I visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium recently, after far too much time away. The visit was prompted by the juvenile great white shark they have on exhibit for a limited time – a stunning creature, but the jellies were no less fascinating, and the seahorses were just downright mesmerizing. One other thing that struck me, however, was the depth and breadth of information throughout the entire facility about sustainable seafood.
Of course, the Seafood and Sushi Watch pocket guides were everywhere (The aquarium estimates that they’ve distributed more than 32 million of them since 1999), but there were also several exhibits speaking directly to the issue of ocean health, all of them age specific – not easy to do for little ones – and informative. One in particular was an interactive experience enacting a visit to a restaurant. (Apologies for the photo quality below, but you’ll get the idea.) “Patrons” took their seat and not only responded to choices on the “menu” screens, but also watched videos from three “chefs” explaining their choices, or lack thereof, regarding sustainable seafood. Yeah, maybe a bit schlocky for anyone who already had a fair amount of information on the subject, but there were sure a lot of people sitting down and experiencing the entire presentation!
In other news, the Monterey Bay Aquarium was a significant force behind California Assemblymember Bill Monning’s (D-Carmel) recent efforts to get a Sustainable Seafood Bill passed through the state legislation and signed by Governor Schwarzenegger. Policy wonks can link to the bill’s full text or summary, but in short it establishes an Ocean Protection Council (OPC) to develop and implement a voluntary sustainable seafood promotion program, including support for developing a standardized protocol for labeling sustainable seafood, as well as marketing support, and loan possibilities for fisheries wishing to become certified.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium also just released some good news about the state of our oceans in Turning the Tide, which was summarized thusly: “Our oceans are increasingly affected by human activities—primarily the ways we catch and farm seafood. Today, fish and other populations of ocean wildlife, from turtles to seabirds, are imperiled. Yet we appear to have reached a turning point, with many signs of hope for the future. Fishermen and consumers, businesses and governments recognize the threats. They are charting a new course, and cooperating in new ways.”
Finally … think you know your sustainable seafood? Test your smarts with this quiz! Also, the Seafood/Sushi Pocket Guides are downloadable in .pdf format (some also in Spanish) and now there’s an iPhone app available as well.