As we celebrate the Ocean this month at First Friday Art Walk and as part of we look at what it means for a seafood restaurant to be sustainable, it means that the restaurant is operating with practices that promote the long-term health of our oceans, fisheries, and seafood supply chains. Specifically, a sustainable seafood restaurant adopts the following practices to ensure the long-term sustainability of seafood and the health of our oceans.
- Sources seafood responsibly: A sustainable seafood restaurant sources its seafood from sustainable fisheries, or from sources that have been certified by credible third-party organizations such as the Marine Stewardship Council or the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
- Prioritizes locally sourced seafood: A sustainable seafood restaurant aims to source its seafood locally when possible to reduce the carbon footprint and support the local economy.
- Avoids serving endangered species: A sustainable seafood restaurant does not serve endangered species, and avoids serving seafood that is overfished or caught using harmful fishing methods such as bottom trawling or drift nets.
- Minimizes seafood waste: A sustainable seafood restaurant aims to minimize seafood waste by using every part of the fish and minimizing leftovers.
- Educates customers: A sustainable seafood restaurant educates its customers about sustainable seafood choices and the importance of responsible fishing practices.
