A tank full of Dungeness crabs anxiously await being boiled alive and eaten.
REDONDO BEACH — A deliciously foggy morning in Redondo, and along the Strand thousands of pounds of captive sea food is again bracing for the possibility of being boiled alive and eaten.
Human beings have a history of being willing to eat practically anything, and the better it tastes, the more they want; nutritious and tasty seafood has always been high on his list of things to consume in mass quantities. That’s why in 2006 the average biped consumes over 16.6 pounds of various sea creatures annually, up from 15 lbs in 2000; it’s also why 29% of ocean species have already reached collapse, and why scientists are predicting the collapse of ALL of the sea’s edible species by 2050— unless we “fundamentally change the way we manage all the ocean’s species together, as working ecosystems.” (“Collapse” of a species is defined as ninety percent depleted.)
It won’t surprise you however, to hear that this ominous news has been poo-pooed by the National Fisheries Institute, (a trade association for the seafood industry) as typical scientific hysteria. The fact that overfishing has already caused the disappearance of hundreds of fishing villages on both sides of the Atlantic, for instance, is seen as crazy hyperbole. These caviar-eatin’ sons-a-bitches believe all fish do is lay eggs and produce more fish, so where’s the problem?
It’s everywhere. For instance: Some Canadian scientists believe the collapse of cod populations off Newfoundland and Nova Scotia have already changed the ecosystem so dramatically that it may be too late for cod to ever recover. The European Union’s executive body recently called for a 25% reduction in the cod catch for next year, but only is some areas; even in the face of studies which demonstrate that catches are far outstripping the rate of reproduction by lazy-assed fish. In the 1970’s, there were more than 250,000 tons of cod being produced; the stocks are now around 50,000 tons, and plummeting.
It’s not all dark. There are some projects trying to conserve what remains of the threatened species. They encourage you to always ask where your seafood comes from, and whether it was wildcaught, or farmed. By asking these questions, and knowing what to look for and what to avoid, you can take care of your seafood jones and still make sure what you’re eating is caught or farmed in ways that don’t significantly harm the oceans.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch produces a consumer pocket guide that can help you decide what’s smart for your region, and help you make educated, “ocean-friendly” choices in restaurants or grocery stores wherever you live. Use and share the guide with your friends and family.
Or. Why not stay the fuck out of that Red Lobster restaurant at the mall, and just forget about ever setting foot in that all-you-can-eat seafood lollapaloser joint down at the beach; and no more “cod” and chips, you limey bastards. And when you feel you absolutely must eat you some sea creatures? Eat talapia, or farm-raised catfish. Because there really are no more fish in the sea.
It’s hard.
Not to.
Thanks for being on the case!
S