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Each year, we grind up one-third of all ocean-caught fish to feed industrially raised pigs, chickens, and farmed fish. That's 30 million tonnes of fish turned into fishmeal and oil. What a waste.
So tomorrow at the Science Bloggers conference in North Carolina, Shifting Baselines will launch and…
The subject of food waste is not sexy. Anyone faced with the statistic that we waste 40% of our food in America is almost certainly appalled - for a second or two. But they also probably stop thinking about it just a tiny second later, probably after a moment of thinking "not us, though." And…
They look as appetizing as a cactus and taste like low tide, but not even that has been enough to keep New Brunswick's green sea urchins out of a prickly predicament.This was the lede to an interesting story on urchin overfishing in yesterday's Seafood News. The article goes on to explain the sea…
"It is funny, but not that funny."
Eric's comment does not stop my uncontrollable giggling. My step-mother comes over to see why I'm hysterical. She agrees with Eric - it is funny, but not funny enough to explain why tears of laughter are literally coming out of my eyes.
I'm reading a passage in…
Saw an interesting program on TV about the operation of a Pollock factory trawler. They were bringing in huge numbers of pollock. I recall the figure of 100 tons per haul. They showed the 24/7 processing ovperation which is partially automated and partially handwork standing up for 15 hour shifts. No part of the fish leaves the ship except in a labeled container ready for the buyer: boxes of frozen fillets, boxes of ready to fry squares for McDonalds, Sacks of fish meal from the leavings, etc. These all add up to make a break even operation. The profit is in the ovaries, which were quick frozen and shipped to Japan in boxes. The ovaries sell for over $200/pound and are the profit to the operation.
This particular fishmeal is basically a byproduct, not the goal of the fishery. It struck me; however, given the value of the ovaries, that pollock fishing must focus on prespawning schools.
Jennifer, maybe you can tie that work to this new study showing that increased regular feedings isn't necessarily good for pigs. Let the pigs forage throughout the day, and if they can figure out how to catch sardines more power to them. Otherwise, roots, apples and acorns.