Farmed Kindai bluefin tuna

Washington Post (March 11): "In fact, Kindai tuna (whose name comes from a contraction of the university's Japanese name) still has many of the disadvantages of its other farmed counterparts. Trident Marketing Inc. President Nick Sakagami, who distributes the fish to a handful of U.S. restaurants, said Kinki researchers use between 12 and 13 pounds of wild fish to produce a single pound of tuna. And though they are raising hatchlings rather than ranching tuna the traditional way, the scientists still keep the fish in open-ocean pens and must catch a few dozen wild bluefin each year to ensure the population has enough genetic variability."Of course Kindai tuna isn't perfect, but I think it's a major step forward," Sakagami said." Read more.

Eventhough the new approach to farming Kindai type of bluefin tuna is an attempt to address the un-sustainable methods of bluefin tuna farming, note that the EDF considers bluefin tuna, which is popular for sushi and sashimi, as an eco-worst choice of seafood due to depleted stocks and high mercury and PCBs levels.

Sustainable fish choices to the European consumers

The Marine Conservation Society (MSC) published lists of Fish to Eat and Avoid to the Uk and European consumers on its Fishonline website.

The methodolgy used to compile the lists incorporates factors such as stock status, the management measures employed in the fishery, the fishing method used to catch the fish and its impact on the marine environment and other species, assessments such as how vulnerable a species is to exploitation and whether it is listed as threatened, methods employed in fish farming and what effect that has on the surrounding environment, and whether the fish has been certified by any other body.

Get here the 2008-2009 pdf version of the MCS Pocket Good Fish Guide.

I am posting this specifically with my sister, who lives in France, on my mind. Here is your pocket guide sis.

Mercury in fish and choices for women

Check here the complete list of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) for fish choices for women based on mercury levels:

Avoid If Pregnant:
Shark, Swordfish, King mackerel, Tilefish, Tuna steaks, Canned tuna, Sea bass, Gulf Coast Oysters, Marlin, Halibut, Pike, Walleye, White croaker, Largemouth bass.

Eat No More Than One Serving From This List Per Month:
Mahi mahi, Blue mussel, Eastern oyster, Cod, Pollock, Great Lakes salmon, Gulf Coast blue crab, Channel catfish (wild), Lake whitefish.

Lowest In Mercury:
Blue crab (mid-Atlantic), Croaker Fish Sticks, Flounder (summer), Haddock, Trout (farmed), Salmon (wild Pacific), Shrimp.

Sustainable Seafood

Check the complete list of the eco-best, eco-ok, and eco-worst seafood choices from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) here.

Eco-best seafood:
Char, Arctic (farmed)
Mackerel, Atlantic
Mussels
Oysters (farmed)
Sablefish (Alaska, Canada)
Salmon, wild (Alaska)
Sardines, Pacific (U.S.)
Trout, rainbow (farmed)
Tuna, albacore (U.S., Canada)

Avoid Eco-worst seafood:
Chilean sea bass
Grouper
Orange roughy
Rockfish (trawl)
Salmon, farmed/Atlantic
Shark
Swordfish (imported)
Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico/South Atlantic)
Tuna, bigeye/yellowfin (imported longline)
Tuna, bluefin

Also, check EDF new smart sushi choices:

Eco-Best Sushi
Amaebi Spot prawns (Canada)
Ikura (roe) Wild Alaskan salmon
Kanikama Alaska pollock (U.S.)
Masago Capelin, smelt roe (Iceland)
Mirugai Pacific geoduck
Sake Wild Alaskan salmon
Shiro Maguro Albacore tuna (U.S., Canada)
Surimi Alaska pollock (U.S.)
Suzuki Farmed striped bass
Uni Sea urchin (Canada

Avoid the Eco-Worst Sushi
Ebi Imported shrimp and prawns
Hamachi Farmed yellowtail (Australia, Japan)
Hirame Flounder/Sole (Atlantic)
Hon Maguro Bluefin tuna
Ikura (roe) Atlantic salmon (farmed)
Maguro Bigeye/yellowfin tuna (imported longline)
Sake Atlantic salmon (farmed)
Tako Octopus
Toro (belly) Bigeye/yellowfin tuna (imported longline)
Toro (belly) Bluefin tuna
Unagi Freshwater eels
Uni Sea urchin from Maine