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Public Newsletter Aug/Sept 2010
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Greetings
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Welcome to the latest edition of the FishWise Public Newsletter. In this edition we cover the safety of seafood from the Gulf and highlight sustainable albacore, mussels and retail partner Co-op food stores.
Please email any topics or news that you would like to see in our newsletter!
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Gulf Oil Spill: Seafood Safety
| Last week the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) convened a Gulf of Mexico Stakeholder Meeting to discuss the
protocols in place for re-opening areas of the Gulf to commercial
fishing. FishWise was on-hand to help keep you updated on the latest
developments. 
NOAA is using a straightforward, step-by-step process to
reopen commercial fishing zones:
Conduct flyovers to determine that no oil is visually present in the area Create a virtual grid of the area and collect 18 finfish (various species) samples from each quadrant Conduct
both a sensory analysis and chemical analyses to test of polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the oil derived chemical hazardous to
humans For sensory analysis, a minimum of 70% of the assessors should not detect any petroleum odor or flavor
For
chemical anlysis, all samples must show non-cancer risks If the samples from all quadrants of the area grid pass, then the area is reopened
Steps 1-4 are then repeated for other areas and non-finfish species
Based
on the application of these steps, areas off the Florida panhandle have
been reopened to commercial fishing. Of the 1000 + finfish samples
taken, none have failed, which means that fish from the area are safe to
eat. According to NOAA, finfish are being sampled first as they can purge their systems of oil faster than other marine organisms.
For more information see the NOAA website and most recent Fishery Bulletin.
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Species Spotlight: Albacore and Mussels
| Albacore tuna are found in temperate oceans worldwide.  They are one of the smaller and faster growing tunas, weighing between 20-40 pounds at full size. Albacore are characterized by a dark blue hue on top with a lighter shiny underside.
The most sustainable catch method used to catch albacore is known as "trolling" which includes a single line and a small number of hooks pulled behind the boat. Trolling is highly selective and results in minimal bycatch (bycatch can be released quickly with low mortality rates). Also, when trolling, the boats can target different species by changing the boat speed.
Troll caught U.S. & Canadian North Pacific Albacore have been ranked as green "Best Choice" by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Albacore tuna is not only healthy for the oceans; it is also healthy for you as it is typically low in mercury.
Download a recipe card for troll-caught Albacore.
Mussels are found in all the world's oceans and attach themselves using byssal threads to surfaces like gravel, rocks and piers. Mussels have been farmed since the 13th century. There are three main types of mussel sold in the U.S.: blue mussels, Mediterranean mussels and greenlip mussels (usually from New Zealand).
Most mussels are grown on ropes suspended in the ocean which results in little habitat impacts. A small proportion are grown on the seafloor, which can damage the bottom when harvested with a dredge. As filter feeders, mussels help to keep the water clean as they feed on
suspended biological matter.
All farmed mussels, regardless of catch location or farming method variation are now ranked a green "Best Choice" by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Download a recipe card for Mussels.
This
section of the newsletter will become a regular feature, so if you want
to let us know how the recipes turned out, or have suggestions for
future products to be put in the spotlight, please let us know.
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FishWise Partner Spotlight: Co-op Food Stores
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 The Co-op Food Stores in
Hanover and
Lebanon, New Hampshire, and now White River Junction (VT) were our
second Retail Partner
on the East Coast
and have been with us for 5 years. In that time they have proven
themselves to
be a leader in the sustainable seafood movement by implementing a
comprehensive
and accurate sustainable seafood labeling system in their fresh seafood cases, and
all seafood staff have
completed a comprehensive training module. They also provide educational
material to their customers. Recently, the Valley News wrote an article
about
their cooperative involvement in the FishWise program. FishWise
would like to thank the Co-op Food Stores' members and staff for their
continued
commitment to sustainable seafood!
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In the News: CLEAR Act
|  One of the biggest news developments since our last newsletter is the passing of The Consolidated Land, Energy & Aquatic Resources (CLEAR) Act, which will have lasting positive consequences for the health of our aquatic resources. The CLEAR Act includes the creation of the first ever annual fund dedicated to ocean conservation and also the development of regional planning bodies, tasked with evaluating the health
of their local ocean ecosystems and developing a strategy for ensuring
sustainable use of their resources. A very positive step forward.
You can read more about the act here.
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| FishWise Blog
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The FishWise blog has new posts: Follow FishWise on Twitter and Facebook:  
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If you have any questions, comments,
or ideas for the FishWise newsletter please don't hesitate to contact
us!
 Sincerely,
The FishWise Team
newsletter@fishwise.org
(831)
427-1707 |
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