On January 3, 1959, “Seward’s Folly” was transformed from an expanse of land known for its native human cultures, rich mineral and natural resources, and spectacular wild beauty into the 49th American state. In honor of Alaska’s upcoming 50th birthday, a number of cultural and tourism groups have organized special exhibits, events and outings - including expanded museums in Anchorage and Fairbanks, a number of increased amenities for tourism and travel throughout the state, craft fairs featuring works by local native artists, wildlife viewing, ski competitions, and more.
One of our favorite events includes the launch of the new 80 foot cruise yacht, the excellently named M/V Alaskan Harvest from Parker Guide Service. The cruises range from day trips to a week or longer, and are tailored to customer interests - photography, fishing, wildlife viewing and sightseeing.
While no official relationship exists between M/V Alaskan Harvest and her namesake, Alaskan Harvest Seafoods, both emphasize conservation, sustainability, and respect and appreciation for the incredible natural beauty that is the Alaskan wild.
Consumer consciousness has come a long way from the days when “organic” meant a small, grumpy apple with worm spots or impossible-to-find specialty grains sold in bins at the rear of health food stores. The Green movement, increased education about health and agricultural practices, and the undeniable boost of becoming chic have all helped to elevate the demand for organic goods - and not just in the produce aisle. Dairy goods, grains, wines, meat products, clothing, even paper products and inks can carry the “organic” label, certified by dubiously rigorous state- and third-party organizations. This year, over $23 billion worth of organic goods were sold in the U.S. alone.
However, the USDA, the Organic Trade Association, and a variety of environmental and fishery groups are struggling to reach an agreement on how organic certification can be extended to include seafood. With meats, poultry, and dairy products, the primary issue is what the animals themselves eat: is the feed organically grown and processed, or not? Because wild fish, arguably the most healthful and, in a sense, “cleanest” varieties of seafood available on the market, eat wild food in wild waters, they cannot be said to be “organic” in the same way that free-range chickens on organic-feed diets lay “organic” eggs.
Farmed fish, on the other hand, which live in close-quartered pens or tanks, have mushier flesh due to a lack of wild-water exercise, and are usually genetically similar to one another (and therefore more susceptible to disease), do not find food on their own. Rather, they are fed by their “farmers,” and so, in some cases, could potentially be called “organic” according to the conditions set as precedent by other meat industries. This would hold true for vegetarian fish only, of course, such as tilapia or catfish. Carnivorous fish, like salmon, couldn’t be categorized as “organic” under these rules unless the fish they ate had in turn been farmed and fed organic feed.
The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has recently issued a recommendation claiming that certain feeds and net pens be included under the definition of organic foods. This decision was lauded by fish farmers eager to capitalize on the public demand for organic products, but has been severely criticized by fisheries, consumer activists, and environmental groups looking to support wild fisheries and maintain the purity of the organic label. Other issues include leniency in the recommendations regarding the percentage of organic matter included in the feeds - other industries are required to use 100% organic feed materials, while this would not necessarily apply to the fish standards. While no official decision has yet been made on the issue, the USDA is taking it under consideration; finalizing the standards could take a few more years.
The chemical melamine has been found in an increasing number of products imported to the United States from China, including milk products, baby formula, and pet foods. Melamine, primarily used in the production of certain plastics, glues, and flame retardants, has been found to cause kidney problems, eye, skin, or respiratory irritation, and reproductive damage, and is carcinogenic with prolonged exposure.
A recent report suggests that melamine may have been used to “bulk up” certain farmed fish foods, increasing the likelihood that the toxins will be passed on to human consumers. Unlike cattle or pigs, who metabolize the chemical after eating it, melamine residues are found in the flesh of fish who have consumed it, and thus may pass the toxicity on to humans.
Chinese fish exports include certain frozen shrimp, tilapia, catfish, salmon, and other seafood products. While the FDA has not yet made an official statement regarding the potential for contamination, consumers are cautioned to take care when purchasing frozen fish of unknown or Chinese origin. While many fish importers willingly test for melamine in their products, this testing is not yet required by the FDA.
People often turn to eating more seafood when they are ready to take better care of themselves and their families through diet. Low-fat and -cholesterol preparations can increase those benefits, and can be simple for novice seafood cooks. Baking is a great way to get started, and is fool-proof as long as you take care to follow a few simple guidelines.
1. Sear it first. If you have a nice thick fillet of halibut or salmon, for example, you want to keep as many of the natural juices inside as you can. You don’t want to fry the fish, but heating a tiny amount of oil in a heavy skillet and then quickly searing the fish on both sides can help reduce drying in the oven, and adds a nice touch of flavor, especially if you’ve dusted the fillet in herbs or salt and pepper.
2. Coat it. The only thing that can really go wrong with baked fish is drying and toughening. One way to avoid this is to cover the fish in some kind of sauce or glaze while it’s in the oven - mayonnaise is a common choice, as it brown nicely and adds a creaminess to the crisped edges of the fish. Try low-fat varieties if you’re on a stricter diet. Other choices include creamy salad dressings, steak marinades, and a carpet of thin lemon slices.
3. Steam it. Another variation on baked fish is foil-steaming. This is particularly great for whole fish such as trout or snapper. Clean, gut, and score the fish, rinse it well in cold water, and then season - garlic, herbs, lemons, soy sauce, ginger, scallions, brown sugar, or chilies are all great additi
![[del.icio.us]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[Google]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/google.png)
![[MySpace]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myspace.png)
![[Newsvine]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/newsvine.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Twitter]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/twitter.png)
![[Yahoo!]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
![[Email]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)
