Summer in southeast Alaska is kelp season for the cofounders of Barnacle Foods, Lia Heifetz and Matt Kern. Each week, the pair watches the tides and weather, waiting for the right moment to cruise out to the abundant kelp beds offshore. They lean over the side of the boat and pull up the fronds and … Read more
With so many options behind the grocery seafood case, it’s hard to know what fish to pick. Tuna steaks look appealing, and salmon is a perennial hit. But if you want to max out on health and sustainably, think smaller… and oilier. Little species like anchovies and sardines are some of the best choices to … Read more
The sea, some say, is the world’s biggest toilet — and that’s a good thing. Because when it comes to keeping ocean ecosystems in tip-top shape, pee is liquid gold. Without urine from fish, whales and other critters, coral reefs and seagrass meadows would struggle. Kelp forests might wither. And there would be fewer phytoplankton, … Read more
Oven-roasted oysters with a lemon butter sauce, fish chowder and baked hake might sound like menu items at a gourmet restaurant, but at two public schools in Martha’s Vineyard, they’re part of a $3 lunch. Each Friday, Chef Jenny DeVivo serves locally caught seafood to roughly 400 children plus teachers and staff at Chilmark and … Read more
Lionfish are decimating native fish in the Caribbean. They also make flaky, buttery filets. A fish that’s unwelcome and tasty? That sounds like a recipe for guilt-free tacos. But lionfish are venomous too, and can carry naturally occurring toxins. Is eating them a good idea? Marine scientists, conservationists and food safety experts echo a resounding … Read more
If you’re a blubber-loving whale-o-phile, the idea of eating whale parts likely sounds horrific. But there is one ocean-friendly way to get your whale fix: Ambergris. This gray, waxy substance forms in the guts of sperm whales, perhaps as a protective coating around squid beaks. The ambergris eventually passes through the whale’s intestines and out into … Read more
Compared to its sporty relatives, the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) is a real clunker: Blind, plodding and unlucky in the looks department. But like the proverbial tortoise racing the hare, this cold-loving species proves that sloth can be a recipe for success. Big and bad Greenland sharks suffer from a toxic reputation — literally. Like … Read more
On March 17, 2015, renowned chefs from around the world gathered at the Basque Culinary Center in San Sebastián, Spain to announce their commitment to Oceana’s Save the Oceans, Feed the World global campaign. Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz, of Mugaritz restaurant in Spain, and Chef Joan Roca, of El Celler de Can Roca restaurant in … Read more
The oceans need help in a big way in 2016. With horrible threats at every turn, we must find support to combat some of the greatest risks to marine life we’ve seen in our lifetime. For a unique perspective on this critical moment, I asked Oceana Senior Advisor Alexandra Cousteau to share her thoughts on … Read more
If you’re starting to get a little curious about how and from where your seafood is caught, you’re not the only one. Four out of five Americans these days say it is important or very important for them to know that their seafood is responsibly caught, according to NPR. But, what does it really mean to … Read more
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We have already protected over 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.