Buy Local, Eat in Season

24 Sep 2010 - How much longer will we be able to enjoy seafood on the menu? It is a somewhat unsettling but realistic question, also - or some would say in particular - in Hong Kong. Some restaurants have already stopped putting fish on the menu altogether. "Dealing with fish is too risky," says Todd Darling of Posto Pubblico in SoHo, "So many are nearing extinction." However, Hong Kong's appetite for fish and seafood has risen dramatically over the years. Demand has now reached a critical point that threatens the existence of some species. In many areas across the globe, humans are taking fish out of the sea faster than many species can repopulate. Restaurants will hopefully learn to only put sustainable foods on the menu. Customers should put pressure on restaurants they frequent and ask question where the fish was caught. The advice of those in-the-know in the sustainable food movement is "Buy local, eat in season". Buying out-of-season fruits and vegetables, or eat fish that can not be caught in Hong Kong or Guangdong waters means the environment pays a price for these imported goods.