Andrew Zimmern’s Simple Rules for Buying Sustainable Seafood

Chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern has spent decades looking into the world’s most fascinating food traditions. And lately, he’s been looking even deeper — underwater, that is. 

Zimmern’s new book, The Blue Food Cookbook — co-authored with chef and writer Barton Seaver in collaboration with the organization Fed by Blue — offers recipes and insights that champion a sustainable future for our oceans. The book is the foundation of an upcoming seminar at the Food & Wine Classic in Charleston, and a continuation of the mission behind his Hope in the Water documentary series.

“The Blue Food Cookbook was born out of a simple idea: We can’t fix our food system unless we start looking at the water,” he says. “‘Blue food’ isn’t just seafood, it’s every edible thing that comes from the ocean, lakes, and rivers,” such as seaweed.

The book’s more than 145 recipes include everything from miso-broiled carp and Nashville hot chicken–inspired catfish to a simple baked mussel dish with garlic, breadcrumbs, olive oil, and herbs. “It takes ten minutes, costs a few dollars, and tastes like the coast of Italy,” says Zimmern. Mussels, he points out, “are one of the most sustainable proteins on Earth: They clean the water as they grow and require zero feed. That’s the definition of guilt-free pleasure.”

“What I want people to take away is that eating from the water more wisely isn’t sacrifice; it’s abundance,” Zimmern continues. “It’s flavor, health, and sustainability all at once.”

Here are some tips Zimmern shares for eating more sustainably at home. 

Eat smarter, not less

Zimmern wants to dispel the idea that sustainability means giving something up. “We’ve been sold this myth that sustainability is someone else’s job, that it’s a government issue, a corporate issue. But it’s actually a daily, bite-by-bite decision,” he says. “The ocean isn’t dying because we’re eating fish; it’s dying because we’re eating badly managed fish.”

He recommends buying from trusted sources and supporting domestic fisheries whenever possible. “Most fisheries in the U.S. are well-regulated and sustainable, yet we import 80 to 90% of our seafood from overseas, where environmental and labor standards can be appalling. So we end up outsourcing both the problem and the suffering.” The fix, he insists, “isn’t about eating less seafood; it’s about eating smarter seafood.”

Ask the right questions 

So how can you buy “smarter seafood”? Zimmern says it comes down to curiosity. “Ask questions. That’s the most powerful thing you can do. Where is it from? How was it caught or farmed? A good fishmonger should be proud to tell you.”

He recommends looking for certifications such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for wild fish and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) or Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) for farmed. But labels aren’t everything. “Local often beats labeled. If you live near a coast, buy from regional fisheries or CSFs (community-supported fisheries).”

To really make a difference, diversify your dinner plate. “Try species like mackerel, mussels, sardines, or farmed oysters. They’re sustainable, affordable, and delicious. We can’t all eat shrimp and salmon forever.”

Look to ancient coastal traditions

In researching The Blue Food Cookbook, Zimmern found inspiration in ancient coastal traditions from around the world. “Coastal communities from Senegal to Japan have been eating sustainably for millennia, nose-to-tail, fin-to-scale,” he says. “The recipes came from those places of deep tradition: a Filipino kinilaw, a Peruvian chupe de camarones, a Scandinavian cured herring, an Indigenous Alaskan salmon dish.”

Zimmern’s global travels have shaped his evolution from chef to advocate. “In my early chef days, seafood was about technique, and a little bit of showing off…. Later, as I traveled, it became about story and survival, meeting fishermen who lived by the tide, who understood stewardship instinctively. Now, as a storyteller and advocate, it’s about responsibility.”

He’s seen both the devastation of overfishing and the remarkable resilience of the sea. “I’ve eaten at the ends of the Earth and seen what happens when the fish disappear. I’ve also seen how fast they come back when we give the ocean a break. That’s humbling. And that’s also hope.”

And he sees that hope growing. “I’m optimistic because the next generation gets it. Young chefs are sourcing regeneratively. Kids are learning about ocean health in school. Entrepreneurs are building seaweed snacks and kelp burgers that actually taste good.”

As he puts it, “The ocean is resilient, it wants to heal. If we give it half a chance, it will. The Blue Food Cookbook isn’t about using ‘hope in the water’ as a catchy slogan; it’s a very serious strategy.”