use of harmful fishing gear and amplified levels of bycatch, marine populations all over the world are in decline!

With increased knowledge, we believe that consumers will be able to make better choices to support healthy oceans (whether dining at home or in a local restaurant)! By choosing seafood items from abundant populations and/or those that are fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways, you will be facilitating the preservation of our natural marine resources!

Sustainable Seafood Week

Each year, SDOF hosts a week dedicated to sustainable seafood. During the week, restaurants from all over offer a sustainable seafood item on their menu and donate proceeds to SDOF. To find a restaurant or to get involved, vist: www.sustainableseafoodweek.org