Article content continued

Let’s not forget, Mother Nature gives us wild fish, but it isn’t our right to harvest it all. If our growing population wants to keep eating fish (and I certainly want to) the future is farming. I know that’s a massive statement to uncover and understand, but it’s one we need to fully appreciate before we form our opinion or perceived opinion. Yes, there are challenges, yes there are risks, but the good of farming fish far outweighs the bad of the past.

If we don’t dig in and ask the tough questions, understand the mistakes and build a path forward then all we have is environmental crusades and fear that forms our opinions.

In my opinion, one of the only ways we can continue to consume seafood with any sense of sustainability is to only consume seafood that is responsibly farmed, responsibly harvested and maybe most importantly, understood.

We have to remember, globally, the sustainable seafood movement is only two decades old. In 2005, Ocean Wise was created using the science and marine biology behind the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program, filtering that science through a Canadian lens and recommending the best choices.

In 1997, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) was formed through leadership of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and pioneered the development of a rigorous science-based standard for environmentally responsible and sustainable fishing.

Today, more than 400 fisheries around the world, landing nearly 12 million tonnes of seafood annually, are engaged with the MSC — but that’s still only 14 per cent of the global, wild-marine catch. It’s only been since 2012 that the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) — also developed through WWF leadership — standard has been available to farmers. As a chef, I look to these transparent, science-based standards for guidance and education.