October 10, 2023 — October is National Seafood Month and a perfect time to reflect on the health of our oceans and the food we eat – especially seafood. Consumers play an important role in making sure our oceans stay healthy and fresh seafood is plentiful for generations to come. And a key component of this is choosing sustainable seafood.
Sustainable seafood – fish that are caught in environmentally and socially responsible ways – are widely available and supported by chefs and consumers alike. Choosing sustainably sourced seafood helps make sure that the fragile global ecosystem remains in balance, protecting the oceans and the communities that depend on fishing. Today, 30 percent of the global seafood market is sustainable or on the path to sustainability, and consumer action is an important component of making sure this increases.
Sustainable seafood is a pillar of the Alaskan fishing economy, and in fact Alaska is the only state with sustainable fishing written directly into the state constitution. Hannah Heimbuch is a third generation commercial fisherman from Alaska who joined us to talk about sustainable seafood as well as provide insight on:
-What sustainable seafood is and why it matters for consumers and the environment.