Nothing Fishy About MiddDining's Seafood Policy

Author: Matthew Christ

First-year J.S. Woodward recently proved that individual students can make a difference. Woodward, a member of the Environmental Council, was concerned about the fish served in Middlebury dining halls.
Hailing from Anchorage, Alaska, Woodward is very aware that the oceans are in a dangerous position due to over-fishing. According to the Enviornmental Defense fund, "over 70 percent of world fish stocks are fully exploited" and "about 44 billion pounds of fish each year are wasted as unwanted by-catch." Fortunately, there are many delicious fish available that can be harvested with lower environmental impact.
Middlebury serves fish three to four times a week, and gets the majority of its fresh fish from Black River Produce, a member of Vermont Fresh Network. The fish comes from Boston and Gloucester, Mass., and, contrary to popular belief, all fish served in the dining halls is purchased fresh, not frozen. After consulting the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Woodward, Dining Services Buyer Charlie Sargent and the Enviornmental Council's Purchasing and Consumption subcommittee realized that scallops, swordfish and Chilean sea bass are all in danger from overfishing.
But are students willing to forego eating species from endangered fisheries? This question remains unanswered, but in the meantime, Dining Services is making an attempt to offer fish that are environmentally preferable. One such species is the Tilapia, a hardy freshwater fish that will be served at Proctor and Freeman International Center on Friday, March 21.