Saving Seafood

International Collaboration Sheds Light on Ocean Acidification’s Impact on Shellfish

April 10, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Emilien Pousse has been fascinated by the sea since learning to scuba dive with his father. He wasn’t always as keen on computer programming.

Yet here he is, a post-doctoral researcher from France, working to calibrate a computer model that describes the energy budgets of two commercially important shellfish – oysters and surfclams.

But first, he must know more about the consequences of ocean acidification on the metabolism and shell development of these creatures. He’s in the process of conducting those experiments with shellfish experts at the NEFSC Milford Lab.

Back in France, Emilien pursued his master’s degree with a math professor who required students to learn computer modeling skills. While some students enjoyed it, initially Emilien did not. Despite this, his internship advisor convinced him to apply for a Ph.D. project in the marine ecology doctoral program at Université de Bretagne Occidentale in Brest, France, though the project also involved modeling.

After conducting experiments for his dissertation, Emilien persevered in learning computer programming and discovered the dynamic energy budget theory on which his shellfish model is based.

“Little by little, I understood computer modeling,” Emilien says. When he began to see it as a tool to understand how oysters function, learning became easier. “I needed to learn some new skills to understand computer modeling, but it allowed me to learn more about the physiological processes of oysters and other marine animals,” Emilien reflected.

Oysters are a major industry in France. In 2012, a large bloom of Alexandrium minutum, a toxic algae known to cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, caused the oyster fishery in the Bay of Brest to close for several weeks during the summer and led to considerable economic disruption.

This algal bloom inspired Emilien’s doctoral work, which focused on modeling the accumulation of paralytic shellfish toxins in oysters. His dissertation was part of a multidisciplinary project, which engaged marine biologists, policy experts and researchers studying food safety.

While he was wrapping up his dissertation, a group of collaborators from the Milford Lab, led by lab director and shellfish expert Gary Wikfors, visited the university to conduct an experiment. The lab has a 25-year long (and counting) collaborative relationship with researchers in France. A colleague who had previously conducted research in Milford introduced Emilien to the group. Research chemist Shannon Meseck mentioned that she was looking for a post-doctoral researcher to work on a modeling project with shellfish, which was exactly the opportunity that Emilien had been looking for.

While driving home from that meeting, he weighed whether to apply for the job. The opportunity would mean moving thousands of miles away from home for two years. Ultimately, the excitement of coming to the United States and working with scientists in Milford won out. Emilien knew the project would allow him to grow as a researcher, flex his computer modeling skills, and expand his knowledge to understand the effects of ocean acidification. He was also excited to experience American culture and live close to New York City.

Although Emilien is currently studying the Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, a native of the US East Coast, he admits his favorite oyster to eat is the European flat oyster, Ostrea edulis. No matter the species, he likes to eat oysters on the half shell, with a little bit of vinegar and shallots. Emilien hopes the results of his research will help shellfish growers plan and be resilient in the face of a changing ocean.

Story originally posted by NOAA Fisheries 

The ocean is full of drifting DNA. The United States needs to collect it, researchers say

January 23, 2019 —  U.S. government agencies monitoring fisheries, endangered species, and environmental impacts ought to leverage the DNA present in every drop of seawater, say the organizers of a conference on marine environmental DNA (eDNA), held at Rockefeller University in New York City in November 2018. Biological surveys based on eDNA are reliable and poised to cut costs and save time, they argue in a report released last week.

The report calls for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other government agencies that survey marine life to add the technology to their standard palette of assessment techniques.

“We are exploring all pathways to get the critical information of what animals are where and how many there are,” says conference attendee Michael Weise, who manages the Office of Naval Research’s Marine Mammals and Biology program in Arlington, Virginia. “We are already developing our capabilities using eDNA and we will continue to push that forward. There are gaps and challenges, but I think they are surmountable in the near term.”

Read the full story at Science

The FDA Warns One of New York’s Most Expensive Restaurants over Seafood Import Violations

October 26, 2017 — SEAFOOD NEWS — One of New York’s most expensive restaurants is in some trouble with the Food and Drug Administration over its fresh fish.

Masa, which earned three Michelin stars for its $595 tasting menu (before drinks and tax), received a warning letter from the FDA dated Oct. 16 alleging violations of federal rules that govern seafood imports. “Your fresh trevally and fresh Katsuwonus pelamis (Katsuo), also known as skipjack tuna or bonito,” the agency wrote in a letter published online this week, “have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have been rendered injurious to health.”

“We take FDA regulations very seriously and, of course, food safety is always a priority. We are working closely with our purveyors in Japan to get this resolved quickly,” said Tina Clabbers, a representative for Masa, in an email.

While the the FDA doesn’t typically regulate individual restaurants, the agency has jurisdiction over seafood importers. Inspectors visited Masa on June 22, according to the letter, which redacted the name of the restaurant’s fish supplier.

The letter doesn’t specify the precise nature of the violation, and a spokesperson in the FDA’s New York district office was not available for comment.

The regulation for which Masa was cited requires fish importers to ensure that foreign suppliers meet the same standards for safety that domestic processors must adhere to. The FDA warning letter says the restaurant “must implement an affirmative step” to comply with the seafood import rules but failed to do so for the aforementioned fresh trevally and Katsuo.

Affirmative steps could include getting records from foreign suppliers about their compliance with FDA standards, inspecting the foreign facility or other actions to verify that the fish is up to code.

High-end sushi chefs have clashed with regulators before over rules that require that fish intended for raw consumption be frozen before serving. The freezing process is intended to kill pathogens. Masa’s 20-plus course omakase menu uses ingredients “only in their freshest most delicious state,” according to its website.

New York City health inspectors gave Masa an A grade in July 2016. The health department did not cite any violations regarding fresh fish.

This story originally appeared on Seafoodnews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

 

Increased whale sightings in New York City waters a sign of cleaner waters

July 6, 2017 — New video shows a diver off the coast of Tasmania coming face to face with a whale recently in a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.

But you don’t have to travel to Australia to see these marine giants–they’re now in the waters off New York City.

Though the Hudson River was once a national symbol for pollution, humpback whales have become a more common sight around New York and New Jersey, reports CBS News correspondent Jeff Glor.

A whale sighting may look like an acrobatic display with its fluke set against the city’s skyscrapers, but they’re actually lunge feeding–attacking fish called menhaden.

“One of the things that brings everything together is this food chain,” said Paul Sieswerda, the president of the non-profit Gotham Whale. He says menhaden are thriving because the water is cleaner.

Read the full story at CBS This Morning

At the UN Ocean Conference, Recognizing an Unseen Pollutant: Noise

June 9, 2017 — As we mark World Oceans Day today, it is safe to say that of all the threats facing the world’s oceans in the 21st Century, the most tangible (and visible) of these is pollution. Televised images of oil spills in a once-pristine location have become the very definition of environmental disaster, while firsthand encounters with plastics and debris on a beach or floating offshore serve to remind us that no corner of the earth is completely free of human-produced refuse.

Pollution is also a major topic of discussion at this week’s United Nations Ocean Conference in New York City. The event brings together governmental leaders, conservationists, scientists, and others from all corners of the globe to focus on the ocean, its future, and sustainable development.

The discussions include efforts to conserve the world’s oceans, seas, and marine resources while minimizing threats such as climate change, overfishing, and a frightening array of pollutants ranging from solid waste runoff, hazardous chemicals, wastewater, and plastics that all flow seaward from our cities, farms, and coastal dwellings.

Some UN delegates are also focusing on another kind of pollution, one that is invisible and temporary but devastating to many marine animals: noise. Noise pollution has to be recognized as a threat to whales, dolphins, and other species, and was the focus of a specific workshop at the UN conference that my colleagues and I at Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) organized with a number of partners last February.

Whales, which live in and migrate between marine habitats (some with considerable levels of maritime transport and other industrial activities), are particularly at risk from noise. These underwater blasts can disrupt behaviors and prevent these marine mammals from finding food and communicating with one another.

Read the full story at National Geographic 

The Hawaiian raw-fish dish poke is having a moment

December 27, 2016 — Pokéworks, which started in New York City and is growing rapidly, with locations across the country, is now bringing Hawaiian raw-fish salad to Somerville. At dinnertime, the line can snake out of the small, brightly lit restaurant with its cheery neon sign and fresh white tile walls.

Poke (pronounced poh-keh) is the latest craze in the world of customizable fast-casual. If you’ve eaten at a Bon Me, or a Chipotle, you know the drill: Pick your protein and build up your bowl or burrito with fixings.

And yes, you can get a “burrito” at Pokéworks, one filled with some combination of raw salmon, tuna, scallops, and shrimp. A machine emblazoned with the Pokéworks logo presses sushi rice (or brown rice, or quinoa) onto a seaweed wrapper. Then the giant sushi roll makes its way down the assembly line, where employees add toppings such as edamame, seaweed, and crab salad before rolling it up in parchment.

An informal poll shows people generally find this concept either delightful or disgusting. We’re mostly curious, so we start with a wasabi shrimp and scallop sushi burrito ($10.95) from the “Signature Works” side of the menu — pre-picked combinations that you have rolled up or spooned over rice, quinoa, or salad greens. The big mouthfuls of unseasoned wet scallops and tiny raw shrimp aren’t appetizing. The roll is augmented with scallions and sweet onion, masago (roe), edamame, and wasabi aioli, but it lacks flavor.

Tuna’s Declining Mercury Contamination Linked to U.S. Shift Away from Coal

November 23, 2016 — Levels of highly toxic mercury contamination in Atlantic bluefin tuna are rapidly declining, according to a new study. That trend does not affect recommended limits on consumption of canned tuna, which comes mainly from other tuna species. Nor does it reflect trends in other ocean basins. But it does represent a major break in the long-standing, scary connection between tuna and mercury, a source of public concern since 1970, when a chemistry professor in New York City found excess levels of mercury in a can of tuna and spurred a nationwide recall. Tuna consumption continues to be the source of about 40 percent of the mercury contamination in the American diet. And mercury exposure from all sources remains an important issue, because it causes cognitive impairment in an estimated 300,000 to 600,000 babies born in this country each year.

The new study, published online on November 10 by Environmental Science & Technology, links the decline directly to reduced mercury emissions in North America. Most of that reduction has occurred because of the marketplace shift by power plants and industry away from coal, the major source of mercury emissions. Pollution control requirements imposed by the federal government have also cut mercury emissions.

Progress on both counts could, however, reverse, with President-elect Donald Trump promising a comeback for the U.S. coal industry, in part by clearing away such regulations.

For the new study, a team of a half-dozen researchers analyzed tissue samples from nearly 1,300 Atlantic bluefin tuna taken by commercial fisheries, mostly in the Gulf of Maine, between 2004 and 2012. They found that levels of mercury concentration dropped by more than 2 percent per year, for a total decline of 19 percent over just nine years.

Read the full story at Scientific American

Bourdain Says It’s Ok to Eat Fish on Mondays Now, But Maybe Skip the Mussels

November 14th, 2016 — The year 2000 was such a different time. Palm pilots were the future. Survivor made its television debut. The country was feeling deeply divided after a highly contested and close presidential race. (Err, ignore that last one.)

Either way, a lot has changed in 16 years. Case in point? Anthony Bourdain.

The mega-celebrity author/TV host/food personality first rose to prominence in the year 2000 when his New York Times bestseller Kitchen Confidential: Adventures In the Culinary Underbelly painted an honest, if less-than-rosy, picture of the cutthroat food service industry in New York City.

Among all the wisdom and anecdotes he shared in his first book however, the one that most people probably remember best was this thoughtful piece of advice: Don’t eat fish on Mondays.

Bourdain reasoned that because fish markets don’t make deliveries on the weekends, there’s a better-than-not chance that when you order that filet at a restaurant on Monday, it’s not as fresh as it could be.

Now however, Bourdain has changed his tune. In a Tech insider video, Bourdain lays out his argument in favor of ordering fish on Mondays, citing the big changes in the restaurant scene, consumer tastes, and suppliers over the last sixteen years.

Still, he says, “I’m not suggesting that you go to, you know, Monday at the local fake Irish pub—they’re running a mussels special. Maybe that’s still not such a great idea.”

But overall, as he puts it “it’s a better world. You know, we have higher standards. We know more about food. We expect more of our food.” He goes on to add, “The market has had to respond to that, it can’t get away with serving us the crap they used to.”

Read the full story at Bravo 

Filming starts soon for New Hampshire Fish and Game reality show

May 13, 2016 — New Hampshire conservation officers and wildlife biologists are gearing up to be the focus of a reality TV show, while a similar program in Maine winds down amid questions of whether the filming contributed to controversial poaching raids in 2014.

“We are scheduled to begin filming later this month – we have not determined an exact start date – and will continue through spring, summer and fall,” said Maj. John Wimsatt, assistant chief of law enforcement for the Fish and Game Department.

Filming will be done by Engel Entertainment of New York City, the production company behind North Woods Law, a long-running program on the Animal Planet channel about the Maine Warden Service.

Steven Engel, the company’s president, said that while Animal Planet had not signed a contract to continue the show with a New Hampshire angle, he was confident it would be broadcast.

Read the full story at the Concord Monitor

MASSACHUSETTS: Chinese delegation tours Gloucester’s seafood businesses

April 26, 2016 — GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Zhang Minjing, a consul in China’s consulate general’s office in New York City, did a little homework before making the journey to Gloucester on Monday as part of a visiting delegation of Chinese government and seafood executives.

And what did he learn from his research on America’s Oldest Seaport?

“I know that Gloucester is very famous for its lobster and fishing industry,” Zhang said. “I know that people are very industrious. They’re hard working. I found the mayor very enthusiastic and very good at her job at promoting her businesses here.”

It appears China has taken notice of Gloucester and its bounty of fresh seafood, especially the lobsters for which the Chinese population seems to have an insatiable — and growing — appetite.

Consider: In 2009, U.S. lobster exports to China totaled a minuscule $2 million. Five years later, it hit about $90 million, with estimates for future annual growth pegged at roughly 15 percent a year.

Read the full story in the Gloucester Daily Times