Sustainable Seafood- The End of the Line

opihi cooking hawaiian style

Love seafood? Most likely, you do. Hawai’i has a rich tradition of creating delicious dishes from the sea’s bounty; residents and visitors alike love experiencing local culture through ahi poke bowls, mahi mahi sandwiches, opihi barbeques, and more.

But with the current rate of industrial fishing and ever higher populations’ demands on the world’s fisheries, will there be any fish left for us to enjoy in the future?

Though our oceans seem vast and limitless, 90% of the world’s fisheries are fully exploited, overexploited or have already collapsed. In addition, many industrial fishing methods like bottom trawling damage the habitat of fishes, and accidental catch of non targeted species remove even more fish and ocean animals from the ocean’s own food chain. But short of dropping seafood from our diet completely, what can we do to help our oceans recover?

The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program helps consumers and businesses choose seafood that's fished or farmed in ways that protect sea life and habitats, now and for future generations. Their recommendations, researched by fishermen and scientists, indicate which seafood items are "Best Choices" or "Good Alternatives," and which ones you should "Avoid" for now. (Courtesy, Seafood Watch program© 2015, Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation)

This grassroots movement takes advantage of consumer’s power to influence the demand for seafood that was raised or caught in environmentally sustainable ways. When you shop for fish at a grocery store or dine out at your favorite seaside restaurant, ask this simple question- “Do you serve sustainable seafood?” – to make choices for healthy oceans. To keep Seafood Watch recommendations at your fingertips, download the app so you can always know where your seafood is coming from.

seafood watch logo

Trilogy Excursions is proud to be a part of this global effort. We serve sustainably caught seafood on our new Captains Sunset Dinner Sail, and recently became Conservation Partners with Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. You can dine and sail with us, watching the sun slide below the horizon on a tropical night, and know that you’re doing your part to protect the oceans and fisheries. We are also ready to provide information and sustainable seafood pocket guides to our guests interested in taking this important step for ocean food chain health and for wild, vibrant oceans for future generations.

Trilogy's Captain's Sunset Dinner Sail

For now, remember that making choices for healthy oceans doesn’t mean giving up tasty, flavorful seafood dishes- it just means being smart by choosing sustainable, and local options. For inspiration, check out this recipe from Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Cooking For Solutions celebrity chef event. (Courtesy, Seafood Watch program© 2015, Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation)

poke pie

Sam Choy’s Poke Pie

1 ¼ lbs. sashimi grade ahi *, minced

½ cup lump crab meat *, shredded

2 tbsp. tobiko (flying fish roe), separated

1 meduim onion, peeled, chopped

¾ cup sliced green onion

¾ cup mayonnaise

2 ½ tbsp shoyu (soy sauce)

2 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. Sriracha sauce

½ cup wasabi furikake

4 cups cooked rice

2 tbsp. sesame seeds

1 pkg. Korean seasoned nori (optional)

Combine ahi, crab meat, 1 tablespoon tobiko, onion, ½ cup green onion, mayonnaise, shoyu, sesame oil and Sriracha sauce in a medium size bowl. Cover and refrigerate. The poke should rest and marinate for at least 30 minutes. The remaining tobiko and green onions not used in the poke should be set aside, they will be used to garnish the finished dish.

To assemble and serve:

Sprinkle wasabi furikake over bottom of a 9 inch diameter pie pan; add cooked rice and spread evenly. Spread a layer of poke evenly over rice. Sprinkle top with remaining tobiko and green onions, and sesame seeds. Chill. For individual servings, set out 4 to 6 small plates and place a piece of seasoned nori on each plate. Spoon some poke pie onto each plate. For a family- style presentation, simply set pie on table and let the family enjoy.

* Seafood WatchⓇ recommends troll or pole- caught yellowfin tuna (also known as ahi) from the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific and wild caught blue crab from Chesapeake Bay, Dungeness crab from the U.S. and trap- caught stone crab from the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.

-Kelly Montenero