sustainable

If we had to pick a fish to symbolize Mother’s Day, it might be the humble mackerel. The phrase “holy mackerel” was first used as a euphemism for the expletive “Holy Mother.” Mackerel was a nickname for Catholics who ate fish on Fridays, a tradition traceable back to the ancient Babylonia celebration of Freya, the goddess of fertility. The French word for mackerel, maquereau, is slang for pimp, a concept best left out of Mother’s Day brunch conversation.

Whether or not you enjoy fish this Sunday, we should all be eating more fish like mackerel, an under-utilized and underappreciated species that can be found coursing through Northeast waters throughout the summer. A highly migratory, fast-swimming and fast-reproducing species, Atlantic mackerel is listed as a sustainable option across the board. Fresh out of the water, they’re prized everywhere for their rich, firm flesh. Dark fish like mackerel tend to be loaded with healthy fatty acids and omega-3s, and often have the most flavor. Mackerel can stand well on its own, prepared simply with salt, pepper, butter, and a squeeze or two of lemon.

Times are uncertain for Northeast fishermen. A drastic 77 percent cut in the cod quota just went into effect in May, and fishermen are afraid to go to sea because they don’t know if there’s a market for what they can catch. We can support these fishermen by enjoying lesser known abundant fish, like mackerel, pollock, redfish, dogfish, and hake. NOAA’s most recent report showed six more rebuilt stocks in U.S. waters. This is an opportunity for chefs and diners to create a better market for fishermen’s catch. The future of traditional fisheries depends on diversifying our tastes.

Last week we celebrated Earth Day. We planted trees, shared recycling tips, pledged action to combat climate change, and took a moment to reflect on what nature has given us. Wendell Berry once said, "The earth is what we all have in common,” but sometimes our purview of the Earth can be a little too terrestrial. Think about this: 71 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, 80 percent of the Earth’s population lives near the ocean, yet 95 percent of the Earth’s oceans remain unexplored. We know more about the mountains of the moon than about the great abyss. The ocean is arguably our most crucial resource: it governs our climate and atmosphere, provides us with oxygen, and is a source of food and economic stability. If we care about our economy, our health, and our environmental future, it’s time for us to take our oceans more seriously.

A positive step toward ocean stewardship came earlier this month in the form of the National Ocean Policy, a plan finalized by the White House to manage the nation’s oceans. Among the many initiatives of the new policy are plans to protect coastal communities, and improve fishery management in order to meet the growing demand for sustainable seafood. We’ve already seen how in the U.S. better management of fish stocks has brought the fishing industry back from the brink of disaster. We applaud the recent efforts to further improve protection of the resource.

Though the National Ocean Policy is good news for the U.S., around the world the situation isn’t so good. One billion of the earth’s population depends on fish as their primary source of protein, while 85 percent of the world’s fisheries are considered overexploited. Only 25 countries control more than 75 percent of the world's fish stocks -imagine what could happen if these countries worked together? How many people could be fed? The ocean’s potential to sustain us is vast if only we nurture it properly. A healthier ocean benefits us all.

In the weeks after spring has sprung, we’re all getting antsy for waters to warm and fish to jump. But down in Destin, Florida, this period marks one of the most exciting times of year for local fishermen: when cobia come to town. “The day the first cobia landed, my phone was ringing off the hook,” says Eddie Morgan, whose family owns Destin’s Harbor Docks. Starting late March and petering out early May, schools of cobia migrate from the southern Gulf up through the Panhandle shallows toward the mouth of the mighty Mississippi. This year’s cobia run is the best Destin has seen in years, with the largest fish caught so far weighing in at a hefty 87 pounds.

For Destin, cobia is a community event, and men and women all along the coast join in the Cobia World Championships to see who can reel in the biggest fish. Morgan and his dad Charles and brother Chatham join in the cobia tournament on their boats the F/V Hired Gun and F/V Papi. Fishermen take their boats anywhere from 100 yards to 3 miles offshore and use “cobia towers” to spot the colossal fish swimming near the water’s surface. Firm and meaty with a mild “lemony” flavor, Eddie loves to eat cobia blackened, but he declares “it’s good most any other way.” It’s a real treat that Destin cobia fishermen share any of their prized catch with our chefs, and we wish the Morgan family the best of luck in this year’s tournament.

Destin is known as the “world’s luckiest fishing village,” but things weren’t always so bright in the Gulf. After decades of poor management, the region’s prized species were overfished. But in recent years, better management in the form of Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQs) have been put into place to ensure a healthy fishery for future generations. Although new rules made life tough initially for Destin fishermen, they tell us that things now are looking up. We’re happy to see the hard work of the Morgans and other Gulf fishing families paying off.

Too often seafood is the forgotten story of the food movement, and chefs assume that good fish is a luxury. It doesn’t have to be if we shorten the distance between fisherman and chef. When we see tight-knit fishing communities like Destin’s, it gives us hope that we’re on the right track

You know spring can’t be far behind when the first halibut lands in Alaska. Pacific halibut is considered one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world. Captain Tim Abena of the F/V Big Blue fishes halibut using selective hook and line gear, with a small secondary catch of (delicious) rockfish. His first halibut of the season was caught in Prince William Sound’s Two Arm Bay, landed in Homer, headed, gutted, and shipped via FedEx to arrive next day in the lower 48.

Unlike Atlantic halibut, which was severely overfished and has yet to recover, the Alaska halibut fishery has a robust scientific management system, ensuring a long and abundant season that stretches until November. The largest of all flatfish, halibut can grow to over 300 pounds. More commonly 15-30 pounds, Alaska halibut is prized for its mild, sweet flavor, firm texture, and spectacular results whether grilled, roasted, sautéed, or poached.

The season’s first halibut made its way this week to Walker’s Drive-In in Jackson, Mississippi. Jackson isn’t a city known for its food scene, but chef Derek Emerson and his wife Jennifer have set the bar high, turning an old 1950’s diner into a local culinary favorite. There’s nothing quite like the beautiful white flake of halibut, and chef Derek did it justice with his preparation of pan-seared halibut with roasted garlic, white bean purée, sous vide hearts of palm, and sea bean salad. We think Captain Abena should be proud.

Captain Abena and Chef Derek are prime examples of the kinds of independent producers and tastemakers we like to celebrate. But neither is entirely self-sufficient. Just as the independent Alaska halibut fisherman needs an outside market to survive, and relies on chefs who care about top-notch seafood, a chef can’t ultimately create great dishes without great products and the good work of the producers who catch and grow their food. As spring progresses and new fish land at our docks, we’re grateful for this kind of inter-reliance.

We never get sick of shrimp. Though shrimp is a ubiquitous offering in restaurants, there is much more to shrimp than the unsustainable, and often flavorless, farmed shrimp found on most menus. In fact, there are over 300 species of shrimp around the world, and some of our favorite, more unique varieties are available.



Shrimper John Van Hyning knows the waters of Alaska’s Prince William Sound like the back of his hand. From early spring through the beginning of August, Captain John goes out for sidestripe shrimp on his boat the F/V New Wave. Others have tried their hand at sidestripe shrimping, but no one knows the water like John does, and he catches the best specimens of these shrimp that the Japanese refer to as “amaebi” for their incredibly sweet flavor. They’re beloved among Alaskans and mainlanders alike, and these “sugar shrimp” are available frozen and saltwater-packed until the fresh season starts in April.

Across the Gulf of Alaska in the port of Sitka, fisherman John Bahrt has been packing out spot prawns. John Bahrt has been fishing since he was seven years-old, and he catches spot prawns on his boat the F/V Kristina with pots, limiting bycatch and environmental impact. The deep, cold Alaskan waters make the prawns fatty, succulent, and creamy, with a meatier flavor than the more delicate sidestripe. Many chefs claim spot prawns as their favorite crustacean.

In another Gulf, the Wood family is landing Royal Red shrimp down on the Florida Panhandle. Shrimping for Royal Reds is hard work, with shrimpers going 40-60 miles offshore and dropping their trawls 200 fathoms down in the strongest currents of the Gulf. The deep, cold waters where Royal Reds swim give them a pronounced, sweet flavor that some compare to lobster. The season is brief, and we’re savoring them while we can. Meanwhile classic wild white and pink shrimp continue to land, available both with heads and without.



Whether swimming in saltwater or fresh, warm water or cold, there’s one thing that all shrimp have in common: there’s just no comparing the taste of wild shrimp to farmed. With Sea to Table’s direct model cutting many links from the supply chain, chefs can now enjoy these incredible creatures at competitive prices. Wild shrimp are as varied in flavor as the regions from where they come, and it’s worth getting to know every one.