Giving Compass' Take:

• Creating a sustainable food system that contains fish is possible, but requires us to look beyond the fillet. Chef Josh Niland from the Australian restaurant Saint Peter talks about how it can be done.

• How can we support more innovative practices for a socially-conscious and sustainable seafood industry?

• ISSF makes a strategic plan for sustainable seafood. Click here to read more. 

Finding and eating so-called sustainable seafood can seem daunting, but the Sydney eatery Saint Peter is proving that it is possible. The restaurant has been making waves since it opened in 2016 by preparing local and sustainable fish species, showcasing their lesser-used parts in highly refined dishes, and using an innovative dry-aging process to prevent waste.

“We work directly with fishermen (folk) from around Australia,” says Josh Niland, head chef and owner of Saint Peter and Fish Butchery. “We write our menu daily based not only on what fish comes in but what fish is at its peak age—for example, last week we had a 14-day aged Murray Cod on the menu—and also what fish offal we have available to serve. Careful handling extends the shelf life of fish from days to weeks and could totally revolutionize fish waste.”

According to the World Health Organization, nearly 1 billion people globally rely on fish as their main source of protein. The idea of handling fish differently and changing consumer views on its off-cuts and offal could have wide-reaching impacts on the sustainability of one of the world’s most important meats. “We have a philosophy of whole fish cookery–thinking beyond the fillet—which only makes up 40 percent of the fish’s total weight,” Niland tells Food Tank. “I hope in 20 years this will not be radical thinking but commonplace, to use every part of the fish: roe, liver, stomach, swim bladder, milt, heart, bones. Just like today it would be outrageous to discard beef cheeks or oxtail.”

Read the full article on Australia's sustainable seafood scene by Douglas Donnellan at Food Tank.