FISH, No. 27

Fish has been a food source for tens of thousands of years. And well-known saltwater fish—like cod, salmon, tuna, herring, and mackerel—have all played an important role in food culture. In particular, different fish salting traditions can easily be found in coastal regions around the globe. Aside from that, fish is a great source of protein, and humans cooked up myriad fish dishes with unique twists and tweaks according to the characteristics of each region. But around the 2000s, the depletion of fishery resources emerged as an environmental issue, sparking organizations to take the lead in ocean sustainability efforts by creating ethical consumption guides and meal plans that can help protect aquatic ecosystems.

Very few people actually benefit from the world’s fisheries. The sea belongs to all of us. We need an ocean rich in oxygen, absorbing carbon to help cope with climate change, and a diverse fish-rich ocean for future generations.

Charles Clover, Co-Founder of Blue Marine Foundation

I think the food called dried fish is a food that hasn’t been consumed much in the world yet. Because it goes through the fermentation and aging process, in some ways, dried fish has a richer flavor than dried fish. I think it has sufficient commercial properties because it has excellent preservation power so much that it is not too much to export overseas.

Fumitoshi Gano, Owner of Dashi Okume