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We humans have forgotten that fish have a season, just like produce. We have forgotten that there is a cost associated with getting what we want whenever we want it. Generally speaking, industrial fishing operations have become too damn good at catching wild fish—at any cost—and too greedy and shortsighted when it comes to farming them. At this rate, we will eat all the wild fish and destroy the environment farming finfish in offshore farms. An industrial model of fishing, just like farming or meat production, is incredibly efficient on the one hand and incredibly destructive on the other. Closed-containment land-based fish farming (versus offshore open-net farming), shellfish farming, and a local fishery model hold the potential to address some of our biggest concerns, although these systems are not perfect. At this point, though, perfect should not be the enemy of good.

THREE CHOICES CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

1. Diversify the kinds of fish you eat. There are five species of salmon, not just king and sockeye. Little silver fish such as sardines and anchovies are delicious, nutritious, and affordable.

2. Be selective with your seafood purchases. We have a lot of power as consumers. Pull out your wallet only when you are comfortable that the fish you have selected is both healthy for you and for the planet. You deserve to eat high-quality fish. Future generations also deserve to have what you have.

3. Limit the amount of seafood on your plate. I’ve written my recipes to reflect my desire to rearrange the priorities on our plates. Generally speaking, ¼ pound of seafood per person is affordable and reasonable (for shellfish I recommend about ½ pound per person to account for the weight of the shells). Most of my recipes are based on a meal for four, so I recommend buying 1 pound of quality sustainable seafood. It’s budget friendly and planet friendly. We’re all supposed to be eating more vegetables anyway, so let this cookbook give you a gentle push in that direction. Less is more.

We humans need to think about fish and fishermen the way we have started to think about produce and farmers: the closer you are to your food source, the better your ability to know what you are eating.

SHELLFISH

clams

New Jersey: August 1978. I can still smell the scent of hundreds of clams splitting themselves open in our speckled and spigoted black-and-white steamer pot. Our family lived in three houses on the lake, separated by one mile and the time it took for short legs to traverse the distance. Each house presented a different snack opportunity, with my aunt and uncle’s place being the dinnertime final destination. On late summer days we would gather there, sunburned and boat-weary, and circle a large pot, filled to the rim with more clams than we believed the pot should hold.

These clams were my very first taste of shellfish, and it’s true what they say: you always remember your first. Their bounce-back brininess—their sweetness and salinity—formed the centerpiece of so many of our summers. Clams, shared with my boisterous and loving family, etched themselves firmly onto my culinary map. They were my proverbial first dip of the toe into the ocean. I was hooked early, at age 8, and my familial clan of shellfish worshippers could only clutch helplessly at their wallets because lobster was just around the next corner.

WHAT MAKES THIS A GOOD CHOICE: Clams are an especially sustainable choice because, whether they are wild or farmed, they act as filter feeders, improving ocean water quality. Nutritionally, clams are high in vitamin B12 and iron.

BY ANY OTHER NAME: Manila clams (Venerupis philippinarum), accidentally brought over from Japan in oyster spat (young oysters), are easily available and widely cultivated. Manilas have a long shelf life.

Geoduck (Panopea abrupta), pronounced “gooey-duck,” are quite expensive these days, with much of the harvest exported to China. Every once in a while, though, geoduck is a special treat, and I couldn’t help but include a recipe for it, as it is one