INSIGHT NEWS
Restaurateur’s campaign against unsustainable fishing methods The alternative is catastrophic, says Bill Marinelli ■ THE world’s oceans are being plundered at such an alarming rate because of unsustainable fishing practices, the seafood we’ve become accustomed to in restaurants, shops and supermarkets could disappear within a couple of decades. It’s a catastrophic scenario painted by Bill Marinelli, a marine biologist, shellfish farmer and veteran Bangkok restaurateur, who believes the only way to avoid such a natural disaster is for consumers to demand information on the source of their seafood and whether it has been fished in a sustainable manner. “If we want our grandchildren to enjoy seafood, we have to start making choices now about what we eat,” says New York-born Marinelli. “These days, we ask questions about the schools we send our kids to, the grapes used in the wine we drink, and whether the beef we order has been grain-fed. We should be doing the same with seafood.” Marinelli, who owns the Seafood Bar on Sukhumvit Soi 16, is particularly scathing about farmed seafood, which, he says, are depleting the oceans in a totally unsustainable way. “To grow one kilo of farmed salmon takes 3 kilos of fish from the sea,” he says. “Farmed tuna is worse as it takes
Kingdom sponsors this year’s Beaver golf
■ THE 3rd Beaver Invitational, a popular annual charity golf tournament organized by the Canadian community, has signed up Pattaya property developer Kingdom Property as its Title Sponsor for this year’s event, to be held November 9-10 at the Phoenix Golf Club.
10
four kilos of fish. The fishing industry is sweeping the seas to feed the salmon and tuna in these farms. And it’s collapsing the chain – there’ll be nothing left.” He’s also critical of the way fish is marketed. “Take snow fish,” he says. “It’s on just about every menu in Bangkok, and yet it’s not snow fish at all. Mostly it’s Patagonian tooth fish, which wouldn’t be as popular because of its name. “Other types of fish are also sold as snow fish. There are even some that
Kingdom Property is currently developing the luxury Southpoint condominium project in Pattaya. The company’s CEO Nigel Cornick commented: “Pattaya is rapidly emerging as a vibrant and unique city that will be a leading hub in Thailand’s future. The association
are on the endangered list which are re-labelled as snow fish to get round the regulations.” As an importer himself, Marinelli rejects suggestions of double standards by saying all his products are sustainably fished in the Alaska region of the Northwest Pacific. His imported shellfish are similarly sustainably farmed. To air his views, Marinelli is holding a lecture “Could there be a world without FISH?” which will include a tasting of sustainable seafood at the Seafood Bar, 7pm, Wednesday, October 31, and again at 1pm, Sunday, November 4, at the Oyster Bar Bangkok, Narathiwas Soi 24. “We’ll be discussing what makes seafood sustainable, and answering such questions as why farmed salmon is depleting our oceans of fish, and which fish are on the ‘green’ and ‘black’ lists.” The dinner and wine are free of charge. Seating is limited, so reservation is required. The Seafood Bar, 41 Somerset Lake Point, Sukhumvit Soi 16. Tel: 02 663 8863. The Oyster Bar Bangkok, 395 Narathiwas, Soi 24, email: info@theoysterbarbangkok. com Tel: 02 212 4809 between this event and Kingdom starts with a shared vision of giving back to the community and involving people from all walks of life.” Mr Cornick met with John Casella, VP of the Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and Michael White, a leading member of the Flying Farangs hockey team, to formally announce Kingdom’s support of the tournament. Several changes are planned to increase the speed of play at this year’s event, including the introduction of a morning and afternoon shotgun for participants. For updates and changes visit: www.beaverinvitational.com. To be a sponsor or book a playing slot, contact the ThaiCanadian Chamber of Commerce at: 02 266 6085-6 or randy@tccc-members.org
TheBigChilli
P8-27 Insight new_Oct12.indd 10
9/29/12 8:19:23 PM