Did you know the majority of the American seafood diet consists of just 3 fish? The result is an industry that's driven by consumer demand instead of natural supply that is unsurprisingly depleting the oceans of wild tuna, salmon, and shrimp populations at an alarming rate and forcing unsustainable forms of aquaculture to try to take their place.
What would a more sustainable seafood industry look like? Ren Ostry has built a career answering this question. Her business, Kitchen Catch, encourages eaters to embrace a more diverse array of seafood by embracing bycatch, unsung species like Opah and Mongchong that fishermen catch alongside popular species like tuna and salmon.
In our chat, we dig into the history of the seafood industry and explore how it became so unsustainable and why a more sustainable seafood industry must involve getting comfortable eating more types of fish. Ren shares practical advice on how to shop for seafood in a more ethical and sustainable way and we also trade tips for cooking with fish for the first time!
If you're a fan of seafood, food history, or just feel confused about which fish you should be eating these days, this episode has something for you!
Show Notes