Why eat fish

Here is an interesting little piece, written by two ecological economists and one food system researcher, that argues for eating frozen fish rather than fresh, when the choice is between shipping fresh fish (in this case they are talking about salmon) half way around the world by air (the most ecologically unfriendly method) or freezing it where it is caught and processed and shipping by slower, less eco-damaging methods. They make a good point, but the article begs the question: why eat fish at all? Unless you can get it fresh from the fisherman, then you're probably causing severe damage to the ecosystem or yourself (or both).

When Juliette and I went totally vegetarian a few months ago, we clung to the eating of a little fish, some fresh smoked salmon we could get at the local supermarket which was advertised as eco-friendly in some way. It tasted good with slices of cucumber for tapas at dinner time and supplied us with vitamin B 12, which is very hard for vegetarians to get but which is a vital nutrient that comes mostly in meat and fish.

It's a dilemma, how to get the nutrients of fish without eating fish (or dairy products or meat). Frozen fish is out for us. Small freezer compartment in our frigo. No desire to buy A Freezer. So for now, we wonder if eating smoked salmon, even eco-salmon, from our supermarket chain is the best solution.

More to come.