Monday, November 13, 2006

What not to eat: Fish

I have noticed that there is an increase of vegetarians around me. Most of them refuse to eat meat due to generic engineering of farm animals and the way they are treated in the farms and how they are slaughtered etc.
I also believe that if you think about the process the meat we have on our tables go through before it hits the supermarkets, its frightening to even think about what I am actually consuming - the hormones, bad energy and all.
Due to this many people choose to eat vegitables or fish.
Well, one thing most of us haven't noticed yet, is that alot of the fish we consume are also being dealt in similar ways as other animals. Also and maybe more importantly many of our fish and seafood will become extinct in the near future.

In early Nov. the headlines of USA today reads "90% of the ocean's edible species may be gone by 2048"
The Times also published an article with a similar heading "No more fish to eat in 40 years"

This come from several resons.
One reason is that we do consume alot of it without thinking about the consequences. Another very important reason is the way most fish are caught- industrial fishing- vacumming all sea life, and throwing away most of it other than the fish/seafood they need.(for example, when shrimp is caught 85% of what is actually caught is something else- in other words, 85% of other sealife is destroyed for 15% of shrimp)
Another reason is the destruction of coastal areas.

However its not all hopeless, nor am I saying we should go off fish altogether.
Its good to know what is happening in the world, and well choose your fish.
Here are a list of fish that you can eat, and you shouldn't eat- for the sake of the earth and future.

What not to eat
Atlantic Cod
Atlantic Halibut
Chilean seabass (Patagonian toothfish)
Dogfish
Dover Sole
European Hake
European Seabass
Grouper
Haddock
Marlin
Monkfish
Plaice
Salmon
Sharks
Skates & Rays
Snapper
Swordfish
Tropical Prawns
Tuna

source: Greenpeace what not to eat

Ok.. its alot of stuff... so I also give you what to eat(for UK)
What to eat(US)
In both sites you can find a nice guide you can print out for yourself and carry around

Also in the Netherlands
Goede vis gids


Yes its hard but as a bookstore in Edinburgh had wrote in their window "activism is the rent we pay for our time here".

1 comment:

hwayoungjung said...

Read Monbiot's HEAT. it will at turns scare, uplift, depress, and ultimately get you off your ass. I think. maybe