Fishing For Change

Many of you know that I was in Tampa Bay, Florida last week to celebrate my birthday with my daughter and granddaughter, to meet one of my favorite bloggers (come back on Friday to see who it was!), to visit some of my favorite beaches and to give The Gulf a big, healing hug. Today I want to share a few of the photos I took and talk to you about an issue that affects all of us and what we can each do to help. This isn't about the disastrous oil spill, it is about something else that some of you may not think about when doing your weekly grocery shopping. But first, let's take a look at the beautiful Gulf of Mexico from the Florida Coast!

I'm sure you've all seen spectacular photos of gorgeous sunsets on the West coast, but did you know there are places where you can see the sunrise over the water? Well, not really over the water, it is rising on the East coast, but from the Dunedin Causeway, you can look over the water and see the reflection of the early sun.

As soon as the sun had soothed my weary soul, I headed over to my old stomping grounds — Indian Rocks Beach. I miss walking with the birds in the early morning hours and was not surprised to find Herons, Egrets, Ibis, Gulls and others out and about. I knew the oil was not here, but it made me reflect on those birds who have been suffering further north of where I stood. I was also excited to find a turtle nest had been roped off to protect it's precious eggs.

I then made my way over to Clearwater Beach and it looked magnificent! You can tell from these photos that I was there for a while, watching as the sky got bluer and bluer. I knew the beaches here had not been touched by oil and I wait for the day when the rest of The Gulf will return to its natural beauty.

While saltwater runs through my veins and to me there is nothing better than time at the shore, I know there is much we need to do in our daily lives to protect our oceans and its inhabitants so that future generations can experience the same feelings I have as I breathe in their beauty and reap the rewards of their bounty.

"The right to fish carries with it the obligation to do so in a responsible manner so as to ensure effective conservation and management of the living aquatic resources."

–Food and Agriculture Organization of The United Nations

Did you know the fish you choose at your local grocery store or seafood market has a HUGE impact on our oceans? Do you know there is a really easy way to make sure you're making the responsible choice?

One of my favorite websites to explore is for The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. I've been there numerous times and if you find yourself in the area be sure to add a visit to list of things to do. But the website goes much further than telling you how to plan your visit, it explores many issues and shares valuable information. They are the experts, so rather than trying to tell you in my own words, I'm going to share this information with you:

A Look at the Biggest Challenges—And the Way Forward
The oceans supply us with food, help regulate our climate, and supply a livelihood for millions of people. Just as important, we depend on the oceans for recreation and renewal. But our seas are not the infinite bounty they appear to be. Today, no part of the oceans remain unaffected by human activities. And among the many factors influencing our ocean ecosystems, none has a greater impact than fishing.

Humans have been fishing the oceans for thousands of years. But over the past five decades technology has allowed us to fish farther, deeper and more efficiently than ever before. Scientists estimate that we have removed as much as 90 percent of the large predatory fish such as shark, swordfish and cod from the world's oceans. In 2003, the Pew Oceans Commission warned that the world's oceans are in a state of "silent collapse," threatening our food supply, marine economies, recreation and the natural legacy we leave our children.

Creating Sea Change
Through better practices, we can create healthy, abundant oceans for everyone. Seafood Watch, a program of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, has always been about making this vision a reality. Working with consumers, fishermen, restaurants, retailers and suppliers, we've been making a difference since 1999.

But there is still much to be done. Learn which seafood to buy or avoid. The easiest way to do this is by downloading one of their pocket guides, folding it up and sticking it in your wallet. Then when you find yourself buying seafood, just pull it out and use it as a reference. Easy peasy, right?

I took the National Guide and through the magic of Photoshop I rearranged it so you could get an idea of what information it contains. When you download it, there are guidelines to show you how to fold it for easy use.

You can also log on to mobile.seafoodwatch.org on your cell phone and you'll be automatically directed to the latest online pocket guide.

Or you can even download a free app at the iTunes Store if you have an iPhone or iPhone Touch!

Explore Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) to learn more about this issue and to find even more great seafood recipes!

These recommendations not only apply to fresh seafood, but also to frozen products. Here's one of my favorite things to have on hand…

They are made with the wild, ocean-caught, deep-skinned Alaska Salmon, blended with herbs and spices from Trident Seafoods. I buy these at Costco! In the words of Chuck Bundrant, Chairman and Founder, "We are fortunate to have the rich waters of the North Pacific literally at our doorstep, and we are committed to maintaining a steady supply of delicious, healthy seafood products from the sustainable fisheries that have made the waters off Alaska the envy of the world."

The aquarium also has a wonderful blog called Sea Notes. Here you'll not only find the latest news on events, but you can read informative articles on ocean conservation and find wonderful seafood recipes from world-renown chefs.

That's it for today, I hope you found this information useful and that you'll put it to good use. This post today is part of Project Genesis @ Old Grey Mare. Be sure to stop by for more links on what you can do to protect our environment. There are some really fun links!

 If you're a salmon lover like I am, you may find this interesting:

That's it for now, I hope you'll come back Friday and find out who the mystery blogger was that I had the great pleasure to finally meet! You're going to love her!