Dining - Seafood Selection

The Monterey area has long been known for its delectable choices in seafood. Chefs in our many outstanding restaurants take pride in preparing their own special seafood creations using the abundant choices available. Around the world, people are eating more seafood than ever, mostly because of an increased awareness of its health benefits.

With this increase in demand, the hazard of over-fishing has become very real. We once thought that the seas could provide us endless fish and shellfish. But unfortunately, over-fishing — catching fish faster than they can reproduce — has pushed the supplies lower over the years until some species are on the verge of extinction.

The effects are becoming clear; off the New England coast, cod were once so plentiful that boats had trouble pushing through them — now they are nearly gone. Other over-fished species include sharks, bluefin tuna and many kinds of West Coast rockfish. In addition to over-fishing, there is the crisis of “by-catch” — dolphins, sea turtles, seals and whales all get caught by accident in fishing gear and drown. Seabirds, including the endangered albatross, drown when they snatch baited hooks and are pulled underwater.

There is also the problem of damage to the undersea environment, on which many kinds of fish and shellfish live and breed. Scallops burrow into the sandy bottom and young cod find shelter in the rocky reefs where sea fans, tubeworms and anemones share space with kelp forests. Bottom-trawlers, which catch fish by dragging nets across the sea floor, wreak havoc in this delicate ecosystem and take centuries to grow back.

Fishing for Answers

To supply the global demand for seafood, the fish-farming industry has grown. Today, nearly one-third of our seafood comes from farms, but it can create other problems. The ecological impact of fish farming depends on which species are raised, how they are raised and where the farm is located. Clams are raised in special beds on sandy shores where their harvest does little to disturb the ecosystem; oysters and mussels are often raised in bags or cages suspended above the sea floor so little damage is done when they are harvested. However, many farmed fish, including most salmon, are raised in net pens. Thousands of fish concentrated in one area pollutes the water and promotes diseases that can spread from the penned fish to wild fish. Waste from shrimp farming ponds is discharged into the surrounding environment, further damaging the ecosystems.

In 1997 Monterey Bay Aquarium created the Seafood Watch Program. One of the program’s most important accomplishments is making a “Seafood Watch” card available to the public. This small, convenient card helps consumers make responsible selections by categorizing and color-coding popular seafoods in “Best Choices” (green), “Good Alternatives” (yellow) and “Avoid” (red) lists. When dining out or buying seafood, choosing from the green or yellow lists supports practices that are healthier for ocean wildlife and the environment.

Many of the restaurants in the Monterey Bay area have changed their menus to comply with the recommendations of the Seafood Watch Program, and many more are joining this effort. The prominent Shake family, which owns five restaurants, has been an enthusiastic supporter from inception of the program. Together, Old Fisherman’s Grotto, Isabella’s, Cabo’s Wild Mexican Seafood, Kocomo’s and The Fish Hopper serve more than 250,000 meals a year, and the Shakes have recognized the importance of immediate action so their lifeblood, seafood, continues to be available without sacrificing the health of our oceans. The Shakes have removed such items as Icelandic cod and red snapper from menus, switching to New Zealand cod and macadamia-encrusted halibut.

Getting with the Program

Consumer pressure works. The United States and Europe are the biggest markets for canned tuna; but when concerned consumers learned that hundreds of thousands of dolphins died as by-catch, their loud protests forced the tuna industry to change. If consumers demand fish that are abundant, well managed and caught or farmed in environmentally friendly ways, there is bound to be change for the better.

To do your part, pick up your Seafood Watch Guide at any of the restaurants listed below, at the Monterey Bay Aquarium or by visiting www.seafoodwatch.org. The guide is updated frequently, so check back periodically for the latest information. The aquarium will continue to provide additional support, training and other materials to assist these and other restaurants in this important and challenging effort. And spread the word — the more people concerned, the better we can protect our vital resources.

Seafood Watch Program Supporters

CABO’S WILD MEXICAN SEAFOOD — 46 Fisherman’s Wharf #1 • Monterey, 373-6969

THE FISH HOPPER — 700 Cannery Row • Monterey, 372-8543

THE FISHWIFE — 1996 Sunset Dr. • Pacific Grove, 375-7107

ISABELLA’S ON THE WHARF — 60 Old Fisherman’s Wharf #1 • Monterey, 375-3956

LATTITUDES AT LOVER’S POINT — 631 Ocean View Blvd. • Pacific Grove, 658-0880

THE LODGE AT PEBBLE BEACH — 17 Mile Drive • Pebble Beach, 624-3811

MONTEREY PLAZA HOTEL — 400 Cannery Row • Monterey, 646-1701

MONTRIO — 414 Calle Principal • Monterey, 648-8880

OLD FISHERMAN’S GROTTO — 39 Old Fisherman’s Wharf #1 • Monterey, 375-4604

PASSIONFISH — 701 Lighthouse Ave. • Pacific Grove, 655-3311

PENINSULA FISH MARKET & OYSTER BAR — 41 Old Fisherman’s Wharf #1 • Monterey, 372-3769

PORTOLA CAFÉ AT THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM — 886 Cannery Row • Monterey, 648-4870