Chilean Sea Bass- Discussion Revisited

Several Dining Details newsletters prior, we discussed the return of the Chilean Sea Bass to market, and due to new findings, wanted to revisit the issue to be sure we are all clear on it. The literature on the internet regarding Chilean Sea Bass, also called Patagonian Toothfish, is varied; some states that over-fishing is no longer an issue, especially if you are purchasing it from a reputable purveyor that has certification to prove the fish was caught according to certain environmental standards. Other articles state that not only is Chilean Sea Bass still endangered, but the way that it is being fished in Antarctica, where the fish primarily lives, cannot be strictly regulated, and is harming the ecosystem by endangering sea birds and other marine wildlife.

Mixed messages are confusing consumers. If Chilean Sea Bass is endangered, why is Whole Foods Market selling it? Whole Foods is the icon for environmentally safe practices, going so far as to refuse products from suppliers who use un-environmental packaging or unsustainable practices. The secret is... Whole Foods buys its Patagonian toothfish from a sustainable fishery in Georgia, which comes with an environmental stamp of approval.

“The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)—a London-based nonprofit that certifies fish from sustainable, monitored fisheries—has given its OK to Patagonian toothfish caught in one fishery. But that fishery, located near South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands on the cusp of Antarctica accounts for only 10 percent of the legal trade in Chilean sea bass, the group says. ‘The South Georgia fishery is a sustainable fish.

“If people want to buy toothfish, they should look for toothfish that has the MSC label," said Jim Humphreys, a Seattlebased MSC regional director. Humphreys conceded that the Patagonian toothfish faces "significant problems" elsewhere. MSC certification identifies producers who fish sustainably. The seal of approval seeks to provide consumer-driven economic incentives to boost sustainable fisheries.” Brian Handwerk, National Geographic News.

The moral of the Chilean Sea Bas Story is this; it’s a darn good tasting fish, no doubt, but unless it comes with the MSC label, as it does in the Whole Foods Market, “Take a pass on Chilean Sea Bass.” Legal and sustainable are two different things, and whether or not fishing Chilean Sea Bass is currently considered legal, it is not an environmental seafood choice. We have so many delicious options to choose from... mahi mahi, halibut, grouper... Dining Details takes a pass on non-MSC Certified Chilean Sea Bass!