Should Chefs Serve Chilean Sea Bass?

The discussion around the sustainability of Chilean Sea Bass is heated and
contentious. The major players involved in the discussion include chefs, fishermen, environmentalists, seafood wholesalers, and the general public. Of course each group has their own perspective on the topic, as well as their own definition of what sustainable Chilean Sea Bass actually means.

Sustainable Seafood
Definitions

The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Program is probably the best known resource for defining sustainable seafood. They list Chilean Sea Bass as "avoid" for several reasons. First, the species has been over fished and because of the
slow-growing nature of the fish it takes longer than other commercial species to propagate itself. Secondly, it is on the "avoid list" because of the two most common fishing techniques which are often used. Unmodified bottom longlines result in the unintended death of endangered albatross and other seabirds. And bottom trawling damages the seafloor habitat.

It should be noted that at the bottom of the Monterey Aquarium's page on Chilean Sea Bass they have a paragraph about a small fishery which offers certified sustainable Chilean Sea Bass as certified by the MSC. Strict environmentalists will say that the MSC is in the pockets of the seafood industry and that we should discount their certification on seafood. The MSC certification however is not easy to get and requires a detailed analysis of the specific species, the environmental impact of fishing upon the species, the impact of by-catch upon other species, and many other
variables.

Chef's Perspective on Sustainable
Seafood

From a chef's perspective we are torn from a desire to utilize the fantastic flavor and texture of this fish, the desire to provide our customers with fantastic product, and the necessity of being good stewards of the Earth's food sources. As chefs, it is our responsibility first of all to be informed and educated regarding the products which we use. Are they quality products? Are they safe products? Do they come from trustworthy sources? Are they sustainable? What is our definition of sustainable? All of these are important questions for today's executive chef to know the answer to so that we can respond to questions from our guests and our staff.

Our second responsibility is the training of those around us, not only of our kitchen staff but also of the front of the house staff and our guests. As we become more educated about the sustainability of foods, and make decisions which affect our restaurant and menus, we need to pass our thought process on to those around us. Some chefs will choose not to serve items like Chilean Sea Bass at all, others will choose to serve only Chilean Sea Bass which is certified sustainable, and still others will choose simply to serve whatever Chilean Sea Bass they can get their hands on with no consideration of sustainability. Regardless of which camp you fall into, as a chef you should research the topic and have an adequate explanation for your thought process to pass on to your crew and to your customers.

Ultimately, it is our responsibility to do what we can to protect all species for future generations to enjoy. Whether this means complete abstinence from specific species, or using only certified sustainable products is a choice for each chef to make individually. But hopefully the majority of us will choose to be responsible and not to run any species into extinction.