Economic Studies Make Convincing Case for Reallocation

[The Last Mango]

Originally Posted by EJ@TSFMag

I got in a hurry and failed to include my final thought:

If indeed the consumer is being served imported goods identified only as "wild caught" on the menu, how often is he duped into believeing they are domestic and how does this affect or skew the economic analysis mentioned here? Fresh Texas bay oysters on the menu at coastal restaurants during August comes to mind.

that's all that's required by law, "place of origin" and yes, oysters are harvested legally in Texas in the summer months on private lease in Galveston.

[EJ@TSFMag]

Mango - You are correct there is a private lease oyster fishery in Galveston Bay where oysters can be harvested year round. However - given the relatively small number of acres of oyster beds that can be worked in this fashion and also given that Hurricane Ike wreaked havoc with Galveston Bay oyster reefs in general - I am skeptical that consumers are fed frozen and/or product from other states under this guise. Just a suspicion on my part, sir.

The point I was trying to make is basically a caveat emptor. This is the main reason I do not buy fish in seafood markets, grocery stores or restaurants. I catch my own fish and purchase crabs, shrimp, oysters from friends and neighbors who either run fish houses or fish commercially.

I also believe that like just about any other set of data and figures (i.e. economic analysis), figures may not lie but liars can darn sure figure.

Anyway - that HEB in Victoria had "previously frozen wild-caught snapper fillets" from Indonesia was an eye opener for me.

[willyhunting]

On the oyster end, the vast majority of private lease reefs made it through Ike unscathed due to the fact the lease guys have done a great job of returning clutch, or she'll back on the reef and the vertical relief was enough that they didn't get silted over like public areas where it is illegal to return shell. Parks& wildlife may be working on that though.

Also, anywhere you see oysters offered just ask for the sack or oyster tag, it has to stay with the oysters until they are all consumed, sold, or disposed of. It will list origin down to the harvest area and date harvested.

On the snapper, was it just "snapper" or "red snapper"?

Only red snapper I've had known of coming in was from our neighbors to the south in Mexico. I don't think I'd be buying any Indonesian foodstuffs....

[Day0ne]

The snapper from Indonesia isn't "red snapper" even though all snapper are called red snapper in Indonesia. It's another kind of snapper, one of these three usually,
Malabar blood snapper (Lutjanus malabaricus)
crimson snapper (Lutjanus erythropterus)
goldband snapper (Pristipomoides multidens)

BTW, the Indonesians are the leading country in terms of snapper catch, contributing almost 40% to total snapper global capture production

Our "red Snapper" is Lutjanus campechanusm found in the Gulf of Mexico, and the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States and, much less commonly, northward as far as Massachusetts.

Thus, as stated above, the wording is very important. Is it snapper or red snapper

[EJ@TSFMag]

The tag read "snapper" without specific species mention. With reddish skin on the fillets I believe most buyers would naturally assume red snapper.

I was not aware that oyster sack tags had to remain with the product until all were used. Thanks for the info!

Happy Independence Day! I hope everybody is enjoying a great holiday.