To Be Viable West Coast Groundfish Fishery Needs Customers (Opinion)
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Los Angeles Times] By Kelly Whitaker - March 2, 2015 -
(Kelly Whittaker is the chef and owner of Basta and Cart-Driver in Boulder, Colo. He was formerly chef at the restaurant Providence in Los Angeles. He is a member of Chefs Collaborative.)
Today, virtually all West Coast groundfish are classified as “sustainable” seafood choices so what's the problem?
While the fishery may have recovered environmentally, it hasn't economically. Groundfish are distinctly undervalued, sometimes fetching well below $1 a pound at the dock. Quotas for certain species go unharvested because the demand is not yet strong enough. The fishermen need help from chefs and consumers to gain more market traction.
Unless fishermen can collect a price that reflects the expense of the new sustainable methods of catching groundfish, we won't be able to maintain the fishery's revived state. The challenge is to reintroduce these species to consumers, build demand and help secure a strong market that can support the fishermen and fishery in the long term.
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