Weaver Street Market is committed to selling only sustainable seafood, like this week’s featured mahi mahi. We use the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program as a guide.
Seafood Watch “helps consumers and businesses choose seafood that’s fished or farmed in ways that protect sea life and habitats, now and for future generations” by rating each seafood item as a Best Choice, a Good Alternative, or an item to Avoid. Criteria for wild-caught seafood include the abundance of both the target species and species that are caught accidentally, harvesting practices such as reducing bycatch, and impacts of fishing on the habitat and ecosystem. Criteria for farmed seafood include the source of the fishery’s stock, the type and efficiency of feed, the management of fishery waste, and effects on the local habitat when the fishery is built.
The mahi mahi on sale this week is from Ecuador. Ecuador has made many management improvements to its longline-caught mahi mahi fishery as part of a fishery improvement project. The improved methods reduce the accidental catch of sea turtles and other threatened species, making mahi mahi from Ecuador a Good Alternative.
Mahi mahi has a firm texture and a mild and sweet flavor. It is best grilled, broiled, or sauteed. It’s an extremely good source of protein and contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, mahi mahi is an excellent source of selenium, an antioxidant thought to have cancer protecting qualities, and vitamins B3 and B6.
Here’s a recipe for Pan-Seared Coconut Mahi Mahi with Blackberry Sauce, which we’ll demo in stores this weekend. Frozen mahi mahi is on sale for $7.99/lb from June 10-16, 2015. Read more about Seafood Watch on their website, http://www.seafoodwatch.org/.