The Secret Behind Shrimp

When you sit down for a nice meal at your favorite seafood restaurant, do you think about where your food came from? Now and days people are all about the organic lifestyle. Knowing how your food was prepared and where it originated has become a necessity for some people. However, this doesn't seem to be a growing trend with seafood. Although, I will say that most people are a little unsettled by just thinking about where the square "fish" sandwich from McDonald's came from. There are plenty of people who love fish, like myself, and wouldn't dream of ingesting that fried fast-food creation.

Seafood market in Japan

The unfortunate truth is, fast-food fish isn't the only seafood we should be wary of. I'm not just speaking from a conservation standpoint. Granted, if we ask more questions and make smart seafood choices, then we will have a profound impact on the world's fisheries, but we'll also be doing our bodies a favor!

What you don't know... can hurt you

I'm sure you've heard the common fact that too many antibiotics can be bad for you and your immune system. We've all experienced those sickly moments that consisted of begging our doctor to please prescribe antibiotics for this, that or the other cold symptom. No matter how many times I swear that I always develop a sinus infection with a cold, I'm sent on my way with a free box of scratchy tissues and a strawberry lollipop. Like that's going to stop a sinus infection.

Many of you know the reason doctors are so reluctant to prescribe antibiotics is because common bacteria that causes infections and diseases are capable of developing antibiotic resistant properties if overexposed to these drugs. So what does all of this have to do with your family dinner at Red Lobster? Well, turns out that humans and our pitiful inability to withstand the common cold are not the only ones overusing antibiotics for unnecessary reasons. Farm-raised shrimp in Asia and Indonesia heavily rely on a multitude of different antibiotics, some of which are very crucial to treating diseases and infections such as tuberculosis, gonorrhea, malaria, and common ear infections in humans.

Masses of different antibiotics and pesticides are widely used in shrimp aquaculture to stimulate growth and reduce the occurrence and effects of diseases caused by crowded and unsanitary farm conditions. The more these antibiotics are used, the faster a resistance develops. When this occurs, the bacteria growth is no longer halted by the antibiotic, therefore the antibiotic is no longer capable of treating or curing the diseases. Today, antibiotic resistance is referred to as a silent world crisis. Common bacteria are becoming resistant to not just one, but many antibiotics and it's important to realize that these "new and improved" resistant bacteria can be transferred between and among humans and animals.

Turning the subject back to our antibiotic injected shrimp, resistant bacteria can be transferred to us simply by enjoying our favorite shrimp plate at dinner. It has also been proven that some common shellfish diseases still survive within the shrimp even after being frozen. Scientists are still not sure what effects these diseases may have in the human body, but I'd rather not take the chance to find out. To top it off, some of the common antibiotics used in farm-raised shrimp are highly toxic to humans and only used in rare and usually life-threatening medical situations.

From another standpoint, shrimp farms are a huge expense to the environment. Mangroves and tropical coastal forests are clear-cut to make room for commercial shrimp farms. As you may know, mangroves are an integral part of the coastal ecosystem. They not only provide nursery and spawning grounds for commercially important species but they also create a buffer against storm surge, erosion and tsunamis.

What Can We Do?

The good news in all of this is that you don't have to stop eating shrimp. I for one would have a hard time living without my favorite go-to seafood dish. Fortunately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of certain antibiotics and pesticides (particularly the toxic ones) in US shrimp farms. Europe, Canada and Japan have also prohibited the use of antibiotics and chemically enhanced drugs in their aquaculture.

Fisherman

Unfortunately, as much as I like to think that all of our American shrimp comes from Forest Gump's Bubba and his family-owned shrimp boats, this is certainly not the case.  Over 90% of the shrimp that America consumes is imported and most of it is farm-raised. We continue to get cheap shrimp from countries such as China, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, none of which have any restrictions on the antibiotics, pesticides, and bacterial residue found in their exported shrimp.

So how best can we shrimp lovers handle this situation? The answer is simple: ask questions. Local shrimp will often be noted on the menu or in the market. If not, it's worth taking the time to ask where your shrimp originated. And if you can't seem to find a traceable origin, chances are it's not the best option for you or the environment.

If you do have some questionable cheap shrimp from time to time, don't worry.  Odds are you will be completely fine - just try not to make it a weekly habit. As an added bonus, choosing local shrimp will help boost your community's coastal economy and often times be even more tasty!

Why Ask?

You don't have to stop at shrimp. Seeking traceability in all of your seafood decisions is an easy way to help mend the global fishing market. For example, demanding to know the origins of your seafood will aid in the efforts to stop illegal fishing, which is estimated to supply at least 20% of seafood worldwide and threaten 260 million global jobs dependent on marine fisheries.

Grouper

Congress is currently considering two bipartisan bills that would prohibit illegal and unaccountable fishing vessels to enter U.S. ports.  This alone would make seafood traceability much easier, not to mention ensure the future sustainability of our oceans.

For more information about these bills and why you should encourage your local congress representatives to pass them, please visit:

http://mission-blue.org/2013/02/new-bipartisan-bills-take-on-foreign-illegal-fishing-in-congress/