What is your favorite fish for eating?
- Thread starter kenny
- Start date
JewelFreak
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2009
- Messages
- 7,768
Re: What is your favorite fish?
To eat or as a pet?
For dinner, calamari. (Does that count as a fish?)
To adopt -- dunno!
--- Laurie
To eat or as a pet?
For dinner, calamari. (Does that count as a fish?)
To adopt -- dunno!
--- Laurie
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2005
- Messages
- 31,763
I used to love Orange Roughy, but now it's on the list of fish you should not eat because populations are no longer sustainable.
I used to eat canned tuna but stopped because of the high sodium and mercury levels.
I also stopped eating Chilean Sea Bass but now it may be okay: http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/04/12/chilean-seabass-goes-from-take-a-pass-to-take-a-bite/
I used to eat canned tuna but stopped because of the high sodium and mercury levels.
I also stopped eating Chilean Sea Bass but now it may be okay: http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/04/12/chilean-seabass-goes-from-take-a-pass-to-take-a-bite/
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2013
- Messages
- 10,330
I seldom cook and eat fish at home, when I do, it is usually salmon with the occasional tuna.
Hence I tend to order fish when I go out to eat, unless duck is on the menu.
Any fish really except salmon or tuna.
And I love raw fish as in sashimi.
DK
Hence I tend to order fish when I go out to eat, unless duck is on the menu.
Any fish really except salmon or tuna.
And I love raw fish as in sashimi.
DK
makemepretty
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2004
- Messages
- 987
Salmon and cod. Salmon for the sweetness and cod for the "meatiness" it lends well to many recipes but is not too fishy.
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2006
- Messages
- 4,268
AprilBaby|1411252696|3754486 said:
Ditto and it stinks
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 50,583
I have 3 favorites depending on my mood and if it is in season.
1.Fresh bluefish (usually summer season).
2. Wild salmon or organic farmed salmon (which may actually be more sustainable).
3. Chilean Sea Bass-my most favorite but I only eat this very rarely because it is overfished still even if not technically on the endangered fish list.
http://www.wisegeek.com/is-chilean-sea-bass-endangered.htm
1.Fresh bluefish (usually summer season).
2. Wild salmon or organic farmed salmon (which may actually be more sustainable).
3. Chilean Sea Bass-my most favorite but I only eat this very rarely because it is overfished still even if not technically on the endangered fish list.
http://www.wisegeek.com/is-chilean-sea-bass-endangered.htm
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 50,583
sonnyjane|1411258226|3754528 said:
Hi sonnyjane, I used to think that was true also but I think it depends where you get it from. For example isn't it OK to buy organic salmon from Whole Foods?
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/truth-about-farmed-salmon-whole-foods-market
sonnyjane
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2008
- Messages
- 2,476
missy|1411259183|3754540 said:
Sorry, wanted to take a second and research the company that they source from, Ocean Beauty, as I wasn't familiar with it. I would need to find a different source approving Ocean Beauty than that of Whole Foods own site, since obviously the people selling you something are going to say that their product is great!
As of right now, the Monterey Bay Aquarium's sustainable seafood guide (Seafood Watch) advises avoiding any farmed Atlantic salmon from Norway, Scotland, or the Canadian Pacific. There is one company, Verlasso, in Chile, that gets a "good alternative" status for their farmed Atlantic salmon, meaning if you can't get any wild-caught salmon from Alaska OR farmed salmon in a closed-tank, then it's the next best thing.
As far as MBA's explanation for why it's not a good choice, you can find that here: http://www.seafoodwatch.org/seafood-recommendations/detail/520/salmon-atlantic-farmed-in-net-pens-norway-salmo-salar-oncorhyncus-tshawit?q=farmed%20salmon
There is also a 74-page PDF file on how they arrive at their scores. I think their (and my) conclusion is that the potential for something really REALLY bad to happen is high, and therefore it's not recommended.
Sorry to sound preachy! I'm a marine biologist with a particular interest in salmon populations and how it affects Southern Resident Killer Whale populations, so I take this quite seriously! The salmon farms up there have had a very negative impact on that endangered species.
I avoid all seafood unless I know it was caught on a line nearby, preferably by a friend of mine. The risks are too great for bycatch if caught any other way.
HopeDream
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2009
- Messages
- 2,146
I try to buy fish that is local and correctly identified:
Pacific Salmon (Alaskan or BC) line caught if available.
Tilapia - nice mild white fish that's easily farmed sustainably - it's a freshwater fish, so you can easily farm them anywhere in big tanks without harming the environment.
Alaskan Pollock - another sustainably harvested white fish
Spot prawns - Local and amazing when in season
Bay scallops - the smaller ones are tastier
Salmon or tuna sashimi
No more canned tuna - The species they're fishing now taste too metallic to me.
I try to follow the seachoice sustainable seafood guidelines when I can: http://www.seachoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/SC_card_2014_5panel_web.pdf
I find it really alarming that about half of fish sold are mislabeled. When they DNA tested supermarket fish and sushi, about half weren't correctly identified. 87% of the "red snapper" were something else. (Has EGL been grading fish?)
This is a problem if you're trying to avoid certain species because of high mercury levels or unsustainable fishing practices etc.
"cod: and "snapper" often turn out to be tilapia or pollock anyway, so I just buy tilapia and pollock intentionally.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/nadiaar...islabeled-fish-a-prolific-nationwide-problem/
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2013/02/oceana-survey-tuna-red-snapper-mislabeled
http://oceana.org/en/our-work/promote-responsible-fishing/seafood-fraud/overview
Pacific Salmon (Alaskan or BC) line caught if available.
Tilapia - nice mild white fish that's easily farmed sustainably - it's a freshwater fish, so you can easily farm them anywhere in big tanks without harming the environment.
Alaskan Pollock - another sustainably harvested white fish
Spot prawns - Local and amazing when in season
Bay scallops - the smaller ones are tastier
Salmon or tuna sashimi
No more canned tuna - The species they're fishing now taste too metallic to me.
I try to follow the seachoice sustainable seafood guidelines when I can: http://www.seachoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/SC_card_2014_5panel_web.pdf
I find it really alarming that about half of fish sold are mislabeled. When they DNA tested supermarket fish and sushi, about half weren't correctly identified. 87% of the "red snapper" were something else. (Has EGL been grading fish?)
This is a problem if you're trying to avoid certain species because of high mercury levels or unsustainable fishing practices etc.
"cod: and "snapper" often turn out to be tilapia or pollock anyway, so I just buy tilapia and pollock intentionally.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/nadiaar...islabeled-fish-a-prolific-nationwide-problem/
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2013/02/oceana-survey-tuna-red-snapper-mislabeled
http://oceana.org/en/our-work/promote-responsible-fishing/seafood-fraud/overview
beaujolais
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2007
- Messages
- 2,216
Lobster, scallops, tilapia, salmon, fried clams (the chewey kind)
jaysonsmom
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2004
- Messages
- 4,570
I like fish with lots of fish oil, and has intense flavor.....mackerel, sardines, salmon etc. My hubby and kids like non-flavorful fish such as cod, halibut and tilapia. We end up eating tilapia the most due to low cost, and commonly found in standard American supermarkets.
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 50,583
sonnyjane|1411261969|3754564 said:
Thanks Sonnyjane! I appreciate your research and I totally understand why you are concerned about this. It's a critical issue and I am glad that there are people who care enough about it to make a difference.
It's difficult to figure out what is safe and sustainable and what isn't and I am looking forward to going back to my vegan diet once we cannot source the fresh fish we get in the summer.
The only fish I know for sure that is line caught and fresh that day is our local bluefish from our seafood coop at the beach. And we haven't had any bluefish all summer since we haven't been to the shore since June. Otherwise I can only trust what Whole Foods and Fairway says about their sustainable fish and that is the only fish we buy there. What they tell us is sustainable and safe.
Sonnyjane, is tilapia safe to eat? A few years ago I remember a brouhaha about tilapia and I am wondering what info you can share with us. I realize it most probably depends where it comes from but would appreciate your thoughts. My understanding is you want to get Tilapia from the US, Canada or Ecuador and avoid tilapia from China. True? Thanks!
Jaysonsmom, I also love sardines. Delicious.
HopeDream, Haha on EGL grading the fish. Seems so.
iLander
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- May 23, 2010
- Messages
- 6,731
I like Tilapia for a lot of reasons:
It's sustainably farmed all over the world. There's a huge wild-caught fishing lobby that is anti-farming, but they are fooling themselves if they think they can keep feeding the world solely on what is caught in the oceans.
It's a white fish, so tastes like chicken.
If you have a big tub, you can grow your own! I've never done it, but I think I might try some time. They grow from eggs to Easting Size in under a year, and you can have a ton of food in a small space. I'm afraid I'd get too attached, though.
I hate to think what all the over-fishing and netting does to the ecology of our oceans. It makes me sad, especially drag-netting.
I buy the Costco Kirkland brand of Tilapia, They're individually frozen and bagged, nice filet size, easy to cook.
Back in the day, I used to eat Tuna and Crab (the bottom dwelling kind of crab), but I developed allergies to both about 5 years ago. I think it was the mercury levels, actually. I am allergic to that too. I miss crab cakes terribly.
It's sustainably farmed all over the world. There's a huge wild-caught fishing lobby that is anti-farming, but they are fooling themselves if they think they can keep feeding the world solely on what is caught in the oceans.
It's a white fish, so tastes like chicken.
If you have a big tub, you can grow your own! I've never done it, but I think I might try some time. They grow from eggs to Easting Size
in under a year, and you can have a ton of food in a small space. I'm afraid I'd get too attached, though. I hate to think what all the over-fishing and netting does to the ecology of our oceans. It makes me sad, especially drag-netting.
I buy the Costco Kirkland brand of Tilapia, They're individually frozen and bagged, nice filet size, easy to cook.
Back in the day, I used to eat Tuna and Crab (the bottom dwelling kind of crab), but I developed allergies to both about 5 years ago. I think it was the mercury levels, actually. I am allergic to that too. I miss crab cakes terribly.
sonnyjane
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2008
- Messages
- 2,476
missy|1411297614|3754705 said:Sonnyjane, is tilapia safe to eat? A few years ago I remember a brouhaha about tilapia and I am wondering what info you can share with us. I realize it most probably depends where it comes from but would appreciate your thoughts. My understanding is you want to get Tilapia from the US, Canada or Ecuador and avoid tilapia from China. True? Thanks!
HopeDream, Haha on EGL grading the fish. Seems so.
Hahah. Well, it's really tricky to be honest. There are certainly things that are better to eat than others, but if you dig enough, you'll find reasons that you're not supposed to eat anything - even non-animal products. That said, I don't eat Tilapia for a few reasons:
One is that when you go to a store or restaurant, in general you have NO clue where anything came from, and when I say came from, I don't even mean where the restaurant says they came from but rather where it REALLY came from. Many chefs have no clue, and when HopeDream referred to that DNA testing, one of the big nightly news shows did an undercover expose on that, always asking the restaurants and it was rarely the same type of fish or the same source that they claimed. Sometimes they would ask the server and be told one thing and then ask the chef and be told something completely different.
Foreign tilapia is a crapshoot and should likely be avoided. For example several years ago there were strong warnings about Chinese tilapia because it was being raised in such polluted conditions. If you're going to farm fish sustainably, it HAS to be closed-circuit. Their waste can't get into the local ecosystem and they can't be exposed to outside pollutants. It's reallllllly hard to find that. There are a few places here in the U.S. where they use waste-water, the fish eat the...um... "waste" part, and then it actually gives you usable gray water as a byproduct. That's a really green idea but a lot of people aren't keen on eating fish that eat your poop
The other really big problem with farming is what they feed them. Most fish farming is, for lack of a better term, ridiculous in that it takes a lot more fish to feed a farmed fish than if you were to just catch wild fish. For example, farmed salmon requires three pounds of wild fish to make their ground pellet for every one pound of salmon yielded. That's dumb. I think that tilapia eat more of a corn or soy pellet, but then if you have watched Food Inc., you know that's not ideal either (told you if you dig enough you'll find something wrong with everything haha!).
And then the only other thing worth mentioning is if you're trying to eat fish for health benefits, tilapia is kind of a waste fish. It does have a few of those health Omega 3 fats that we eat fish for, but it's ratio of good fat to bad fat is very low. One researcher deemed it "worse than bacon" but I don't know enough nutrition to know if that's true.
I'm happy to see so many people mentioning that they care about sustainable seafood! Honestly, just try your best.
300x240.png)