The collaboration aims to encourage shoppers to make the best environmental choice when buying the seafood they love.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) – an environmental not-for-profit – is launching its first sustainable seafood cookbook in collaboration with ten sensational chefs from across the globe. It is part of an initiative to encourage and inspire shoppers to commit to making the best environmental choice when buying the seafood they love this year, and beyond.
The Blue Cookbook is a digital collection of ten delicious recipes featuring a variety of species and styles which appeal to a range of preferences and tastes. Options include Nordic mussels, Basque style hake, lobster saffron risotto and steamed halibut with rice wine. Also contained within its pages is the environmental story behind the fish we eat, showing consumers how their actions can have a big ripple effect on ocean health.
Joining the project with award-winning seafood restaurateur, food writer and MSC ambassador, Mitch Tonks, who runs the Rockfish chain of restaurants as well as The Seahorse in Dartmouth, are the Dutch chef, author and entrepreneur Bart van Olphen; South African celebrity chef Siba Mtongana; Swedish chef and culinary director Frida Ronge; and Executive chef Otto Goh from the Shangri-La Hotel Group in China. All those involved are strong advocates for sustainable fishing and responsible sourcing.
Nicolas Guichoux, Chief Programme Officer at the Marine Stewardship Council said: “A new year has arrived, and with it a chance to make better choices for ourselves, our planet and our oceans. We’ve teamed up with ten incredible chefs to launch a unique sustainable seafood cookbook which features delicious, healthy and future-friendly recipes from across the globe. By choosing to buy from sustainable sources, everyone can help make sure the seafood we love can be enjoyed for years to come.”
Mitch Tonks, who has contributed a Basque-style hake recipe to the collection, said: “It’s a real honour to be asked to contribute to this book. there are so many people with common beliefs about sustainability and its nice to be amongst those people.”
His advice to someone new to cooking seafood is: “Don’t worry about it too much, use your oven for ease, the best way to start to cook it is to wrap it in a foil parcel with your favourite ingredients so for a Chinese style you would use spring onion, ginger, soy, Chinese wine and water. Give it a go and you’ll be surprised how easy this method is.”
Bart van Olphen, who has contributed a tuna mas huni recipe to the collection, said: “This book is further proof that everyone on this planet can enjoy seafood, while taking care at the same time. By eating sustainable seafood, we not only maintain a healthy ocean but also support the fishermen and women who need it!”
The ocean is a vital part of human life on our planet. It provides a major source of protein to more than 3 billion people[1], and millions rely on fisheries for their livelihood[2]. However, the oceans are under threat - 34% of global fisheries have been fished beyond sustainable limits, with this trend continuing to worsen slightly[3].
For more than 20 years, the MSC has been tackling the problem of overfishing by incentivizing people to change their behaviour when buying seafood, through its certification and labelling program. Its international collaborative of partners including scientists, NGOs, fisheries, seafood companies, retailers, and restaurants work hand in hand to ensure seafood is wild, delicious, and above all else, sustainable.
References
- UN FAO – State of the World’s Fisheries and Agriculture Report 2020 page 67
- UN FAO – State of the World’s Fisheries and Agriculture Report 2020 page 95
- UN FAO – State of the World’s Fisheries and Agriculture Report 2020 page 7