We're often told to eat fish for our health, yet at the same time faced with constant warnings
about some of our favorite varieties.
So which types of fish should you really strive to avoid?
Let's explore the real reasons you should stop eating certain kinds of fish.
The swordfish is a predatory fish.
Good news if you are a swordfish, but bad news for us, because mercury moves up the
food chain, meaning this fish is full of it.
Plus, overfishing has led to population decline, while the long line fishing method used to
catch swordfish often threatens endangered species like turtles and sea birds.
The largest of tuna, an adult Pacific bluefin can reach 1,400 pounds or more.
But they rarely get the chance.
Demand is so high that the fish sell for outrageous amounts.
“A record $3.1 million has been paid for a Pacific bluefin tuna fish in Japan."
That demand has led to many bluefin being fished before they reach adulthood and reproduce.
As of 2016, populations of Pacific bluefin tuna had declined by 97 percent, and the fish
is fast on its way to joining the official list of endangered species.
Chilean sea bass aren't bass, and most aren't from Chile either.
Properly called the toothfish, a wave of popularity in the ‘90s drove the Chilean sea bass nearly
to extinction.
In 2002, chefs and fisheries banded together to boycott toothfish until worldwide stocks
have recovered.
Some claim that has now happened, but even if that is true, high mercury levels should
place it on your “avoid” list anyway.
A majority of the catfish imported into the US comes from Vietnam, a country with lax
regulations concerning the use of antibiotics and pesticides in aquaculture.
In 2016, Vietnamese swai ...a cousin to the American catfish ...tested positive for Gentian
Violet and Malachite Green, which are known carcinogens and both banned in the US.
If you decide to eat Catfish, make sure you know the source!
“Looks great, what is it?"
“Catfish!"
“Bottom feeders.
My favorite."
Prized for being the number one choice for fish and chips, cod is also used to extract
cod liver oil, an in-demand supplement.
As a result, Atlantic cod, also known as scrod, has been severely overfished and was added
to the endangered species list in 2000.
So if you want cod, make sure you get Pacfic cod, which is still plentiful!
Shark fin soup is a delicacy in Hong Kong, China, and other places.
But the highly controversial method of obtaining the fins, which involves lopping them off
live sharks and then tossing the sharks back in the ocean to die, is considered horribly
inhumane by many, including celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
“It is without a doubt the worst act of animal cruelty I have eer seen."
Additionally, sharks breed infrequently, making overfishing a real danger.
According to a 2013 report from The Guardian, nearly 100 million sharks are killed every
year for their fins.
And when sharks are overfished the species they prey on go wild and unbalance the ecosystem.
To top it off, sharks are very high in mercury.
So do yourself and these sharks a favor and take a chomp out of something else next time.
American eel tend to have high levels of chemical pollutants like dioxin, mirex, and PCBs, which
is reason enough to avoid them.
They are also endangered, which is a problem, because without eels, river ecosystems go
belly up, resulting in lower water quality.
It's a lose-lose for everyone.
When it comes to Sole, the fish are fine.
In fact, sometimes they're a little too eager to be eaten.
“It shot out of my hand, into my mouth, and basically swam straight down my throat.
And I was completely choked out."
The problem is that Sole are found on the bottom of the ocean.
So trawlers use massive nets to just grab everything on the ocean floor.
They then keep the Sole and toss everything else aside.
It's estimated that for every pound of marketable Sole dredged up, about 16 pounds of other
animals are killed and tossed aside.
Plus, this method also damages the seabed, destroying things like fragile coral reefs
and entire ecosystems.
It's unconscionable.
Finally, there's escolar, which should be avoided because it will make you sh-t your
brains out.
"Escolar, sometimes referred to as the X-Lax Fish."
Escolar has a velvety, creamy texture.
But that comes from something called wax ester, which the human digestive system can't process.
So it comes out the other end in a way that some describe as, quote, “seepage," and
The Kitchn describes as, quote, "explosive, oily, orange diarrhea".
Escolar has been banned in countries like Italy and Japan, but it's still being served
in America ...and sometimes, it's labelled white tuna, walu, or butterfish, which can
trick unwary diners.
So unless you have an extra pair of pants with you, you might want to skip this next
time you see it on a menu under any of its names.
“There are no laws against serving escolar or walu, but there are rules about making
sure that restaurants and other business label the fish properly."
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