Fish....

Last night, I waited patiently for "Jamie's Fish Supper " program to go on the air but I only caught the program at about 1.00am this morning. I must say that it was again a truly interesting program and it is all about sustaining our fish stock in the ocean by choosing alternative fish for the more popular fish such as cod, haddock, tuna and salmon. It is insanely mind-boggling and outrageous to know that A LOT , and I mean, A LOT of fishes caught in the nets are thrown back DEAD to the sea. Some say it is a circle of life but this Englishman says it's depleting our fish stock of actually good quality fish. Yunno what, Jamie Oliver is just brilliant with his recipes and he makes things really simple for folks like us! Also,  I guess, he puts the money where his mouth is by cooking up some really nice fare with the use of lesser known fish type and I must say,  I have to agree with this Englishman's view. Rightly so, I am also of the opinion...nope! convinced... that much of our own fish stocks in our seas are also depleting fast and at an alarming rate. I have to say it is not just the fishermen who are guilty of this physical glut and rape of the sea fishes but the gluttony by the call of the ever blinding/blinking/bleeping dollars. I am also of the considered opinion that chefs themselves are equally guilty for their fish preferences and over-hype of certain high quality fishes that makes the fishing industry of catching such fishes such a lucrative business. Thus, discarding the alternative fish which are actually equally good quality fish. 

Ironically, earlier in the evening, I was watching " Swords: Life on the Line " and this is one terrific documentary on fishing captains, crew and vessels which hunts big game fish for a living. Though it is interesting enough to know that there are people out there who would practically gambled their lives away to earn a living on the dangerous horizons of the high seas but the pulling out of  huge swordfish and fantastically fat yellow fin tuna  to the deck is no laughing matter. It is A LOT of yellow fin tuna ( prized catch about US$1,000 plus a piece and probably cost a firtune in Japan! ), blue fin tuna and swordfish. It is ironic that people are talking about depleting fish stocks in the ocean while there are still people merticulously picking them out of the sea.  

Anyway, I am all for conservation of fishes in our seas today. I believe alternative fish and fish farming may be the answer. We should eat alternative fish rather than eating the same popular species which may deplete the stock further. I know it may sound a little bit queer but there are some fishes which are good alternative. Then there is fish farming and there has got to be a serious effort in ensuring enough supply not just like another NFC project fiasco. Read the AG Report and you will see how fish farming in Sabah can go awry and cynically wrong altogether! Hmmmmmnnnnn.....Malaysia memang boleh!

I also found the movement "Fish Fight" campaign which is the brainchild of famous chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal, Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall, Eric Lanlard and Gizzi Erskine are really conscious and worthy conservation efforts in ensuring fish stock conservation and conscientious efforts in making people understand the need for alternative fish usage. Well, the next time, you pick out a fish at the market, you'll know what to do, I hope! Have fun at the markets!~