How does mercury get into fish?

Dec. 10, 2011   Leave a Comment  

Once mercury gets into the marine food chain, mostly from human industrial sources such as coal-fired electricity generation, smelting and the incineration of waste, it “bioaccumulates” in the larger ocean predators. That’s why larger fish -- like the bluefin tuna pictured here -- are generally riskier to eat than smaller ones. (Thinkstock)

It’s a big problem

The nasty business of shark finning

Nov. 5, 2011   Leave a Comment  

The practice of shark finning to make shark fin soup, a delicacy mostly in Asian cultures, has taken a serious toll on shark populations worldwide. Besides being inhumane to sharks, consumption of shark fin poses a serious threat to human health since they contain an extremely high concentration of mercury and other toxins now omnipresent in our oceans. (Media credit/Nicholas Wang via Flickr)

$1.2 billion business

Cyanide fishing is killing the fish, the reefs, and maybe us

Aug. 8, 2011   Leave a Comment  

Cyanide fishing began in the 1960s in the Philippines as a way to capture live reef fish for sale primarily to aquarium owners, but is today also done to supply specialty restaurants in Hong Kong and other large Asian cities. Pictured: The ocellaris clownfish, a popular aquarium fish often captured after first being stunned by bursts of cyanide-laced seawater squirted from a plastic bottle. (Metatron)

All so the rich can have another status symbol

Farm raised fish: Not necessarily free of mercury, PCBs or dioxin

June 11, 2011   Leave a Comment  

Farm-raised fish can still absorb mercury, since most fish farms are located in the ocean, close to or abutting the shoreline. They can also absorb PCBs and dioxins, as the near-shore waters they occupy are the first stop for run-off from land-based sources of pollution. Pictured: A fish farm in Shanghai. (Media credit/Ivan Walsh)

Depends on the water

Fishing technologies are destroying deep ocean species

March 19, 2011   1 Comment  

Scientists speculate that some 10 million different species may inhabit the deep sea. Pictured: a ghostly grenadier on the Davidson Seamount, an undersea mountain 75 miles off the coast of Central California. The seamount is 7,480 feet tall, yet its summit is still 4,101 feet below the sea surface. (NOAA)

It may already be too late

EarthTalk: Fishery depletion? Green professional sports?

Jan. 15, 2011   Leave a Comment  

Although 75 percent of the world’s fisheries are now either overexploited, fully exploited, significantly depleted or recovering from overexploitation, many governments continue to provide huge subsidies -- about $20 billion annually --­ to their fishing sectors. Pictured: A fisherman hauls in a catch in the North Sea. (Thinkstock)

Can football stadiums be greener?

Legal Sea Foods to host “blacklisted fish” dinner

Jan. 8, 2011   Leave a Comment  

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Learn the truth about what types of fish are okay to eat

EarthTalk: Salmon? Diesel?

Aug. 28, 2010   2 Comments  

Ocean advocates would like to end fish farming and instead put resources into reviving wild fish populations. Pictured: a salmon farming operation in Chile (Media credit/Sam Beebe, EcoTrust)

Farmed Salmon or wild?

EarthTalk: Eating fish? Green economy?

July 3, 2010   Leave a Comment  

The Environmental Defense Fund recommends minimizing consumption of albacore (white) tuna, a large fish that accumulates moderate amounts of mercury in its fatty tissue. But other kinds of (smaller) tuna, such as skipjack (usually canned as “light”), which accumulates a third the amount of mercury as albacore, are OK to eat in moderation, though consumption by those under age seven should be limited. (Media credit/Mark H. Anbinder, courtesy Flickr)

Which fish are safe from mercury?

Intoxicating all five senses in Puerto Rico

Sept. 23, 2009   Leave a Comment  

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SAN JUAN — Even the beer tastes better in the tropics

South Shore fishermen share blue lobster tale

Sept. 7, 2009   Leave a Comment  

Close-up on the single-clawed blue lobster. (Media credit/Courtesy of Wayne Marshall)

Two Brant Rock fishermen pull up the lobster equivalent of a lottery ticket

Enjoying The Musing Bouche

July 28, 2009   Leave a Comment  

Blast author John M. Guilfoil (left) enjoys "Fish Tuesday."

New food blog launched recently, and the gettin’ is good.

Phish to change band name to Sea Kittens?

June 19, 2009   6 Comments  

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No. Almost certainly not.

Recipe: Seafood Spinach Quesadillas

April 7, 2009   Leave a Comment  

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You’ve head of fish tacos, right? Here’s a quesadilla made with spinach, shrimp and codfish that’s simply to die for. [...]

Gift Ideas: Clawing out of the stocking

Nov. 24, 2008   Leave a Comment  

If you’re looking for that gift with a “wow!” factor keep reading this article. Amongst the many things businesses pull together for the holiday season- Christmas albums, special edition DVDs, all-inclusive travel deals- it seems amazing that a new company from Maine is outdoing them all. Catch a Piece of Maine was founded by two [...]

EarthTalk: Sustainable seafood? New urbanism?

April 7, 2008   Leave a Comment  

Dear EarthTalk: How can I find out which seafood to avoid if I am concerned about lessening my impact on the environment and avoiding consuming unhealthy pollutants? – Pat Kelly, Seattle, WA  Several decades ago a fish-centric diet was considered to be not only healthy but also environmentally friendly. But today those of us who eat [...]

The Good Friday fish

March 21, 2008   Leave a Comment  

The Veggies for the Good Friday Fish

A traditional family dish, perfect for the Easter weekend, with a special twist. It’s also one of the healthiest things you’ll ever eat on a holiday.

First, I take my cod and soak it in water with a light squeeze of lemon for five minutes. Take it out, and let the water drain off. Lightly coat both sides in salt and pepper. I use coarse, kosher salt, but anything works. [...]

Deadliest Catch Season 3 DVD

Dec. 9, 2007   1 Comment  

For some reason, I resisted Deadliest Catch for the first two seasons. I was always tuning to the Discovery Channel for Mythbusters or the odd documentary. Then one night last year, Mythbusters was over and this Bon Jovi song comes on, and I decide to watch an episode of “the fishing show.” Now I’m hooked. [...]