Tuna and sustainability

[AFear]

Hi guys

This isn't your run in a mill topic contrary to the thread title; obviously as Strong-lifters or muscle-builders we need our protein and tuna really is a fantastic source of protein; no/low fat, carbs and easily digestible. I don't know about you, but without a can of tuna daily, there is no way I would be able to easily digest the amount of Protein I need!

However, and this might sound ridiculous to some, but is anyone else concerned about the state of tuna stocks in the earth's oceans? I've read how some people reckon that tuna will soon be a delicacy along the lines of truffles due to their rarity; does anyone else actually think about this?

This article in BBC news onlinehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8331113.stm discusses what I'm talking about. These commissions that set fishing quotas are jokes and regularly set quotas far above what scientists recommend; I can't be be bothered to find sources for this but its common fact almost!

I know you get line-caught canned tuna(a heck of a lot more pricey than standard tuna though) but is that a solution? Or should be all just continue munching on tuna in the belief that its not your problem and everyone else does it so why not?
There aren't any other sources of easily prepared, unprocessed protein after all right! Chicken or cottage cheese perhaps.

Am I going to be laughed off Stronglifts here?

[itsbruce]

There are plenty of reasonably priced alternatives in your local supermarket:

• Kippers - come in bag with butter. Microwave for 3 minutes.
• Smoked mackerel fillets - slap on a slice of rye bread or mix with some salad.
• Smoked haddock - takes six minutes to poach in water.
• Smoked salmon - serve as is or mix with your scrambled eggs (that's a really high protein breakfast).
• Bacon.
• Eggs
• Quark

OK, half of those are fish but they're either not endangered or can be sourced from non-endangered stocks. For example, Tesco do a Wild Alaskan smoked salmon that's really good - high protein, low fat and very unendangered. Farmed salmon is cheaper(and also unendangered) but fattier and lower protein.

Ethical protein may cost you a little more, but not too much. If you're genuinely worried about these issues, how much is your conscience worth?

[jfh26]

Those fish suggestions sound great. Is Tesco a big European chain?

[atypical1]

I buy Bumblebee brand it's all caught in the Pacific on lines. I think that Starkist is too. If I recall correctly anything that says "dolphin safe" is line caught and not net caught. I'm not sure what the price difference is but my tuna is pretty cheap.

james

[itsbruce]

Those fish suggestions sound great. Is Tesco a big European chain?

They are big in the UK and do have operations in some other countries. I chose them simply because they're not a luxury chain, to emphasise that these are not expensive choices and that they are easy to find.

[jfh26]

Ah OK - I was just wondering because I am studying in Budapest and there are a few Tescos. Didn't know if it was a Hungarian thing or a European thing . I suppose I should make a trip there at some point.

[lionize]

It's not only the amounts of fish that peopole allow to be fished but the fishing methods used, nets that fuck up the ocean floor and don't discriminate between fish - this means that so many other things die, fish that are caught and cannot be taken back to shore to be sold and others that rely on the ocean floor as their habitat.

I don't eat many animal products at all, most of the reason is because of the cruelty of farming practices. If game meat and line caught fish wasn't so expensive I would eat it much more often, but of course there is a reason why it is that price and it's easier to substitute.