Michael Boots.
With what environmental organization are you affiliated?
I am the director of the Seafood Choices Alliance, which is the largest program of the communications-based organization SeaWeb.
What does your organization do?
Seafood Choices Alliance is a global trade association that works on the issue of ocean-friendly seafood. The alliance helps the seafood industry — from fishers and fish farmers to distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and restaurants — make the seafood marketplace environmentally and economically sustainable. There is a growing interest worldwide in environmentally responsible seafood. Seafood Choices Alliance mobilizes and connects the world’s leading voices in support of a sustainable supply of seafood choices, highlighting the need for a global solution to threats facing the ocean.
What are you working on at the moment?
Mind over mussel.
Photo: iStockphoto
We’re all about facilitating dialogue. We connect people and organizations that don’t normally have a reason to connect. We serve as a bridge between two camps — the conservation community and the seafood industry — that were on opposite sides of the debate over fishing for far too long. In that capacity, we just wrapped up our annual conference, the Seafood Summit, which brought together hundreds of leaders from the growing sustainable-seafood marketplace. It’s the kind of event where you can find the head of corporate social responsibility for McDonald’s eating lunch with an oceans campaigner from Greenpeace and the finance director from a socially responsible venture capital fund.
With that event behind us, we’re turning our attention to the world’s biggest seafood trade shows, held each spring in Brussels and Boston. At those shows, we’ll host business-to-business dialogues and present awards to some of this movement’s emerging leaders.
How do you get to work?
When I’m in the D.C. area, I take the bus or walk. But more often than not, I’m on the road, meeting with alliance members and other leaders in North America and across Europe. The good news is that our organization recently instituted a carbon-offset program to compensate for all of that travel.
What long and winding road led you to your current position?
For more than 15 years, my career path has been focused on the conservation of natural resources. Before joining the alliance in 2004, I was the environmental and natural-resources adviser to the governor of California (before he was unceremoniously “terminated”), representing the governor, his cabinet, and the state before Congress and the federal government. I began my career as development associate for American Oceans Campaign (now Oceana), and since that time have worked to engage businesses, policymakers, and consumers on a wide array of environmental issues. I also worked at the U.S. EPA in the Clinton administration, forging solutions to water-quality and coastal-protection challenges. At one time or another, I was working on forestry, wetlands, oceans, endangered species, energy conservation, water quality, and the stewardship of public lands — but all focused on finding innovative ways to protect and conserve those precious resources.
Where were you born? Where do you live now?
It often feels like I’ve spent my entire life in motion. Born in Memphis, Tenn., I grew up between Chicago and California, with time in Southeast Asia and Australia. I now live outside Washington, D.C., in Silver Spring, Md.
What’s been the best moment in your professional life to date?
At a gathering of the Aspen Institute late last year, a few of us were asked to address the group about our work and the role of innovative leadership in driving change. There I was with corporate leaders from McDonald’s, IBM, Toyota, and Time Inc., and thought-leaders from Harvard Business School and other leading institutions, and they were intensely curious about the success of an organization like ours in driving innovation within this sector. They were looking to us for answers about the future. I was really moved by the power of that moment, and the importance of the work I do. And I was gratified to be in a room filled with folks who understood the value of building bridges and seeking out the art of the possible. It just illustrates the critical time of synergies we all find ourselves in — where the conservation community sees the need to engage business, and global companies are stepping up to the plate to fundamentally change the way they do their jobs.
What environmental offense has infuriated you the most?
The appalling lack of U.S. leadership on the issue of climate change. When the environment and the rest of the world were calling out for some sense of urgency and action, our government dropped the ball. Nobody is asking that we solve this problem on our own, but we can certainly do our best to contribute to solutions. As I work now to ensure a sustainable supply of fish well into the future, the issues of climate change — from sea-level rise to ocean acidification — permeate our work.
Who is your environmental hero?
The obvious choices all come to mind — Al Gore, Jacques Cousteau, and Theodore Roosevelt — but a less obvious choice is Kevin Bacon and his new organization Six Degrees. It’s a case of making wine from sour grapes (I’ll drink to that!) and bringing his celebrity status, and that of many others, to bear on many important environmental and social causes. The idea that we’re all connected is something to keep in mind about the ocean, too. Everything — our garbage, sewage, emissions into the atmosphere — eventually ends up there. And it doesn’t matter if you live on the coast or inland, we’re all affected. For example, the dead zone at the mouth of the Mississippi River in the Gulf of Mexico is caused by urban, suburban, and agricultural runoff hundreds of miles away.
What’s your environmental vice?
I simply love to eat shrimp. And while I know it has so many environmental and social challenges associated with it, the good news is that there are more and more producers that are making better decisions every day. I’m hoping that one day soon those trends become the rule rather than the exception, so that all of us can feel good about eating it too.
How do you spend your free time (if you have any)?
Free time is hard to come by these days. I’ve got a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter and another baby on the way. But any time away from work is spent hanging out with my wife and family and getting outside.
What’s your favorite meal?
That’s easy — delicious sustainable seafood and some incredibly fine wine.
Which stereotype about environmentalists most fits you?
I don’t believe in these. You just can’t judge a book by its cover — or a bottle of wine by its label, for that matter! The Seafood Choices Alliance is all about breaking down the barriers to communication between all who have a stake in this problem and its solutions. That often involves doing away with long-persistent stereotypes — and we’re succeeding.
What’s your favorite place or ecosystem?
Any beach I can get to. A place to put my toes in the water and let time slip away. Every summer we head up to Cape Cod, playing in the sun and surf between the bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The cape holds a special place in my heart — it’s where I first introduced my daughter to the wonders of the ocean!
If you could institute by fiat one environmental reform, what would it be?
I’d force us all to walk a mile in each other’s shoes. The answers to the questions that lie before us are way too complicated and nuanced and challenging to be solved from one perspective. If we’re going to find a way forward — a better way forward — we need to stop demonizing each other and have a much deeper appreciation for how the guy sitting next to us could be part of the solution.
What’s your favorite movie?
Shouldn’t it be Finding Nemo?
Which actor would play you in the story of your life?
Clint Eastwood, as director and actor. In Flags of Our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima, he has assumed the point of view of two entirely opposed camps, and done beautiful justice to each. And he’s an activist for the planet to boot.
If you could have every InterActivist reader do one thing, what would it be?
Become seafood savvy. Carry a wallet card from the Monterey Bay Aquarium or Environmental Defense [PDF], and don’t be shy about asking your restaurant server or fish-counter rep about the sustainability of the fish being offered. Become educated about the best seafood choices out there and act on that information.
How are you faring with convincing bottom trawlers that their modus operandi is harming the future of overall ocean health? – Howard Nelson, Portland, Ore.
Michael Boots, Seafood Choices Alliance.
We have to be careful not to paint the issue with such a broad brush — not all bottom trawling is equally destructive. Bottom trawling of hard-bottom and complex surfaces is more damaging than trawling on soft, sandy bottoms. It also depends on how frequent and widespread the trawling is, as well as the overall health and abundance of the fish species being sought. Nonetheless, there are some significant environmental issues generally associated with bottom trawling. Last December, the U.N. General Assembly concluded its annual debate on oceans and fisheries with a call for an end to this method of fishing. Among the countries calling for the ban, President Bush lent the support of the U.S.
More than consumer or activist pressure, I’m convinced it’s going to take pressure from many large retail and restaurant buyers to effect such sweeping changes in the way we fish and do away with this method altogether.
Several high-end restaurants at which I have eaten recently are offering organic farmed salmon. My reaction was negative due to the farming aspect, but others accompanying me thought “organic” must be good. Is organic farmed salmon good or bad from sustainability, health, and environmental views? – Leona Lauder, Mill Valley, Calif.
This is a particularly hot topic at the moment. Unfortunately, the answer is not simple, because of the nature of the global seafood market. The U.S. currently does not have organic standards for any seafood, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture is close to developing such standards for farmed seafood. The U.S. imports nearly 80 percent of its seafood, so we are seeing organically labeled seafood in our markets and restaurants because other countries (primarily in Europe) have developed organic standards for seafood. However, these standards may differ quite dramatically. At the same time, a few companies in the U.S. (most notably farmed-shrimp producers) have received certification for their products by meeting the USDA’s organic livestock standards.
It’s definitely a case of buyer beware, as most consumers do perceive “organic” to be better from a health and environmental perspective; with seafood as it currently stands, this is simply not a given.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium lists Chilean sea bass as a fish to avoid. Whole Foods Market (endorsed by the Marine Stewardship Council) is now selling this fish again nationwide. What’s your opinion? – Brian Kessler, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Thank you for asking this question, because this is a very confusing issue. Chilean sea bass are largely still in trouble. There is, however, one fishery — out of all the fisheries in the southern hemisphere where Chilean sea bass are fished — that has been certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. Some of the relatively small amount of Chilean sea bass that comes from that fishery is going to Whole Foods here in the U.S., labeled as sustainable with the MSC logo and tag.
What will be great is when people begin to recognize the MSC label as an assurance that the fish tagged with it are sustainable. The label and its significance are going to take some getting used to, and its visibility in the U.S. market is certainly on the rise. The more we see it in the marketplace, the better we will all feel about the fish we buy. So you can feel comfortable buying Chilean sea bass with the MSC logo, but still avoid sea bass that does not carry the logo.
Are you concerned about mercury levels in our fish? The FDA/EPA fish advisory suggests that young children, women who are pregnant, and nursing mothers should limit consumption of certain fish species. What precautions do you and your family take? – Beth Pallo, Ithaca, N.Y.
While seafood is one of the most nutritious foods any of us can eat, most fish contain at least trace amounts of chemical contaminants — the unfortunate result of the increasing levels of pollution in our environment. That said, there are wonderful seafood options available that are both ocean-friendly and low enough in contaminants to be eaten safely by even young children: wild salmon, farmed tilapia, bay scallops, and many others. My own family, which includes a young child and another on the way, consciously seeks out these win-win options. You can learn more at Kid Safe Seafood.
How do I find the information I need about the seafood in my supermarket? Do I need to approach the store owner, or should I find a supplier and buy seafood directly? – Jacquelyn Negraiff, Peace River, Alberta, Canada
You should always feel comfortable speaking with store personnel, especially when it comes to buying seafood in stores and restaurants that carry a rich diversity of choices. If you never ask the question, the store will never know what issues or qualities are important to its customers. Start with the staff behind the counter at the seafood department; if you’re not satisfied with the answer, ask for the supervisor or make another selection.
Can you please tell me how your carbon-offset program works and who is receiving the green energy created? – Brian Kessler, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Our carbon-offset program is pretty new, and we’re still working out some of the details. Right now we’re starting by offsetting air travel-related emissions, and we hope that we’ll be able to expand the program to cover other offsets (from the office, etc.) soon. The company we work with is great because they offer a lot of flexibility and options for offsetting carbon emissions. They support alternative-energy projects, purchase and retire carbon offsets, and support projects in energy efficiency and reforestation. In the case of renewable-energy projects, the energy produced is used locally and projects are based around the U.S. in both rural and urban communities
Should I buy wild-caught seafood, which contributes to overfishing? Or should I buy the farm-raised, less nutritious, genetically modified seafood? – Natalie Galletti, Austin, Texas
The quick, but not easy, answer is both. Wild and farmed species can both be good options. Well-managed wild fisheries such as herring, Alaska salmon, striped bass, and some crab are great options — they’re managed to ensure that overfishing does not occur and impacts from fishing gear are minimized. Farm-raised fish and shellfish — mussels, oysters, clams, catfish, tilapia — are also great choices and can be quite nutritious. The easiest thing to do is to learn more about Smart Choices from our website. Many of our conservation members also produce useful wallet guides [PDF] to take with you to restaurants or the supermarket. You can find links to their guides from our website as well.
For years I avoided eating shrimp because I had read that it wasn’t sustainably harvested. Recently, however, I have seen North American shrimp on the list of “OK” seafood. Why do you consider eating shrimp a vice if North American shrimp are on the list of seafood that’s OK to eat? – Roz Cummins, Arlington, Mass.
In the U.S. we consume a large variety of shrimp, both farmed and wild, from cold and warm waters. For wild shrimp, conservation organizations recommend cold-water species — such as spot prawns and pink shrimp, also known as salad shrimp — because they don’t have the same rates of bycatch as warm-water shrimp. Cold-water fishers employ a device, known as a Nordmore grate, that reduces bycatch of groundfish such as cod by directing the fish to an escape opening at the top of the trawl net.
Some groups also recommend U.S. wild shrimp in general, which includes shrimp from the southeast U.S. and Gulf of Mexico. These shrimp are recommended over imported wild shrimp primarily because U.S. regulations require the use of bycatch- and turtle-excluder devices — regulations not necessarily required in other countries.
In terms of farmed shrimp, U.S. farmed shrimp is recommended over imported farmed shrimp by most U.S. organizations. A growing number of U.S. shrimp farmers are developing better practices for shrimp culture. For example, some of these farmers use closed-system, inland operations rather than farming shrimp along sensitive coastal areas. These farms recycle much of their water and drastically cut back on impacts such as pollution, the spread of disease, and habitat destruction. Farms outside the U.S. are not necessarily subject to the same environmental regulations, and many have a history of habitat disruption. However, many countries and individual farms are working to improve practices, and I suspect you’ll see recommendations for shrimp from other countries in the future.
How can I find out precise information about the quality of salmon from specific companies? – James Costello, Ceres, Calif.
I encourage you to get on the web. Most companies that sell at the retail level have such information available on their websites, touting everything from nutritional and health benefits to their product’s sustainability and other environmental aspects.
There’s been an ongoing battle over the sustainability and environmental integrity of farmed salmon, as well as serious questions about its ingredients, such as the red dye used. How do you feel about the massive number of hatchery-raised fish released to the commons to compete with wild stocks? Should we abandon the hatcheries, or label the retail product differently? – Daniel Wedin, Portland, Ore.
Great question. Your region of the country has been front and center in this debate for some time now. The debate over dams, hatcheries, and impacts on wild fish has touched everyone from recreational anglers and commercial fishers to conservationists and water managers. While everyone seems to have their own passionate opinion on this topic, my sense is that the federal government needs to look into this matter more closely and do a better job of listening to the scientists on its own advisory committee. Trucking salmon fingerlings downriver to avoid the turbines of numerous dams clearly isn’t a long-term solution. At the same time, many of these runs are listed as endangered or threatened, so I’m not convinced that doing away with the hatcheries altogether is the wisest choice in public policy.
Have you tried crawfish instead of shrimp? – Linus Chen, Decatur, Ga.
Of course, though I confess to never having “sucked the head.” We often tout crawfish as an ocean-friendly alternative to some shrimp choices.
