"Make sure you buy local seafood" By Nicole Pilson Coastal & Marine Resources Texas A&M AgriLife Matagorda County

Subhead

   If you have read some articles I have written in the past or chatted with me, I probably sound like a broken record talking about local seafood.
   I can’t help it and I won’t apologize for it! Let’s take a shallow dive (because article space is limited) into the world of fisheries - both wild-caught and farm raised - and see why local seafood just can’t be beat.
   Part of my job is having the pleasure of working with the commercial fishermen and aquaculturists in Matagorda County.
   Sometimes I am on a gulf boat with NOAA helping check Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) before the shrimpers go out for the Texas season, or I could be chatting with redfish farmers about relief funds. 
   Every day is different and I always learn something new, but one thing remains the same… and that is the incredible work ethic of the people in fisheries.
   If you talk to any farmer or rancher, they will tell you that their jobs are not for the faint of heart.
   From freeze events ruining harvests to cattle finding the one weak spot in a fence, managing crops and livestock is no easy task and keeps those folks plenty busy.
   And working in the fisheries industry is no different.
   Hurricanes love to make the shrimping season difficult, severe freezes kill redfish in four-foot ponds, and floods can do some damage to an oyster crop.
   There is no shortage of things that can and will go wrong, just like with people in the realm of traditional agriculture.
   Even blue sky days have their challenges.
   And because of these reasons and watching fisheries people work as hard as they do for their businesses and supporting their families, 
   I have really become quite passionate about supporting local seafood.
   When you buy Texas or U.S. seafood products, you are really buying the best.
   The regulations for wild harvest and farm-raised products are strictly managed.
   Regulations include items such as sustainability meaning overfishing doesn’t take place; ensuring species like oysters are harvested from healthy waters; what preservatives are put into the product and how it is frozen; and that farmers take care to raise their stocks on quality feed.
   If you are buying seafood from other countries, there is no guarantee that any regulating of the aforementioned items is happening.
   There is also a clear difference in taste.
   For example, gulf and U.S. farm-raised shrimp have a much better texture and are not pumped with dozens of preservatives.
   Farm-raised fish from other countries might as well be mystery meat because there is no telling what quality of water the fish are raised in or what they are being fed.
   If you buy your seafood from a grocery store or even frozen seafood from a local fish market, check the product packaging.
   By law, the country of origin must be printed on the packaging. 
   Even if the name sounds and looks American, look closely at where the product is coming from.
   All of this to say, buying local seafood (and other local commodities) is a great way to support our economy and the folks who work hard to provide us with the best quality products. 
   Don’t be afraid to ask where your food is coming from - whether you are in the store or in a restaurant.
   And a big thank you to our farmers and ranchers (both in aquaculture and traditional ag) and our commercial fishermen for everything they do!

Image