BOI Logo 2009

Seafood Banner

Sustainable Seafood News  

Your choices affect the health of our oceans 

April 2011


FishPhone App

FishPhone app

FishPhone instantly puts Blue Ocean's seafood information right at your fingertips from your
iPhone or iPad 

 

Free download from iTunes store

 

Don't have an iPhone?
Try our texting service.

Text 30644 with the message FISH and the name of the fish in question. We'll text you back with our assessment and better alternatives. *

 

Ocean-Alerts  

Text the word BLUE to 30644 to opt-in to receive ocean-alerts, info on new seafood rankings and cooking tips. * 

*standard messaging
rates apply

 


Find us on Facebook
View our videos on YouTube 
 


Fish Consumption

Fish Consumption Reaches All-Time High

Your choices matter  


The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), an autonomous agency within the United Nations, is a forum where nations convene to debate and develop policies regarding farming, fishing, and aquaculture. On January 31st, they issued their most recent report regarding global fish consumption. The report included some facts and figures that got my attention and I wanted to share them with you. Read More

Fish Scale_Ocean Friendly-Problematic
Our color-coded seafood ranking system

How do we rank seafood?   

Our color coded system for ranking
seafood is based on solid science.  
We use fishery reports, scientific publications and experts in the field to gather current data on specific species. It takes several months to develop each seafood report. Then these reports are peer reviewed by other scientists who are experts on that species. Updates of existing reports are a continuous process and it's our policy to have no report more than two years old.

Our Ranking Methodology  

For wild-caught fish, we evaluate:

1. Life history - How fast does the fish species grow and how quickly do they reproduce?

2. Abundance - How many fish can be caught while still keeping the species at sustainable levels?

3. Habitat quality and gear impacts - Does the catch method damage the habitat for fish that are left behind?

4. Management - Are there regulations in place that effectively protect the fish and their ecosystem?

5. Bycatch- Are other fish or wildlife accidentally caught when fishing for the target species?

 

For farmed fish, we evaluate:

1. Risks- Can farm waste enter the surrounding environment?  Can farmed fish escape into local waters (competing with wild fish for food sources)? Can diseased fish from the farm infect wild populations? 

2. Feed - Are wild caught fish being used to feed these farmed fish? Is the feed free of contanimants? 

3. Pollution - Is the water being discharged from the farm enclosure treated to minimize impact to the surrounding habitat?

4. Ecological Effects - Does the farm cause damage to the local habitat? 


Fish Facts
Did you know that...   

 

 

We are so grateful to the businesses, individuals, and foundations who support our mission.

We need your continued support. 

 

Click Here to Donate  

 

Sardine sandwichRecipe from Roz's blog at Blue Ocean Notes    

Susan Russo's Sardine Sandwich

I don't know why, but the phrase "sardine sandwich" conjures up images of the Depression for me. Maybe I grew up watching too many cartoons from that era featuring hobos eating tins of sardines as they rode the rails, or maybe it's because I have childhood memories of my dad - who grew up during the Depression and spoke of it often - showing me how to use the special "key" that came with the sardine tin to open it. (We often had sardines on toast for lunch on Saturdays.) Once I left home, though, I rarely had occasion to eat sardines.  

Click here for recipe 


Contact Info

Communications Coordinator, Jamie Pollack, 631-659-3746