sushi anyone?

[kpete]

How the Disaster in Japan Affects Seafood
by Ian Yarett


America imports sushi and seaweed from the coastal reefs near Japan. Ian Yarett on how nuclear-tainted seawater is affecting these rolled delicacies, from New York to Tokyo.

Ever since the March 11 tsunami crippled Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors, radioactive materials from the plant have been spreading by air, contaminating milk, vegetables, and tap water. With highly radioactive water now leaking from the reactors into the Pacific, and levels of radioactive iodine and cesium in the sea near the plant as much as 4,000 times higher than normal, the safety of seafood—and of sushi in particular—has risen on the list of concerns not only in Japan but around the world.

In the United States, upscale sushi restaurants—which are more likely than cheaper establishments to import authentic Japanese fish and nori seaweed—are suddenly looking less appetizing than they once did. Importers of Japanese seafood are cancelling orders left and right amid radiation concerns, and many sushi chefs are scrambling to incorporate more locally sourced fish into their creations.

more:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-03-31/nuclear-sushi-how-the-disaster-in-japan-affects-seafood/#

[MineralMan]

1. I stopped at a sushi bar yesterday for lunch.

The fish had American sources, and the seaweed was harvested long before this incident. It was delicious. I hope the sushi bars here can make the transition to alternative sources. If they can't they'll be in big, big trouble.

[blueamy66]

2. My guy won't go eat sushi with me

He thinks all the fish are radiated. :-)

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I won't eat raw fish

and not because of potential radiation.

[FLPanhandle]

3. Didn't the tsunami itself tear up a number of reefs?

Between that and the radiation, it may be a long time for the sea to recover.

[postulater]

4. It's fine with me if we look for more local sources of food.

It just doesn't make sense to ship consumables half way around the world, especially if they have to be kept perfectly fresh.

Japanese fish served in Japan makes sense.

Japanese fish served in New York doesn't.

Especially now that we have Asian Carp in our rivers that we can use.

[AndyTiedye]

7. I Understand We Have Rather an Excess of Asian Carp in Some Rivers

I don't think I have ever had it as sushi though. How is it?

Even if the Japanese fish does not contain dangerous levels of radioactivity (which seems like quite a gamble right now)
their fishing fleet was decimated by the tsunami so it is unlikely they would have enough fish to export any time soon.

They will need all the uncontaminated fish they can catch to feed their own people.

[marions ghost]

13. right

I doubt they'll have much to export...

[postulater]

14. I haven't had it either, but I have seen reports of

chefs who are experimenting with it for different purposes. They have had success with some tasty dishes.

I hope they don't establish themselves in the Great Lakes, but it looks like there is resistance on Obama's part to prevent that.

[marions ghost]

12. How about some of that

yummy Gulf shrimp? (My marine scientist relatives won't eat it).

Do you eat Asian carp?

[postulater]

15. I haven't had the carp yet, it would remind me too much of my ten year old goldfish.

[otohara]

5. Hubby Works @ Sushi Restaurant

it's been so slow these past few years, hanging on by a thread, now this.

[marions ghost]

9. sorry to hear that

sushi is good...

[amerikat]

6. I stocked up on Wasabi and Nori yesterday.

I'm looking into growing my own Wasabi.

[11 Bravo]

8. I prefer to call it "bait".

[hobbit709]

10. Sushi bar and bait shop.

If it comes out of the water, I won't eat it until it's been cooked.

[HopeHoops]

16. Damn near all nori sheets you'll find in the US are farmed kelp.

They should be safe. Even if I DID eat fish, I wouldn't have trusted the shit in the first place, radioactive leakage or otherwise.

[Kablooie]

17. I went to a Sushi restaurant last night that listed the origin of each fish.

Many came from America and other countries but a large proportion were from Japan.