Eating on the wrong side of history
Imagine sitting down with a loved one for a special tasting menu at a high-end Michelin starred restaurant, when your waiter walks over and explains that the next course is a true adventure — rare panda from a remote part of China. Or perhaps while swiping through your Instagram feed, you see a close friend post that she is at a restaurant that serves a tortoise close to extinction — an exclusive one night only special. Would either of these situations seem strange to you? Would you question the restaurant that decided to serve you panda or a friend that would promote the consumption of a rare tortoise? Most people would think it’s a joke and when finding out that it wasn’t, would be outraged at these establishments.
While there are no restaurants serving rare pandas or tortoises, there is an endangered species being served every night of the week in many restaurants. It is almost impossible to eat at a worthwhile sushi omakase without bluefin tuna commanding the menu. Consuming bluefin tuna is a bit of a modern day enigma when put in the context of serving panda or tortoise, yet it’s happening thousands of times every night across the world. According to Dr. Andre Boustany, a research scientist at the Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab at Duke University, the three main types of bluefin tuna, Pacific, Southern and Atlantic are at 2.6%, 9% and 14% of what their historical populations once were — with no plan in place to help populations recover.
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From a sushi perspective, bluefin tuna became popular in the 1970’s and was never part of a traditional Edomai sushi meal, which many modern day chefs claim to be serving. Sushi served during the Edo period (where the Edomae style originated) focused on local, seasonal and by default sustainable fish such as clams (hokigai) and small silvery fish (hikari mono) like mackerel and sardines that were relatively easy to catch. There was a higher premium placed on fish with white flesh such as sea bream (madai) and fluke (hirame). Bluefin tuna, a warm blooded fish, due to its red color and “bloody taste” from the hemoglobin was actually considered food for cats.
In today’s modern society, diners have come to expect ingredients like chicken, beef and pork to be local, heritage, pasture raised and organic, and ensure they are eating what is best and healthiest for the environment. So why when it comes to seafood are diners choosing to eat an endangered species from our oceans?
The problem is a bit of a catch-22. Most diners are unaware of the provenance of the seafood they eat, and are even less informed about the endangered status of different fish and their subsequent populations. It’s also true that most restaurateurs and sushi chefs know about the status of these fish, but are afraid that their diners will disappear if bluefin tuna or other popular items are taken off the menu. Often chefs will claim that the bluefin they serve is sustainable because it’s farmed (Hint: it’s not). It is the responsibility of restaurants and chefs to inform and educate diners on not only what is delicious, but what is healthy for both them and the planet. Diners above all else want to have unique experiences and are willing to learn and try new things. We’ve learned first hand that they are open-minded, enjoy being environmental stewards, and that saving bluefin and improving the state of the oceans can be equally delicious and responsible.
The inescapable truth is that the solution is really pretty simple: as a diner, ask questions. Have a conversation with your favorite sushi chef about sustainable options, and proudly say you don’t want to eat endangered species like bluefin tuna. Let them know you are willing to discover new sushi neta that you might not have had before and that you care about eating sustainably caught or farmed fish that have healthy populations and are good for the environment. You might be surprised by what tricks they have up their sleeves. Chefs love to showcase more traditional pieces that truly show off their skill and training, and can make diners realize that not only are they eating something delicious, but they are making responsible decisions that directly impact the future of our precious oceans.
