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20 years ago we were talking about shellfish aquaculture as the answer to this problem (which was obvious even then). The lower on the food chain you go, typic

by rotten 11y ago

20 years ago we were talking about shellfish aquaculture as the answer to this problem (which was obvious even then). The lower on the food chain you go, typically, the lower the production costs. Filter feeding mussels, scallops, and oysters are about as low as you can get and still call it "meat". Many producers were touting these creatures as the answer to getting protein in the future. Since then water pollution has seriously curtailed the growth of that industry. It is still worth exploring as an option though.

sehugg 11y ago
I don't know if the problem is just water pollution; according to NOAA aquaculture is 20-30% of shellfish production. In the U.S. at least the preference for chicken and beef has displaced our willingness to eat "critters" in most of the country. We've also got a marketing problem; quick frozen seafood is actually pretty good compared to seafood that's been lying in a display case for a week. (Also, it's less likely to give you worms if you undercook it) Any Asian market has a frozen seafood section that dwarfs any Midwest megasupermarket. Basically, Americans by-and-large have forgotten how to seafood.
delish 11y ago
> Since then water pollution has seriously curtailed the growth of that industry. Interesting. I'd like to know more. Do you have a source for that?
- have_humility 11y ago
  The BBC Horizons documentary I mentioned above also looked into mussels as a source of meat. I don't recall pollution being mentioned as an issue, but it gave other reasons why even optimistic outlooks could only consider them a partial replacement, given the numbers we have for meat consumption today (not to mention decades from now).
- rotten 11y ago
  I don't - offhand. Back when I was taking classes in it, the industry was collapsing in China because of water pollution. I have been reading about blue-green algae tides and chemical spills and other issues affecting the industry these days, but I don't have a specific source detailing its impact. Sorry. (Good one for calling me out on that!)

by rotten 11y ago

sehugg 11y ago

I don't know if the problem is just water pollution; according to NOAA aquaculture is 20-30% of shellfish production. In the U.S. at least the preference for chicken and beef has displaced our willingness to eat "critters" in most of the country. We've also got a marketing problem; quick frozen seafood is actually pretty good compared to seafood that's been lying in a display case for a week. (Also, it's less likely to give you worms if you undercook it) Any Asian market has a frozen seafood section that dwarfs any Midwest megasupermarket. Basically, Americans by-and-large have forgotten how to seafood.

delish 11y ago

> Since then water pollution has seriously curtailed the growth of that industry. Interesting. I'd like to know more. Do you have a source for that?

have_humility 11y ago
The BBC Horizons documentary I mentioned above also looked into mussels as a source of meat. I don't recall pollution being mentioned as an issue, but it gave other reasons why even optimistic outlooks could only consider them a partial replacement, given the numbers we have for meat consumption today (not to mention decades from now).
rotten 11y ago
I don't - offhand. Back when I was taking classes in it, the industry was collapsing in China because of water pollution. I have been reading about blue-green algae tides and chemical spills and other issues affecting the industry these days, but I don't have a specific source detailing its impact. Sorry. (Good one for calling me out on that!)