I’m going to cover the different issues surrounding seafood. Things like farming – both land and sea-cage, by-catch, what it’s fed, heavy metal levels, endangered species to avoid, GMO’s involvement, the affect farmed seafood has on native wildlife, and in the end, which species to buy, and from where
I apologise in advance if this topic offends some people, but if we’re going to eat seafood then I feel it’s important to make informed decisions.
First up – Orange Roughy
Orange Roughy – otherwise known as Deep- sea Perch and Red Roughy – is the poster fish of UNsustainable fishing in Australia, one that some of us now know to avoid. It is still allowed to be sold, but thankfully there are strict regulations around the amount. It is questionable why any amount is allowed though?
This particular fish has taken a battering, as it became a popular fish in the ‘70’s thanks to its delicate flavour and texture. Orange Roughy is a deep-sea species and live to around 100-150 years old, which makes it one of the longest living fish known. They reproduce late, at around 20-35 years of age. This species could not reproduce quickly enough to replace the fish removed by intensive practices.
Catches rapidly declined from as high as 40,000 tonnes per year to 10’s of tonnes within a period of two decades. Plus the method of fishing – using deep -sea bottom trawlers is a destructive practice that’s very damaging to the ocean floor, and to the slow growing species that live there.
Orange Roughy – Say NO.
