Why You Shouldn't Eat Chilean Sea Bass

Photo: Douglas Freer / istock

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Chilean sea bass became all the rage in eateries a few years ago, and it was a much better name to market what is really Antarctic or Patagonian toothfish.

But the Environmental Defense Fund's Seafood Selector reminds us that Chilean sea bass is an Eco-Worst option due to overfishing and elevated levels of mercury.

The public is still learning that Chilean sea bass isn't all it's cracked up to be, and today comes a reminder that we should avoid eating the fish.

In a press release, the WWF says that illegal fishing of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish is rampant and threatening conservation efforts to save future populations.

A report released by the wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC explains that toothfish are highly valuable on the black market, and are sometimes referred to as "white gold" among fishers.

Illegal fishers, the report explains, are often hidden behind flags of convenience from nations such as Panama, Liberia, Belize and North Korea.

The WWF and TRAFFIC are calling for better monitoring efforts and stricter regulations on trade so that illegally caught fish can't be sold.

Rob Nicoll, WWF-Australia’s Antarctic & Southern Ocean Initiative Manager, is quoted: “We need to protect the toothfish, not the pirates."

For some safer seafood options and recipes, see our article 7 Recipes for Eco-Friendly Fish.

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