Has anyone come up with a list of kosher fish that are sustainable, not produced with slave labor, etc.? The Monterey Bay Aquarium list usually has a whole bunch of trefe on it, and also doesn’t look at other aspects of production.
(I personally am not as concerned about a hechsher as that the fish is at least not trefe when it’s still swimming around.)
Currently all I can find around here (NJ) that meets the requirements and doesn’t cost a fortune is Silverbrite Salmon, and canned fish (tuna, sardines, anchovies).
Feature foods in Canada has a line of Herring and some salmon & whitefish that is all good…I think in NYC area it is private labeled and sold under the Acme smoked fish banner all OU,
My husband just pointed me toward a Ted Talk about sustainable seafood. But Paul Greenberg’s rules for fish (well, seafood, really) are:
Eat American seafood.
A much greater variety than we currently do.
Mostly farmed filter feeders.
Well, #3 is the killer for trying to find sustainable kosher fish (and a bit ironic for someone named Greenberg . There’s the “Big 3” everyone lists: sardines, anchovies, and herring. All are primarily canned (or jarred). It still sounds as though trying to keep kosher and “save the planet” means never eating fresh fish.
It’s not that difficult to find herring and sardines uncanned and unjarred. One of the vendors at the Tomkins Square Greenmarket in Manhattan (I think it was PE & DD) had fresh local herring last week. Fresh sardines are pretty easy to come by - I’ve seen them at The Lobster Place and at Whole Foods. And Russ & Daughters sells pickled herring, which I know because I just waited an hour in line for it.
. There’s the “Big 3” everyone lists: sardines, anchovies, and herring. All are primarily canned (or jarred). It still sounds as though trying to keep kosher and “save the planet” means never eating fresh fish.