The Bristol Bay watershed is an area of importance for Alaska’s wildlife. In recent months there has been controversy over an enormous open pit mine, called the Pebble Project.
The area in question is in fact one of the worlds biggest spawning grounds for wild salmon. As many as 40 million fish can be found there in a season. The area is beautiful and pristine and has largely been untouched. However this may change. A Canadian company by the name of Northern Dynasty Ltd, reports finding one of the Worlds largest mineral deposits of gold, copper and molybdenum. They are planning to build a large open pit known as the pebble project, it would be 2 miles across and 2000 feet deep.
There are fears that the project would severely harm the fisheries. The group called Renewable Resources Coalition is opposed and is lobbying the government to stop the project. The group is currently organizing a fundraising ball this November.
The Pebble partnership states that it is working with the local communities and environmental groups to protect the areas wildlife. There’s no question though that it will indeed create wealth and jobs for the State of Alaska.
This debate has been featured in National as well as local newspapers and will surely continue. The Bristol bay area produces 30% of the wild salmon and is valued at $216 million. However the mine has an estimated value of $300 billion.
On a final note though, it is worth pointing out that wild salmon is a renewable resource.
Fresh halibut fillets, marinated and then glazed with a sweet and salty melon flavored sauce. Other firm white fish can also be used. Halibut is low in fat and calories but is an excellent source of good quality protein. It is considered a lean fish and does contain some heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. A 6 oz. halibut fillet is also chock-full of vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, thiamin, riboflavin, folate and vitamin A.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Midori (melon liqueur)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
8 halibut filets
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup low sodium vegetable stock
Honeydew melon slices, for garnish
Cantaloupe Salsa:
1 1/2 cups cantaloupe, diced
1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup sweet red onion, diced
1 green onion, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, minced
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine Midori, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic in a small mixing bowl and mix well to combine.
Season halibut with salt and pepper and then place halibut in a large zip lock plastic bag and pour 1/2 of the marinade over halibut.
Seal bag and let marinate for 30 minutes. Add remaining marinade and stock to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to a glaze consistency.
Place about 1/3 of glaze in a separate bowl and reserve. Remove halibut from marinade and generously brush with glaze.
Place halibut on a baking sheet lined with foil. Generously brush with glaze from saucepan and place in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Turn fish over and generously brush with glaze. Bake until desired doneness.
Place halibut fillets on plates, drizzle with a little glaze, garnish with honeydew melon slices and a big scoop of the cantaloupe salsa.
Serve with brown rice and vegetables.
This Recipe has been kindly provided by Amanda of Nourish, she’s a dietitian and great cook based in British Columbia, Canada for more great recipes go to http://dosesofnourishment.blogspot.com/
A paper to be published in the August Edition of The American Journal of Pathology suggests that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids reduces retinal lesions in mice. These Mice are designed to have macular degeneration allowing scientists to discover future therapies. By decreasing the lesions it is thought to decrease age related macular degeneration. Age related macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness in older adults. In fact it is estimated that 10% of people between the ages of 66-74 years will develop the condition.
While the study is in mice it’s definitely worth increasing omega-3 in the diet as it also decreases the risk of heart disease and helps keep our triglycerides down and now it could be protective to our precious eyes.
At present a large multi-center trial in humans is underway, called Age Related Eye Disease Study 2 (ARED 2) looking at the effects of supplementing high doses of macular xanthophils and or omega-3. It hopes to include 4000 participants between the ages of 50-85 years and follow them for the next 5- 6 years.
So, for the time being, we will wait to find out the outcome of this landmark study, to obtain more definitive guidelines and to help spread the news about the benefits of seafood!
Humans have been eating crustaceans (lobsters, crab and shrimp) since prehistoric times-in fact the ancient Greeks and Romans were particularly fond of them. Crab cakes were historically made with bread, spices and other seafood as fillers, depending on availability and price of crab.
Maryland is probably the most famous area for crab cakes. It often uses Old Bay seasoning, an American tradition. The Spice company was started in 1939 by a German Immigrant by the name of Gustav Brunn, and the name came from a steamship line that traveled the Chesapeake bay. Today some 50 million ounces are sold annually.
The Alaskan King crab is highly sought after due to its meaty claws and legs, and along with Dungeness crab, make great crab cakes.
Ingredients:
One pack of Old Bay Crab Cake seasoning
3 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 lb of crab meat
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
fresh lemon juice
Method:
Mix Crab meat with all the above ingredients
Make patties and lightly saute in olive oil for about 7 min on each side.
This is such a simple dish, its great with salad, rice and seasoned vegetables, or also in a sandwich. The leftovers are a great addition to macaroni and cheese.
New Research suggests that a diet rich in fish may decrease the future development of dementia. The results of an observational study involving 15,000 older adults 65 years and above show that those who ate fish regularly had less dementia.
The study looked at people from China, India, Cuba, Venezuela, Peru and The Dominican Republic. Those who ate fish daily had 20% less risk of developing dementia and those who ate fish a few times a week had a 20% less risk compared to those who never ate fish.
In fact there was a gradient effect. Namely, the more fish that was eaten the lower the risk of getting dementia-the opposite effect of red meat. In particular oily fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines and tuna rich in omega 3 were better.
Just another reason to eat and enjoy Alaskan fish on a regular basis.
Fish cakes can be made of any type of fish or seafood such as salmon, tuna, halibut, crab and cod. It was traditionally made as a way to use up left over fish and potatoes. Fish cakes can either be fried in batter, or breaded, with or without potatoes. It is truly an international dish, featured in Thai cuisine as Tod Man pla or spicy fish cakes. Its known as fish cutlets in India and fish cakes In Europe and America. In fact the varieties of fish and different flavors that can be created are endless, so go on experient and have fun.
Here’s a spicy version to get you going:
Spicy Thai Inspired Fish Cakes
Ingredients:
1-2 cups of tuna or salmon chunks
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red onion
a little flour about a tablespoon
salt
1 tablespoon Thai peanut sauce
2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 spoon soy sauce
a little chili oil
1/2 chopped tomato
some fresh cilantro
1/2 a red chili
1 beaten egg
Method:
mix all ingredients in bowl, then add a little flour and beaten egg (to hold it together)
make little patties with the mixture
lightly pan fry it in olive oil until golden for about 5 minutes on each side
This is a very tasty and quick dish rich in omega 3 fatty acids. It could be eaten as a sandwich, over a salad, with rice and vegetables or even with mashed potatoes and vegetables.
Omega 3 fatty acids also known as n-3 have a carbon to carbon double bond in the n-3 position hence their name. They are considered to be essential nutrients and need to be obtained from food. Good sources include, oily fish, enriched eggs, lamb feed on grass, flax and walnuts.
Scientists became interested in these in the 1970’s when it was discovered that people from Greenland ate a lot of seafood and had very low rates of heart disease. Since then many research studies have been completed and will be continued to be done.
Here is a summary of the research thus far:
Cardiovascular disease
Studies show evidence of a positive effect of fish oil intake on cardiovascular disease. In patients with heart disease those that had a higher level of DHA and EPA (omega 3) had a reduction in arrhythmias and fatal heart disease. Also in post menopausal woman weekly fish consumption is associated with a slower progression of atherosclerosis.
Multiple clinical trials have shown that omega 3 intake or supplementation is able to significantly decrease blood triglyceride levels, thus in turn lowering the risk of heart disease.
Epidemiological studies have shown that eating fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, tuna and sardines twice a week is associated with a 30-40% decrease in cardiac events.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
There are a few studies that have shown benefit in COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) but more research is needed.
Cancer
In the case of improving outcomes and increasing lean body mass in cancer patients, the research is inconclusive.
Conclusion
At the present time the focus of improving our intake of fatty fish or omega 3 from plant sources such as flax seed is to disease the risk of heart disease.
Recommended Intake
Enjoy fatty fish twice a week.
Reference:
The American Dietetic Associations Evidence Analysis Library
This avocado dish is very easy to prepare and is ideal to serve as a delicious snack at any time of the day. Aguacates rellenos de camarones are a popular appetizer in Colombia and other parts of South America.
Avocado is high in fat but the good type of fat namely oleic a monounsaturated fat, it is also rich in potassium, vitamin C and vitamin E. Shrimp is low in saturated fat is a good source of Niacin, Iron, Phosphorus and Zinc, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin B12 and Selenium. It does contain a lot of cholesterol and for years people were advised to limit consumption to lower cholesterol but recent evidence shows that dietary cholesterol doesn’t have a significant effect on blood cholesterol. So it can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Ingredients
(Serves 6)
3 ripe avocados
24 shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup finely chopped onion
Juice of 2 limes
3/4 cup salsa rosada (please see below)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
Salt and pepper
Lettuce for Serving
Directions
Bring water to a boil in a small pot. Add the shrimp, cover and turn the heat off. Leave the shrimp in the water for 5 minutes and drain.
In a medium bowl, place the shrimp, onion, salsa rosada, cilantro, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Cut the avocados lengthwise and remove the pit, drizzle with the lime juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the lettuce in a serving plate and place the avocados on top. Fill each avocado with the shrimp mixture.
Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve immediately.
Salsa Rosada
Salsa rosada or golf is a simple mix of ketchup and mayonnaise. It is extremely popular all over Colombia and South America, it is served with various snacks. It taste particularly good served with seafood.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
¼ teaspoon lime juice
Salt
Fresh ground pepper
¼ teaspoon Tabasco (Optional)
DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl combine all the ingredients and mix well.
Season with salt and pepper.
For more wonderful Columbian recipes be sure to check out Erica’s Blog My Columbian Recipes.
Choose smaller seafood that are on the lower end of the food chain, for example clams, oysters, scallops, sardines. Alaskan Harvest Seafood has oysters, clams and scallops. The reason for choosing these is that they tend to have a shorter life cycle and reproduce at a faster rate. Thus fishing will not hurt their populations too much.
Try and eat a variety of different fish and remember variety is the spice of life. Another great reason to do this is the fact that it will decrease the risk of consuming a lot of toxins.
Read your labels and check which country the fish came from, as a rule of thumb fish from the US and Canada will be safer, in fact Alaskan fish is a good choice.
Eat less big fish due to their size and long life they may have accumulated more toxins in their flesh. Studies have shown that the wild fish of the pacific Northwest and Alaska are considered to be safer.
Limit Ahi Tuna as it is near extinction
Don’t eat Farmed salmon
When at the sushi bar, say no to freshwater eel or unagi as again it is near extinction.
So with a little thought and good choices, we can take care of our planet and still eat fish as part of a balanced and varied diet.
The fish from Alaskan Harvest Seafood is line caught and not farm raised, you can buy the best of the native pacific salmon namely King Salmon (also known as Chinook), Silver Salmon (also called Coho) and Sockeye Salmon.
It is very important to choose wild salmon over farmed raised for a number of reasons, here are just a few:
Farm raised salmon are more prone to having infections and lice due to the cramped conditions they are raised in. These diseases can often spread into the wild population. So by supporting wild salmon fishing this will help protect these precious fish.
Wild salmon are antibiotic and growth hormone free and all natural they generally have been shown to contain less PCBs(poly chlorinated biphenyls). In fact a study published in May 2005 reported that the levels of chlorinated pesticides, dioxins, PCBs and other contaminants are up to 10 times greater in farm-raised salmon than in wild Pacific salmon. This is largely due to the poor quality fish meal farm raised fish eat.
Wild Salmon has higher levels of the beneficial omega three fatty acids therefore having a higher health value.
In blind testing amongst food critics and chefs wild salmon has been shown to taste better
Wild salmon has a natural color ranging from pink to orange due to eating krill and scrimp. Whereas farmed salmon often has a grey flesh that needs to have artificial dye added to it. In fact when you buy it you will often read the words “color added” on the label.
The waters the wild Alaskan salmon run in are very clean and low in mercury, therefore wild salmon has been shown to have a lower mercury content. This is an important consideration for pregnant women and children.
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