LIBRARY CAPERS

I was lucky once again to be a guest at The Boston Seafood Show over the weekend, where everyone and everything related to seafood appeared to buy, sell, test, promote, package, transport, measure, compare, cook, write, and talk, talk, talk about the industry. The number of people and processes it takes to get local sea scallops, sushi, or your favorite fish fillets to you is astounding! Show buzzwords: traceability and sustainability.

Traceability is an important aspect in the seafood industry because it’s all about food safety, and U. S. and international laws are changing rapidly to keep Bad Guy Fish Pirates from destroying the ocean. If you can trace your seafood back to the point of capture then you have “full chain-of-custody traceability.”
Sustainability is another hot issue in the industry for environmental, economic, and social reasons. Seafood is sustainable when a fish population is managed so that over fishing is eliminated, and a species can rebuild. Then we can continue to fish.
FOODIES: consumer demand is growing for SEAFOOD BURGERS, so keep your eyes open for this healthful food that’s easy to prepare!
In honor of the 2009 Boston Seafood Show,
A Short List of Books Available at Your Hyannis Public Library

Angler’s Guide to Fish.
Identifies breeds and gives tips on where each fish is found, what size it grows to, and the techniques, tackle, and bait that works best for each type of fish.

Deadliest Catch: Desparate Hours.
Dan Weeks
An illustrated companion to the Emmy-nominated Discovery Channel series presents vivid personal accounts of the fishermen's harrowing real-life experiences and adventures aboard ship in the Bering Sea, accompanied by action photographs and background information on boat operations and the crab fishing industry.

Fish & Seafood.
Better Homes and Gardens
Shares recipes for baked, fried, and grilled fish, and includes soups, stews, salads, and sandwiches.

Fish Without A Doubt: the Cook’s Essential Companion.
Rick Moonan and Roy Finamore; Photographs by Ben Fink
An indispensable guide to cooking with fish introduces more than 250 simple and delicious recipes that encompass all the techniques of fish and seafood cookery for appetizers, soups and salads, pastas, and main courses, including updated renditions of such classics as Trout Almondine, innovative new dishes, quick weeknight meals, and centerpieces for special occasions.


The Hungry Ocean: a Sword Boat Captain’s Journey.
Linda Greenlaw
Offers a tale of a thirty-day swordfishing voyage and the crew--led by a female captain--that must endure every hardship known to mariners.

The Last Fish Tale: the Fate of the Atlantic and Survival in Gloucester, America’s Oldest Fishing Port and Most Original Town.
Mark Kurlansky
From the "New York Times"-bestselling author of "Cod, Salt," and "The Big Oyster" comes the colorful story of a way of life that for hundreds of years has defined much of America's coastlines but is slowly disappearing.



The Splendid Table’s How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories and Opinions from Public Radio’s Award-winning Food Show.
Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift
Offering a creative new approach to weeknight meals, the host of American Public Media's The Splendid Table introduces more than one hundred delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes for a rich variety of savory dinners inspired by international specialties, accompanied by a host of food facts, trivia, nutrition tips, and other culinary tidbits.

The Zen of Fish: the Story of Sushi, from Samurai to Supermarket.
Trevor Corson
Traces the experiences of several sushi novices, a master Japanese chef, and one of the pioneers who brought sushi to America to chronicle the history of sushi in the West, in a natural and culinary tour that also profiles the biology of sushi animals.

Postscript:
The National Marine Fisheries Service (http://www.noaa.gov/) the Federal Regulatory Agency, and non-profit organizations such as Fishwise (http://www.fishwise.org/) and Center for the Future of the Oceans (http://www.monteraybayaquarium.org/), work with seafood suppliers and buyers to develop policies and practices that will provide traceability and sustainablility.
H. R. 1584, “Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009,” was introduced last Wednesday. The bill would extend the rebuilding period from 10 years to 13 years in certain specific circumstances and prevent undue economic hardship on fishing communities.

Amendment 16 is the new management plan under development by the New England Fishery Management Council. Go to www. capecodonline to read the April 7th news article by Doug Fraser for further information.