Falling in Love with a Fish: A Chef's Quest for Sustainable Seafood

For chefs and food enthusiasts alike, the question of how to keep fish on our menus is becoming increasingly critical. Over the past half-century, our approach to fishing has mirrored the destructive practice of clear-cutting forests, leaving a devastating impact on marine ecosystems. With 90% of large fish populations – including beloved species like tuna, halibut, salmon, and swordfish – having collapsed, the need for sustainable alternatives is more urgent than ever.

The Dilemma of Aquaculture

Aquaculture, or fish farming, is often touted as a solution. However, it comes with its own set of challenges. Many fish farms are notorious for polluting the environment and operating inefficiently. Take tuna farming, for example, where the feed conversion ratio can be as high as 15 to 1. This means it takes 15 pounds of wild fish to produce just one pound of farmed tuna – a practice that is far from sustainable and often results in poor-tasting fish.

The Chicken Pellet Revelation

One chef's pursuit of a truly sustainable fish led him to a farm that claimed to be doing things right. Eager to support their efforts, he delved deeper into their practices. However, his investigation took an unexpected turn when he discovered that the fish were being fed chicken pellets – a mix of feather, skin, bone meal, and scraps. The rationale? "There's just too much chicken in the world."

This revelation led to a disillusionment with the fish, as the chef found that it literally tasted like chicken after learning about its feed. This experience highlighted the importance of transparency and genuine sustainability in aquaculture.

A Love Story with a Different Kind of Fish

In contrast to the chicken-fed fish, a different kind of love story unfolded in southern Spain. At Veta La Palma, a fish farm located at the tip of the Guadalquivir River, the approach to aquaculture is revolutionary. This farm, once a failed beef cattle operation that drained wetlands, reversed its course in 1982.

Reversing Ecological Destruction

The Spanish company that purchased the land flipped the switch, using the existing channels to pull water back in and flood the canals. This created a 27,000-acre fish farm teeming with bass, mullet, shrimp, and eel. More importantly, this reversal completely transformed the ecological landscape.

An Expert in Relationships

The biologist at Veta La Palma, Miguel, embodies this ecological approach. As he says, he is an expert in relationships. The farm operates on the principle of a self-renewing system, where the fish eat what they would in the wild – plant biomass, phytoplankton, and zooplankton. Remarkably, there is no need for external feed.

Measuring Success Through Predators

What truly sets Veta La Palma apart is how it measures success. Instead of focusing solely on fish production, the farm prioritizes the health of its predators. The presence of 600,000 birds from over 250 different species, including a massive flock of pink flamingos, is a testament to the farm's ecological balance.

Even though the birds consume 20% of the fish and fish eggs, their presence indicates a thriving ecosystem. The flamingos, with their vibrant pink bellies, are a sign that the system is healthy and self-sustaining. The farm operates extensively, not intensively, recognizing itself as an integral part of a larger ecological network.

A Water Purification Plant

The water that flows through Veta La Palma undergoes a remarkable transformation. The system is so healthy that it purifies the water, removing chemical contaminants and pesticide runoff from the Guadalquivir River. The water that leaves the farm and flows into the Atlantic is cleaner than when it entered.

A Recipe for the Future of Good Food

This love story with a fish offers a recipe for the future of good food. It calls for a radically new conception of agriculture, one where food not only tastes good but also contributes to ecological restoration. Instead of relying on capital, chemistry, and machines, we should look to ecological models that prioritize relationships and sustainability.

Feeding the World: A New Perspective

The question of how to feed the world often dominates discussions about food production. However, it's essential to recognize that we already produce enough calories to feed the global population. The issue lies in gross inequalities and distribution.

Instead of focusing solely on increasing production, we should strive to create conditions that enable every community to feed itself. This requires a shift away from the agribusiness model, which has treated agriculture as a business in liquidation, eroding ecological capital in the pursuit of cheap food.

Experts in Relationships and Flavor

The future of good food lies in the hands of farmers like Miguel, who are experts in relationships. These farmers restore instead of deplete, farm extensively instead of intensively, and prioritize flavor alongside ecological health. They understand that true sustainability is not just about producing more food but about creating a thriving ecosystem that benefits both people and the planet.