Invasive? No, sustainable!

Sushi eaters, are you aware of the fact that some of your favorite eats—such as yummy bluefin tuna—are being overfished, in large part due to the huge demand for sushi fish? Bun Lai, chef/owner of Miya’s Sushi in New Haven, Conn., knows this and is doing some inventive things about it.

The sustainability minded chef began adding seafood species viewed as invasive—such as whelks and periwinkles—to his restaurant’s menu. They are plentiful and tasty, and eating invasive species “help[s] to restore and regenerate habitats,” said Lai. “Today we eat very few species, like tuna. … And because of it, we’re having a horrifically damaging impact on the living planet.”

So, do your homework on invasive West Coast species of crabs, shellfish and so on, and suggest that your favorite local sushi place get really creative and sustainable with its menu. Who knows? Maybe an (invasive) Carcinus maenas crab roll will soon appear on its specials board. Exciting!

Source: Grist.org