Slow Fish?

That’s another term for sustainable seafood. And a thematic approach to eating good, clean and fair fish (www.slowfood.com)

First of all, we Slow Food advocates prefer fish that come from natural habitats rather than fish farms. Sardines, for example, are a good source of the omega 3 and 6 which may not be found in farmed fish. I came across fresh sardines many years ago in Macau, and is a part of the island’s Portuguese past. While hard to come by even in our own sardine-rich country, fresh sardines are best.

Our next best bet would be the bottled or canned sardines. Fish are a complete food, and are better choices for food donations than salt-laden instant noodles or plain white rice as NGOs and government agencies are wont to donate in disaster or emergency situations.

But how do we access these deep sea fish? First is to get to know the origins or provenance of these marine products. I found out that local government units (LGUs) have jurisdiction of municipal waters up to 15 kilometers from their coastline as amended in the Fisheries Code as amended by RA 10654. So what’s keeping our LGUs from developing their coastal communities and ensuring their fish supply?

Did you know Filipinos consume 4.4 kilos of dried fish per capita? That’s the highest dried fish consumption in Southeast Asia. And we really have to ensure the sustainability of this economic sector. Fish is also the cheapest protein source and is our second staple food next only to rice.

I learned all those factoids at a crowdfunding event for Sinaya Seafood, a social enterprise focused on value addition training and assistance to fisherfolk to reach consumer markets. Dhang Tecson, a community development worker, is the chief mermaid of Sinaya.

After that briefing, I got a call from Basilan’s Isabela City mayor to look for a sustainable seafood speaker and of course I thought of Dhang. First because they promote local fish and second because they shared that 50 percent of fisherfolk are women. And women empowerment is a “hit two birds with one stone “ for me always. Because when you empower a woman, in this case financially, you reduce domestic violence. Do you see the connection? Eat fish and empower a woman? Eat fish and help reduce violence? Yes there is a connection.

Violence against women and children (VAWC) happens in fishing communities when the breadwinner does not bring home any income. So one way to solve this problem is to give men a regular income from fishing so they can put food on the table. Women’s jobs in fishing are mostly unpaid leaving the women dependent on their partners.

If we do in fishing what we do in coffee, women can be given the money from doing tasks the men are not inclined to do. In fishing, these tasks for women are: preparing the fishing gear and taking care of mangroves for crabs and shrimps.

I received a package of dried fish samples from Sinaya – and got to know five kinds of fish right away. I was reintroduced to flying fish or bangsi (called dibang in Batanes), sapsap, danggit, dilis (boneless) and squid. I had them all fried and appreciated their salty flavor while thinking of all the women we can help while supporting these causes.

I also got to meet two lady lawyers from Oceana (www. oceana.org) who will soon bring Dhang’s colleagues to Daram island just off Samar. There, Oceana will start their inclusive business model of helping coastal communities by teaching them to process the seafood for sustainability of these coastal enterprises.

With our country’s long coastline, Dhang probably will have a whole lifetime of helping fisherfolk and still not cover all our 7000 plus isles. It might also interest you to know that 85 percent of our small scale fishers contribute 50 percent of the Philippines’ catch. This is why we need to protect them by enforcing the laws that were made for the sustainability of our fisherfolk.

I also learned that many fishing communities do not even have access to ice so they can preserve the fish until it gets to the consumer. And Dhang, who I will interview for my podcast Good and Green, tells me that just like agriculture’s challenges, fish or seafood also passes through many hands before it gets to our tables. This is another supply chain we must shorten if we must help our fisherfolk.

Next topic we need to know as consumers is the difference between net-caught and line-caught fish. And other concerns are traditional fishing methods vs trawl fishing of commercial fishing companies. How do we strike a balance between commercial and small scale fishing? How do we ensure our fish population is able to repopulate?

In the meantime, know your fish origins. Learn about other fish varieties. Though farming fish ensures a steady supply – uniform size, uniform weights – I like to promote natural fishing because it is how we can help the many fishing communities around the country.

The next time you eat fish, ask where it comes from. If we are concerned about sustainability of our small scale fishers, we need to demand for their products. Your supermarkets will only stock what you are looking for. We have to increase our fish vocabulary and learn to eat lesser known species. We also have to know which species repopulate faster like flying fish and danggit.

Consider having fish twice a week – on a meatless Monday and a Fish Friday. It’s not only healthy for you, it’s healthy for the fishing industry. Be a mindful consumer and help our fishers be sustainable.

And all of that is not a fish tale.

But know your fish. There are other species other than galunggong, bangus and tilapia. Have a newfound respect for sardines and other varieties you will easily find in the dried fish section like flying fish, danggit, dilis and sapsap.