HYANNIS – Reports from the Environmental Defense Fund show a high demand for seafood across the United States, but most of it comes from imports.
Although some believe seafood is a more environmentally friendly form of protein than something like red meat, importing most of it means less control over what goes into the seafood and how the animals are treated.
According to surveys, Americans are more tempted to buy food if they know it is sourced ethically.
People want to know that their food is environmentally friendly, chemical-free, and treated humanely before being shipped out.
Eric Schwaab, Senior Vice President for Ecosystems and Oceans with the Environmental Defense Fund believes that an increase in United States seafood production could lead to better quality and sustainability of the product.
“Not only can we produce more, but we can produce more effectively if we have good national standards,” said Schwaab in a recent interview with CapeCod.com.
More than 85% of seafood in the United States is imported, coming from all over the world in locations like Southeast Asia and South America.