The Florida Aquarium and Mise en Place are partnering up to raise awareness for World Ocean Day by offering a special sustainable seafood menu for two weeks at the restaurant. Beginning the week of June 8th, Mise will donate $3 for each sustainable seafood three-course dinner or $5 for each dinner with a wine purchase until Saturday, June 20th to benefit the aquarium's Marine Science Conversation and Education programs. The three course meal will cost $35.

What is sustainable seafood and why is this important? Tom Wagner, the Public Relations manager at the Aquarium, explains that "Sustainable seafood is about becoming educated about where the fish you eat is coming from, how it is being caught, and making sure there is enough of the particular fish to be able to keep reproducing in the oceans". Overfishing, as Tom explained, is one type of problem that has become hazardous to our ecosystem. Overfishing stems from the fish being caught before they are of reproductive age, thus making that fish stock below normal levels and overall effecting the the marine ecosystem.

The President of the Florida Aquarium, Thom Stork sums it up by saying that "The oceans are our number one source of protein in the world and this is something that we need to protect and watch out for".

"This doesn't mean that people should not enjoy recreational fishing", they both go on to say, quite the contrary. It is important, though, to become educated about responsible fishing practices and staying eco-friendly with the oceans, ponds, and streams while still enjoying your sport.

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So what is on this tasty sustainable seafood menu offered by one of the best restaurants in the bay? I got a first hand tasting of the three course meal and it was amazing. The presentation and the taste were so perfect,

For more information about sustainable seafood and what it means, go to the websites below that were offered as suggestions by the Aquarium.

www.flaquarium.org/sustain

www.blueocean.org/seafood/seafood-guide

www.fishonline.org

www.seafoodchoices.com

This article appears in Jun 10-16, 2009.