Those shrimp-stacked raw bars that entice event guests can come at a cost you won't find on the catering bill: Seventy-five percent of shrimp consumed in the United States is caught by boats that drag nets along the ocean floor, and for every pound of shrimp that ends up as appetizers, up to 15 pounds of "bycatch"—fish and animals like sea turtles that accidentally get caught in the nets—die on the decks of shrimp boats, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
As more event planners learn about how some fishing techniques adversely affect the environment, they’re realizing how influential their menu choices are—and changing them. After all, not even restaurant chefs have the power to decide the menu for a banquet of 500 guests. "We try to guide our clients towards using fish that’s sustainably harvested," says Mary Cleaver, founder of the Cleaver Company, one of New York’s go-to catering firms for planners who want sustainable ingredients.
High demand has driven the population of Chilean sea bass—once the gold standard of entrees at big-ticket events—to near-extinction levels. And conservation group Caviar Emptor reports that the popularity of beluga caviar has decimated the wild beluga sturgeon population in the .phpian Sea 90 percent in the past 20 years.
There are several seafood alternatives that are caught in a sustainable manner, so concerned planners don’t have to entirely overhaul a menu. Andrew Ryland Spurgin, executive director of San Diego-based Waters Fine Catering, suggests replacing raw bar shrimp with farmed oysters, mussels and diver scallops. And Cleaver recommends sustainable alternatives like wild salmon, wild cod, tilapia and farmed trout caviar.
For the launch of the North Face store in March, fish-friendly caterer Fancy Girl served wild Alaska salmon skewers with a ginger dip. It was a logical move for Ruder Finn director of special events Lori Zelenko, who planned the event. "We were celebrating the connection of North Face to the outdoors," Zelenko says. “It was only appropriate to select a caterer who uses [sustainable] ingredients, who has an organic feel."
To help planners and caterers make eco-friendly menu choices, New York’s Wildlife Conservation Society supplies a list of fish that are caught or farmed in an ocean-friendly manner. Or go straight to the source: Two sustainable fish suppliers include New Hampshire-based Ecofish and Washington-based Vital Choice Seafood.
—Suzanne Ito
As more event planners learn about how some fishing techniques adversely affect the environment, they’re realizing how influential their menu choices are—and changing them. After all, not even restaurant chefs have the power to decide the menu for a banquet of 500 guests. "We try to guide our clients towards using fish that’s sustainably harvested," says Mary Cleaver, founder of the Cleaver Company, one of New York’s go-to catering firms for planners who want sustainable ingredients.
High demand has driven the population of Chilean sea bass—once the gold standard of entrees at big-ticket events—to near-extinction levels. And conservation group Caviar Emptor reports that the popularity of beluga caviar has decimated the wild beluga sturgeon population in the .phpian Sea 90 percent in the past 20 years.
There are several seafood alternatives that are caught in a sustainable manner, so concerned planners don’t have to entirely overhaul a menu. Andrew Ryland Spurgin, executive director of San Diego-based Waters Fine Catering, suggests replacing raw bar shrimp with farmed oysters, mussels and diver scallops. And Cleaver recommends sustainable alternatives like wild salmon, wild cod, tilapia and farmed trout caviar.
For the launch of the North Face store in March, fish-friendly caterer Fancy Girl served wild Alaska salmon skewers with a ginger dip. It was a logical move for Ruder Finn director of special events Lori Zelenko, who planned the event. "We were celebrating the connection of North Face to the outdoors," Zelenko says. “It was only appropriate to select a caterer who uses [sustainable] ingredients, who has an organic feel."
To help planners and caterers make eco-friendly menu choices, New York’s Wildlife Conservation Society supplies a list of fish that are caught or farmed in an ocean-friendly manner. Or go straight to the source: Two sustainable fish suppliers include New Hampshire-based Ecofish and Washington-based Vital Choice Seafood.
—Suzanne Ito
