Food writer Michael Pollan weighs in on the Farm Bill in Weed It and Reap, published in the November 4th New York Times.
If you're unfamiliar with Pollan, whose most recent book The Omnivore's Dilemma (2006) was a multiple-award winner, his many excellent essays are archived on his web site.
Living on the Gulf Coast, we're fortunate to have access to fresh seafood. But sustainable seafood is another matter. For example, grouper, which is ubiquitous in area restaurants as the "catch of the day" is listed in the "Avoid" category by the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch guide. According to their criteria, it is overfished and is also recommended for limited consumption, as there are concerns about mercury or other contaminants.
From the Bloomingfoods coop newsletter:
The Daily Green and San Francisco Chronicle recommend asking these six questions when selecting your seafood. And for great information regarding seafood and the industry that produces it, explore these sites: Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, the Environmental Defense Council's Oceans Alive, and Seafood Choices Alliance.
Frankly, aside from farmed oysters there aren't a lot of Gulf species listed as "Best Choices" in the Seafood Watch guide, reflecting the poor management of Gulf Coast fisheries. But some "Good Alternatives" include shrimp; Gray, Lane, Mutton, and Yellowtail Snapper; longline-caught Swordfish; some varieties of tuna; and Wahoo (though some of these species also have contaminant concerns).
