31 replies to this topic

[Latitude Adjustment]

I used to love the taste of Grouper but it's like eating the family dog once you get to know them. Last month I did three dives in Negali passage in Fiji and the same Malabar Grouper would meet me on each dive and hang with me through out the dive and like the family dog he liked being scratched under the chin.

[drbill]

...And where overfishing is concerned, it's not the private citizens that are at fault... it's commercial fisheries that are doing the huge, irreparable damage.

Not entirely true. It depends on what the target species is. There are a number of game fish that can not be taken by commercial fishers, but the recreational catch has had significant impact on their stocks.

For example, here in the State of California there are well over a million fishers (can't remember the actual numbers). The impact of these numbers in certain waters and for certain species is significant.

Your post is a good one. I wrote a column on the subject a year or so ago. I continue to eat fish but am careful about which species I eat. Certainly no Atlantic swordfish, orange roughy, etc.

Dr. Bill

[Dennis]

Very interesting. Thanks

[Neptuner]

Actually Doc it's over 2.2 million fishing licenses of some kind or another sold annually in California, not including any commercial licenses. So yes, if not regulated closely, I'm sure it can have a serious impact on populations. However, in most cases (not all), the best way to insure a species survival is to allow harvest... that's where a lot of the money comes from and the motivation to sustain it. Let's hope that CA is doing a good job managing though... that's the real key, as mismanaged money doesn't help anything or anyone.

David, you don't sound preachy at all bud, this is a great discussion and very informational... lots of great minds here.

[DiveWrite]

David, thanks for the great list of links. I've used the Monterey Bay list for some time (our local aquarium sometimes has the wallet-sized version for people).

Regarding wild salmon, I don't know about your stores, but about six months ago, big piles of "fresh wild Alaskan king salmon" started appearing pretty much all the time at the Publix stores here (for a hefty premium over farm-raised, of course). I thought, YAY! And then I thought, you know, I was just in Alaska and they said nothing there about the king salmon season being all year long. But I bought it anyway. Last month, the New York Times ran an interesting food article about the wild-salmon-in-stores phenomenon that is happening there, as well. I believe of the 7 wild salmon samples they tested, some selling for more than $20 per pound, 5 were actually farm-raised. These weren't low-rent stores, either--Dean & Deluca was fingered, as I recall. Anyway, as in all things, caveat emptor. If you didn't catch it or know the person who did, you really can't know.

And slightly off the topic but somewhat related in the eat-locally concept, does everyone know about cooperative farming? It's the next best thing to raising it yourself (or feeding and slaughtering it yourself). Many local farms throughout the US are now selling shares of their output; for a fee, you get a weekly or bi-weekly portion of the harvest. Many of these farms are organic, and you can go to the farm and pick things or work a plot yourself. Some of the larger farms deliver to your home. They can also be popular! I was on a waiting list for the one in Tampa, and just got a share for next year. You can find quite a few resources at www.localharvest.org.

[Neptuner]

Awesome information DiveWrite... I for one did NOT know about these, but I will check into it immediately now! Wayyyyyy cool!

[ladyfish]

I love the crab and lobster and shrimp. but as for reg fish like trout salmon I dont care for but I have a story we went to south padre island on our anniversary and down on the beach there were these little claims so my son being the boy he is scooped up some sand and there were all these little baby clams I took one in my hand and it burrowed itself and I saw the little legs come out of the shell. now I cannot eat clams and my favorite dish use to be linguini and white clam sauce.

[Hipshot]

Along these lines, I received this today...sadly. I don't normally side with Greenpeace, but they're right on this one.

Rick


Disney Rejects Pleas Against Serving Shark Fin Soup
POSTED: 10:54 am EDT May 23, 2005
UPDATED: 11:03 am EDT May 23, 2005

HONG KONG -- Disney officials have rejected appeals from environmentalists who urged Hong Kong Disneyland not to serve shark fin soup when the park opens in September.

Greenpeace and the Worldwide Fund for Nature asked Hong Kong Disneyland to take shark fin soup off the menu after the theme park announced last week the delicacy would be served at wedding banquets and other special events.

Environmentalists say millions of sharks are killed each year for their fins, driving many species close to extinction. The fins are hacked off and the fish are dumped back into the sea to die.

But Disney says that while it takes the environment very seriously, the company is equally sensitive to local cultures and the dish is a key part of Chinese banquets.

One Hong Kong environmentalist calls Disney's position "mind-boggling."

[jextract]

While I hope to get health benefits from it, it was a matter of conscience that got me to become vegetarian, and I hope to be a full vegan one day. I still miss a lot of things I used to eat though it has gotten pretty easy to stay the course for the most part.

It's easy not to think of where your food comes from and how it comes to be. It's also easy to focus on how it tastes good and how you like it. I just don't want to be a part of that anymore.

Rumor has it that you're a vegetarian not because you love animals but because you hate plants. Any truth to that?

[jextract]

I used to love the taste of Grouper but it's like eating the family dog once you get to know them. Last month I did three dives in Negali passage in Fiji and the same Malabar Grouper would meet me on each dive and hang with me through out the dive and like the family dog he liked being scratched under the chin.

So now I'm supposed to avoid the little Korean BBQ place I love? You're heartless!

All kidding aside, great links, DE.

Edited by jextract, 25 May 2005 - 07:07 PM.

[dustbowl diver]

Along these lines, I received this today...sadly.  I don't normally side with Greenpeace, but they're right on this one.

Rick


Disney Rejects Pleas Against Serving Shark Fin Soup
POSTED: 10:54 am EDT May 23, 2005
UPDATED: 11:03 am EDT May 23, 2005

HONG KONG -- Disney officials have rejected appeals from environmentalists who urged Hong Kong Disneyland not to serve shark fin soup when the park opens in September.

Greenpeace and the Worldwide Fund for Nature asked Hong Kong Disneyland to take shark fin soup off the menu after the theme park announced last week the delicacy would be served at wedding banquets and other special events.

Environmentalists say millions of sharks are killed each year for their fins, driving many species close to extinction. The fins are hacked off and the fish are dumped back into the sea to die.

But Disney says that while it takes the environment very seriously, the company is equally sensitive to local cultures and the dish is a key part of Chinese banquets.

One Hong Kong environmentalist calls Disney's position "mind-boggling."

Hipshot,

Saw this same article on D2D-boy did a few of them have some candid language in their posts. At least we can be a bit tongue in cheek around here-right jextract??

DBD

Edited by dustbowl diver, 25 May 2005 - 08:22 PM.

[Hipshot]

Hipshot,

Saw this same article on D2D-boy did a few of them have some candid language in their posts. At least we can be a bit tongue in cheek around here-right jextract??

DBD

DBD,

On this issue, I'd probably have some choice words about this practice in a less-civil forum. Shark finning is a horrid custom that uses about 1-2% of the shark, while wasting the rest. Compounding this insanity is the fact that there are substitutes for shark-fin soup that taste identical. While I respect other cultures, I can't justify what appears to be abject stupidity.

Rick


We need people that care! I’m mad as hell! and I don’t want to
Take it anymore!--Jimmy Buffett

[chinacat46]

Also contributing to the problem is that alot of the sharks are illegally harvested. The Japanese have invaded the area around Cocos Island which is a marine park and are killing whale sharks for their fins. Cocos being so far from the main land is not well protected and is a marine park in name with no real enforcement. This needs to stop but without enforcement who will stop it??

[intotheblue]

On this issue, I'd probably have some choice words about this practice in a less-civil forum.  Shark finning is a horrid custom that uses about 1-2% of the shark, while wasting the rest.  Compounding this insanity is the fact that there are substitutes for shark-fin soup that taste identical.  While I respect other cultures, I can't justify what appears to be abject stupidity.

Rick


[

When I was diving in Panama around Coiba (a supposedly protected marine area), there were poachers taking sharks for fins (and disposing the rest). According to the Brit. DM on the boat, they would also take fins off of Rays if they could get them.

Oh, and I don't believe it's the taste that drives the shark fin soup hunger...

ITB...

[drdiver]

I've been diggin around about the whole shark finning issue trying to inform myself a little more.

Came across this link.

Pro-Shark Finning??

Kind of a strange read.