With this week being sustainable seafood week in Australia, we thought we should share some tips for catering seafood at your next event. Australian Seafood Week is an annual campaign run by the Marine Stewardship Council and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, which encourages people to protect fish and marine life.
The movement aims to celebrate the fisheries, retailers, chefs and restaurants in Australia that support their mission to end overfishing and ensure seafood can be supplied forever.
So What Exactly Is Sustainable Seafood?
Sustainable seafood is seafood that is caught or farmed in ways that consider the long-term vitality of harvested species and the well-being of our oceans, as well as the livelihood of fishery-dependent communities.
It was first promoted through the sustainable seafood movement, which began in the 1990s. This operation highlights overfishing and environmentally deconstructive fishing methods. Through a number of initiatives, the movement has increased awareness and raised concerns over the way our seafood is obtained.
How Can You Help?
Seafood is a popular food group that is commonly served at events. Although it is set to impress your guests, with a third of our world’s oceans currently being overfished and fish consumption being at an all time high, it is important to contribute to the movement and source your seafood sustainably when party planning. Here are some tips to access sustainable seafood.
1. Choose a Green-Listed Species
There has been in-depth scientific research conducted by the Australian Marine Conservation Society to determine which species are better to consume than others. Find the sustainable seafood guide below:
https://goodfish.org.au/sustainable-seafood-guide/embed/#?secret=gsdH6hwWVv#?secret=tdSA5sufEh
Choosing to use fish that are green-listed means that you are consuming species that are easily accessible and fished sustainably, perfect for setting out your menu when sustainable party planning.
2. Educate Yourself to Make Conscious Decisions
Speak to the people that run the fisheries you are making purchases from. Having an understanding of where the food you are eating is sourced is paramount in comprehending its effects on the ocean. Ensuring that the businesses you buy from are monitoring fishing practices to avoid overfishing – this means that they are not sourcing fish that are being caught faster than they can reproduce.
3. Only Buy What You Need
It’s important to understand how many guests will be coming and how much food you actually need to feed them. The Australian seafood industry produces in excess of 20 000 tonnes of waste per year. WIth seafood not holding its freshness for very long, it is unlikely that leftover seafood will be eaten.
Map out how many guests will be attending your event and order seafood accordingly. It is also important to take into account how many guests will actually eat the seafood, as it is common for people to not enjoy the taste or choose to eat a vegetarian or vegan diet. Always ask your guests prior for any dietary requirements.
This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy seafood at your next event, all it takes is to be that little bit more conscious of where your food is coming from.
Until next time,
Conscious Events Direct.