Ea O Ka Aina: Heath

Showing posts with label Heath. Show all posts

Tepco robot finds melted core

SOURCE: Norman Leuter (normandlaurie@gmail.com)
SUBHEAD: The melted fuel debris at Fukushima Daiichi Reactor #3 found on floor of containment.

By AP Staff on 22 July 2017 in The Guardian -
(https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/23/fukushima-images-show-massive-deposits-thought-to-be-melted-nuclear-fuel)

Image above: Still from robot video. What appears to be bolted caps on corroding pipe valves amidst melted core debris. From original article.

Robot spots suspected debris of melted fuel for first time since 2011 earthquake and tsunami destroyed the plant.

Images captured by an underwater robot on Saturday showed massive deposits believed to be melted nuclear fuel covering the floor of a damaged reactor at Japan’s destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant.

The robot found large amounts of solidified lava-like rocks and lumps in layers as thick as 1m on the bottom inside a main structure called the pedestal that sits underneath the core inside the primary containment vessel of Fukushima’s Unit 3 reactor, said the plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co.

On Friday, the robot spotted suspected debris of melted fuel for the first time since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused multiple meltdowns and destroyed the plant. The three-day investigation of Unit 3 ended on Saturday.

The Okinawan Diet

SUBHEAD: People in southernmost Japan have the longest average lifespans on Earth.

By Shereen Lahman MS on 23 March 2017 for Very Well -

(https://www.verywell.com/the-okinawan-diet-2507127)

Image above: Seaweed and sesame seeds top an example of Okinawan Diet. From original article.

[IB Publisher's note: Okinawa is at a latitude just a few degrees above Kauai. Much that is grown there can be grown here. While we agree with possible health advantages of the Okinawan Diet we have some reservations. We are primarily we are concerned that food grown in Japan that may have been contaminated with radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear catastrophe be avoided. Certainly seaweed grown in the possible path of radioactive discharge into the ocean from the Fukushima reactor cores on the eastern shore of Japan should not be consumed. The Fukushima Prefecture was dedicated to farming and fishing and those activities have continued. Some of the food produced there has been shipped to other locations and used as source locations. Be wary of the source.]

Okinawa is a region in the southernmost part of Japan where inhabitants have traditionally had the longest lifespans on earth. While there are probably many reasons for those long lifespans, there's a good chance their typically healthy diet play some part.

The Okinawan diet is made up mostly of vegetables and legumes, especially soy. It's low in calories and fat, and high in complex carbohydrates.

Most of those carbohydrates come from vegetables, with only a small amount of grains or seeds, and no sugar or refined sweets. There is only a little bit of red meat and a minimal amount of dairy. Fish is consumed in moderation, and alcohol consumption is limited to an occasional drink.

Typical foods in this diet include sweet potatoes, soy, bitter melon, shiitake mushrooms, burdock, jasmine tea, seaweed, and a fascinating array of herbs and spices. Here are a few that you should be able to buy in most grocery stores or Asian markets:

Sweet Potatoes
In the past, less affluent Okinawans ate sweet potatoes. Lots and lots of sweet potatoes. Rice, especially white rice, was more expensive and therefore a bit of a status symbol: it was something consumed only by the wealthier folks. The neat thing about sweet potatoes is they are nutrient-dense and rich in vitamins A and C, calcium and potassium.

They're also high in fiber and contain vitamin E.

Soy
The traditional Okinawan diet includes soy in the form of miso paste and tofu. Soy is an excellent source of plant protein, and it provides the bulk of the protein in the Okinawa diet. Soy also contains phytochemicals called flavonoids and phytoestrogens, which may have health promoting qualities.

Bitter Melon
Bitter melon is a gourd that's also known as goya, goo-fa or ku gua. It's used in salads, stir-fried meals and can be made into juice or tea. It's high in fiber and vitamin C, plus it has some beneficial phytochemicals. It may be difficult to find bitter melon in your local grocery store, but Asian food markets probably carry it.

Shiitake Mushrooms
These large mushrooms are found in many types of Asian cooking. They're nutritious, and they might have some health benefits that could impact your immune system and help regulate cholesterol. You can find these mushrooms in the produce section of most grocery stores, or they may be found in the canned vegetable aisle.

Seaweed
Kombu, hijiki, and mozuku are seaweeds commonly used in Okinawa. They're often served with noodles, in salads, in stir-fries, and with vegetables. Seaweed is high in iodine, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium and astaxanthin. It's not easy to find these types of seaweed in a typical grocery store, but you may be able to find nori, which is sold in thin sheets, and sometimes used when preparing sushi.

Herbs and Spices
Some of the seasonings used in this diet have a potential for health benefits and add flavor without adding any calories.

They include turmeric, mugwort, Okinawan peppers, and fennel seeds.

Why the Diet May Work

The Okinawan diet is low in calories and high in fiber, so it can help you lose or maintain weight, which is essential for avoiding chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer.

You could say the Okinawan diet is an anti-inflammatory diet, which can help to reduce the risk of those chronic diseases for a number of reasons:

Low fat (especially saturated fat), but still high in omega-3 fatty acids. At least some forms of saturated fats can increase inflammation and omega-3's tend to reduce inflammation.

Low in refined carbohydrates (like sugar), so it doesn't have a big impact on your blood sugar levels. That's good because blood sugar spikes could contribute to a pro-inflammatory state in your body that increases the risk of chronic disease and inflammation.

High in vitamins C, E and A, and phytochemicals. These nutrients work as antioxidants to protect your cells from free radical damage (things like smoke, pollution, rancid fats and oils and so on). These nutrients might help to reduce inflammation.

The main negative I can see with this diet is that it tends to be high in sodium. If you're on a salt-restricted diet, please speak to your doctor before adding in some of the sodium-rich foods like miso, salted fish or soy sauce (even reduced sodium soy sauce is high in sodium). It's possible that the abundance of fruits and vegetables high in potassium and calcium counteracts the sodium, but I wouldn't risk it.

This diet is very low in red meat, eggs, and poultry. That's okay because you can still get enough protein from soy and fish. But it also has very few grains, even whole grains, and it's very low in dairy products. You can get enough nutrition without those food groups, but it's difficult to follow a diet that's so restrictive.

You don't have to follow the Okinawan diet religiously to see some benefit: Some of these components could be incorporated into your diet:

Eat more vegetables, preferably the ones that are deep green or brightly colored. The star of the Okinawa diet is the sweet potato. They're easy to find at any grocery store (although they may be mislabeled as yams).
Choose soy and soy foods. Try adding tofu to a stir-fry or switch from dairy milk to soy milk.
Swap out your red meat for a serving of fish. Or better yet, up your intake of legumes.
Add mushrooms to your meals. Try different varieties like shiitake, oyster, and King trumpet mushrooms. They're delicious and can be used in place of meat as the focus of a meal.

Source:
Willcox DC, Willcox BJ, Todoriki H, Suzuki M. "The Okinawan diet: health implications of a low-calorie, nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich dietary pattern low in glycemic load." J Am Coll Nutr. 2009 Aug;28 Suppl:500S-516S.
.

USMC contaminates Okinawa bases

SUBHEAD: Reports suggest lax safety standards have caused many of the incidents on US Marine camps there.

By Job Mitchell on 19 February 2107 for Truth Out -
(http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/39501-environmental-contamination-at-us-marine-corps-bases-on-okinawa)

Image above: Lance Cpl. Ryan Yancey radios his team during a joint-training-exercise at the Central Training Area, Camp Hansen. it is the largest live fire land range on Okinawa, the base has been a constant cause of concern for local residents due to forest conflagrations and stray rounds. Photo by Lance Cpl. Kelsey M. Dornfeld, US Marine Corps. From original article.

Since 2002, at least 270 environmental accidents on U.S. Marine Corps bases on Okinawa have contaminated land and local waterways but, until now, almost none of these incidents has been made public.

U.S. Marine internal reports highlight serious flaws in training and suggest that the lessons of past accidents have not been effectively implemented. Moreover, recent USMC guidelines order service members not to inform Japanese authorities of accidents deemed "politically sensitive", raising concerns that many incidents may have gone unreported.

Catalogued in 403 pages of USMC handbooks and reports obtained under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, the accidents occurred on three of the USMC's most important installations on Okinawa: MCAS Futenma, Camp Hansen and Camp Schwab. The earliest report is dated June 2002 and the most recent June 2016.

Although the original FOIA request sought documents from 1995 to 2016, only three reports were released for the period between 1995 and 2005. Likewise, no reports for Camp Schwab were released for the years 2008 and 2010, nor were there any documents related to the crash of an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter on Camp Hansen in August 2013. At the time, the crash caused a public outcry because it occurred near a dam and dangerous levels of arsenic were later discovered in the vicinity. [1]

According to the documents that were released, between 2005 and 2016 MCAS Futenma experienced 156 accidents resulting in the release of 14,003 liters of fuels (including jet fuels and diesel). Between 2004 and 2016, Camp Hansen experienced 71 accidents, including the leak of 2596 liters of fuels and other substances such as 678 liters of antifreeze. Between 2002 and 2016, Camp Schwab experienced 43 incidents, involving 2628 liters of fuel; in 2002, there was a 4024-liter spill of mixed water/POL (Petroleum, Oils And Lubricants) -- one of the largest of the recorded accidents.

Of the 270 accidents, it appears that only 6 were reported to Japanese authorities -- 3 of which because the USMC required the help of local emergency services to clean up.

Environmental accident handbooks from 2013 and 2015 reveal that USMC staff are under orders not to inform Japanese officials of "non-emergency and/or politically sensitive incidents."

Only when an accident is deemed an emergency that poses a threat to people, drinking water or the environment off base, are Marine staff permitted to notify Japanese authorities. The decision whether to classify an incident as "politically sensitive" is left in the hands of the USMC.

On October 28, Defense Minister Inada Tomomi, said she would seek clarification on the policy from the U.S. military and she would press them to report spills promptly to local authorities.[2]

At the time of publication of this article, the government of Japan had made no updates on the issue.

U.S. Forces Japan spokesman Maj. John Severns defended the policy: "The decision to notify ODB (Okinawa Defense Bureau) is made by USFJ in accordance with Joint Committee agreements," Severns wrote by email. "These agreements with the Government of Japan describe what situations require notification."

Even when the USMC decides to report incidents to the Japanese authorities, the FOIA-released documents reveal discrepancies about what is told Tokyo.

In June, 2016 an accident on MCAS Futenma resulted in the spill of 6908 liters of aviation fuel. The internal accident report suggests the accident was due to human error, however Japanese authorities were informed it occurred because of a "valve misalignment."

Moreover, although USFJ told Japanese authorities the spill had been dealt with "immediately", the documents reveal it wasn't fully under control until the following day. USFJ did not inform the Japanese government of the scale of the incident, which ultimately necessitated the disposal of 11 208-liter drums of contaminated earth and 3028 liters of contaminated water.

After the accident, an inside source slammed the safety standards of the USMC at Futenma. The expert explained that the cause of the accident was marines overriding a safety solenoid with a plastic tie.

"Such accidents are typical of the U.S. Marines. To put it bluntly, their work is lazy and they act stupidly," he says.

The expert, who has been working for more than 10 years on U.S. installations in Japan, provided a 12-second video of the spill. Large volumes of fuel can be seen pouring out of a vent in the side of the grass-covered storage tank, pooling on the ground and running into a storm drain.

In March 2009, a similar accident had occurred at the same fuel tank. That incident involved fuel initially estimated by the marines at 3,028 liters but later revised down to 757 liters. The fact that the accident was allowed to happen highlights serious flaws in the training of marines, says the insider.

He also expressed grave concerns about what would happen if a fire broke out in MCAS Futenma's fuel storage areas. The installation, he says, is not adequately equipped to deal with such a conflagration and the fire-fighting capabilities at MCAS Futenma are "very poor."

Severns said he was unable to "respond to vague and unsourced comments."

Although the June spill apparently did not escape the base, other incidents did. Among the accidents which polluted off-base communities but went unreported to the Japanese government was a 946-liter diesel spill at Camp Schwab in September 2005 caused by contractors who accidentally severed a fuel line during construction work. The spill, unnoticed for four days, contaminated 120 meters of river with diesel, which in some stretches lay 5 cm deep upon the water's surface.

On-base rivers flow into the nearby bay, an area categorized as the highest priority by Okinawa Prefecture in its list of places requiring environmental protection.

On Camp Hansen in November 2008, a marine hosed down a heavy equipment parking area, washing an estimated 4 liters of "unknown POLs" (pollutants) into drains which then flowed "off base close to the Japanese elementary school."

On Camp Hansen, in May 2010, 606 liters of antifreeze spilled at a motor pool resulting in an unknown amount flowing into the ocean.

Among the incidents at MCAS Futenma, three spilled a total of 2669 liters of Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF). One incident in 2007 leaked 757 liters of which 189 liters went off the base "into a short creek, then immediately into a cave."

Hydraulic fluid spills within MCAS Futenma totaled 405 liters.

Both AFFF and hydraulic fluid can contain perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), a substance linked to cancer, damage to the immune system and harm to fetuses and infants. Recent reports in the U.S. media have revealed that the military may have been aware of the dangers of PFOS since 1979 and in 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warned it might be carcinogenic.[3]

Tests for PFOS contamination have been conducted on military installations throughout the States and U.S. Army Garrison in Ansbach, Germany. In May, the EPA set its drinking water health advisory limit for PFOS at 70 nanograms per liter.[4]

In February, at a spring near MCAS Futenma, PFOS levels of 80 nanograms per liter were recorded.[5]

Near Kadena Air Base, local checks on the Dakujaku River have discovered levels of PFOS as high as 1320 nanograms per liter and, at Chatan Water Purification Plant, 80 nanograms per liter.[6]

USFJ says there are no plans for the military to conduct checks for PFOS on Okinawa.

In April, a previous investigation revealed the damage that Kadena Air Base, the largest USAF installation in Asia, has been causing the island's drinking water supplies. Between 1998 and 2015, there were at least 415 accidents, only a fraction of which were reported to the Japanese government.[7]

When the investigation was published, the Japanese government made no public comment. However USFJ emails obtained under the FOIA show that the coverage prompted the MOD and MOFA to demand the U.S. military hand over the 8700-plus pages of documents upon which the articles had been based.

The latest release of papers related to Futenma, Schwab and Hansen suggest lax safety standards have caused many of the incidents.

In June 2002, a spill involving 4024 liters of mixed POL and water occurred at Camp Schwab's bilge water treatment facility. The follow-up investigation slammed supervising officers for failing to monitor the marines' work and, after the accident was discovered, for pretending not to know what had happened. The marines, according to the report, were responsible for the "release of a known hazardous material onto areas that feed public waterways."

Subsequent incidents suggest the USMC failed to improve training procedures at Camp Schwab.
An April 2009 report describes how a marine, untrained to operate the vehicle he was driving, caused an accident which spilled hydraulic fluid along 200 meters of on-base road and into the ocean. Members of the Okinawa Defense Bureau witnessed the accident but apparently did not notify the Japanese government.

More recently, in May, 1060 litres of fuel spilled within a storage area on Camp Schwab. Investigators linked the accident to environmental officers' failure to provide the marines in their charge with necessary training.

Perhaps more worryingly are comments contained in a June 2009 investigation revealing serious flaws in the base's oil water separators (OWS). A key component of the environmental protection infrastructure of airports, factories and military bases, OWS prevents substances such as fuels and solvents from leaking into the environment.

The 2009 report blamed a leak of fuel into the sea on the failure of Schwab's OWS and stated that they "do not work" in heavy rain. If accurate, the assessment raises serious concerns for the installation particularly given the propensity for torrential precipitation in the Yambaru jungles where Schwab is situated.

U.S. Forces Japan denied that the problem could damage the local environment. "It is a known characteristic of oil-water separators that they are less effective during heavy rainfall," Severns wrote. "Our engineers are aware of this and take it into account when designing our remediation systems."

Other reports reveal the careless storage of chemicals on Camp Hansen. One incident in December 2011 involved 7 kg of calcium hypochlorite bleach powder transported to Okinawa following joint U.S.-Australia war games. Sloppily stored in a shipping container, some of the chemicals began to react with the air, injuring a marine who opened the container's door.

Despite the injury and the fact that the container's paperwork had not been filled out, the USMC supervisor failed to report the incident. One month later, after superior officers were finally notified, the base declared the situation an emergency and called in a Hazmat team from the local Japanese fire department to clean up the spill site. The empty shipping container was subsequently transported to USMC Camp Kinser, Urasoe City.

Recently Camp Kinser has been at the focus of environmental concerns. In the 1970s, the base, then run by the U.S. Army and known as Machinato - or Makiminato - Service Area, contained an outdoor storage yard for chemicals returned from the Vietnam War.

According to military reports, these substances, including herbicides and solvents, contaminated the soil with heavy metals and the pesticide chlordane, which seeped into the sea, killing large numbers of fish.[8]

Last year, tests conducted by Urasoe City on a river adjacent to Camp Kinser found sediment contaminated with the same toxins, suggesting that the base continues to suffer from serious contamination. Likewise, wildlife caught near the base has repeatedly been found to contain high levels of pollution.[9]

USFJ refuses to make public current on-base environmental data for Camp Kinser.

Contamination at MCAS Futenma has also alarmed local residents. In the early 1980s, the USMC discovered elevated chemical readings in storm water flowing from the base. When maintenance crews investigated, they discovered more than 100 barrels of unknown chemicals, some painted with the tell tale orange stripes of U.S. military defoliants.

Following the discovery, senior officers ordered the clandestine removal of the barrels for disposal elsewhere. In 2015, Lt. Col. Kris Roberts, the marine in charge of the crew that discovered the barrels, was awarded compensation by the U.S. government for exposure to toxic chemicals.[10]

MCAS Futenma
Located smack-dab in the middle of Ginowan City, Okinawa's most controversial base -- often dubbed the most dangerous in the world -- is surrounded by homes, schools and hospitals. In 1996, to placate public fury following the gang rape of a 12-year old girl by three service members from Camp Hansen, Washington and Tokyo agreed to close MCAS Futenma. But that plan has stalled due to insistence that USMC operations be moved to a new base near Camp Schwab -- a decision opposed by the Okinawan government and the majority of Okinawans. In 2004, the crash of a USMC helicopter into the neighboring Okinawa International University only increased demands for MCAS Futenma's closure.

Size: 4.8 sq km(including a 2.8km runway) Land-owners: 3,818
Japanese base workers: 208 U.S. service members: Classified

USMC Camp Schwab
Named after Battle of Okinawa hero, Albert E. Schwab, and built upon a former civilian internment camp, the remains of approximately 300 Okinawans still lie within the base. During the Cold War, the installation and its adjacent arsenal, stored nuclear warheads and, veterans say, a large cache of Agent Orange. Today live fire training and sea drills are held here. The proposed site for operations relocated from MCAS Futenma, the USMC envisages a new base with twin runways and a deepwater port. The Japanese government contends the environmental impact will be minimal but many Okinawans -- Governor Takeshi Onaga included -- argue that the millions of tons of landfill will cause irrevocable damage to the sea.

Size: 20.6 sq km Landowners: 752
Japanese base workers: 242 US service members: Classified

USMC Camp Hansen
Home to the sprawling Central Training Area and the largest live fire land range on Okinawa, the base has been a constant cause of concern for local residents due to forest conflagrations and stray rounds. Until 1997, exercises fired ordinance over Prefectural Route 104 where a much-photographed sign warned drivers to be careful of overhead projectiles. In 2013, a helicopter crashed within the base near a dam but local government officials were denied access to check for contamination.

Size: 51.1 sq km Land-owners: 3,169
Japanese base workers: 576 US service members: Classified

Notes:1. "High levels of arsenic found at Okinawa chopper crash site," Japan Times, February 18, 2014. Available here.
2. Comments were reported by The Okinawa Times -- 緊急通報手順米側に照会中 -- on October 29, 2016.
3. "Air Force studies dating back decades show danger of foam that contaminated Colorado Springs-area water," The Gazette, October 23, 2016. Available here.
4. "Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFOA and PFOS," Environmental Protection Agency. Available here.
5. For example, see 普天間飛行場周辺でもPFOS検出沖縄県が調査, Okinawa Times, February 25, 2016. Available here.
6. Jon Mitchell, "FOIA Documents: Drunk US Marine's 2015 dump of toxic foam among accidents polluting Okinawa water supply", The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol. 14, Issue 7, No. 3, April 1, 2016. Available here.
7. Jon Mitchell, "Contamination at Largest US Air Force Base in Asia: Kadena, Okinawa", The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol. 14, Issue 9, No. 1, May 1, 2016. Available here.
8. Jon Mitchell, "FOIA Documents Reveal Agent Orange Dioxin, Toxic Dumps, Fish Kills on Okinawa Base. Two Veterans Win Compensation, Many More Denied", The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol. 13, Issue 39, No. 1, October 5, 2015. Available here.
9. See for example ハブから再びPCB キンザー周辺 DDT類も検出, Ryukyu Shimpo, January 21, 2017. Available here.
10. Mitchell, October 5, 2015.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.

Jon Mitchell is a Welsh journalist based in Japan. He is the author of Tsuiseki: Okinawa no Karehazai (Chasing Agent Orange on Okinawa) (Koubunken 2014) and a visiting researcher at the International Peace Research Institute of Meiji Gakuin University, Tokyo. Mitchell is an Asia-Pacific Journal contributing editor.

See also:
Ea O Ka Aina: Oura Bay Being Destroyed 2/6/17
Ea O Ka Aina: MV-22 Osprey landing at Salt Pond 2/5/17
Ea O Ka Aina: Japan's Anger is Past its Limit 6/21/16
Ea O Ka Aina: Okinawa an American Protectorate 10/30/15
Ea O Ka Aina: Fear and Hope in Oura Bay 1/27/15
Ea O Ka Aina: "Sit on Sea" Free Movie Sunday 9/3/11
Ea O Ka Aina: Okinawa breathes easier 4/27/12
Ea O Ka Aina: Okinawans wish US military gone 4/26/15
Ea O Ka Aina: Okinawa mayor caves to US military 4/22/15
Ea O Ka Aina: Japan struggles with Okinawa base 4/6/15
Ea O Ka Aina: Voila - World War Three 7/1/14

Ea O Ka Aina: Okinawa resists US Military 2/11/14
Ea O Ka Aina: US Okinawa base setback 1/20/14

Ea O Ka Aina: The Pacific Pivot 6/28/14
Ea O Ka Aina: Help save Mariana Islands 11/17/13
Ea O Ka Aina: Pagan Island beauty threatened 9/16/13
Ea O Ka Aina: Navy to conquer Marianas again 9/3/13
Ea O Ka Aina: Navy Next-War-Itis 4/13/12
Ea O Ka Aina: America bullies Koreans 4/13/12
Ea O Ka Aina: Despoiling Jeju island coast begins 3/7/12
Ea O Ka Aina: Jeju Islanders protests Navy Base 2/29/12
Ea O Ka Aina: Hawaii - Start of American Empire 2/26/12
Ea O Ka Aina: Korean Island of Peace 2/26/12
Ea O Ka Aina: Military schmoozes Guam & Hawaii 3/17/11
Ea O Ka Aina: Living at the Tip of the Spear 4/5/10
Ea O Ka Aina: Living at the Tip of the Spear 4/15/10
Ea O Ka Aina: Guam Land Grab 11/30/09
E a O Ka Aina: Guam as a modern Bikini Atoll 12/25/09
Ea O Ka Aina: GUAM - Another Strategic Island 11/8/09
Ea O Ka Aina: Diego Garcia - Another stolen island 11/6/09
Island Breath: RIMPAC 2008 - Navy fired up in Hawaii 7/2/08
Island Breath: RIMPAC 2008 uses destructive sonar 4/22/08
Island Breath: Navy Plans for the Pacific 9/3/07
Island Breath: Judge restricts sonar off California 08/07/07
Island Breath: RIMPAC 2006 sonar compromise 7/9/06
Island Breath: RIMPAC 2006 - Impact on Ocean 5/23/06
Island Breath: RIMPAC 2004 - Whale strandings on Kauai 9/2/04
Island Breath: PMRF Land Grab 3/15/04

Hawaii Seafood Guide Update

SUBHEAD: Updated guide to healthy, environmentally safe seafood choices in Hawaii.

By Staff in 1 January 2017 for Monterey Bay Aquarium -
(https://www.seafoodwatch.org/-/m/sfw/pdf/guides/mba-seafoodwatch-hawaii-guide.pdf)

Image above: Illustration of Yellowfin Tuna typically caught in Pacific good to eat. From (http://tackleus.com/offshore_big_game/tuna_fishing_techniques_catching_yellow_fin_tuna).

[IB Publisher's note January 9th 2017 updated 1/13/17: Since shortly after March 11, 2011 the meltdown of three nuclear reactors at Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Radioactive material has been entering the Pacific Ocean by the outflow of hundreds of tons of contaminated cooling water (and ground water) that has been flowing through the site since the Tohuko Tsunami hit Japan. That contaminated water contains radioactive Cesium and Strontium 90 and worse. It first affected sea life native to eastern Japanese shores as well as migratory fish that near those shores.

One species in particular is Bluefin Tuna that are born in the eastern Japanese ocean waters and migrate across the Pacific. Do not eat Bluefin Tuna. Many Japanese fish products have been rejected by some private businesses and some regional governments. Yet some of those affected products make their way into the market anyway. Moreover, the radioactive material entering the ocean has spread through natural currents and has had some impact on North American western shores.

In addition, there are some reports of jetstream borne nano sized plutonium particles enclosed in carbon soot buckyballs reaching the west coast. Because of wind and ocean current patterns Hawaii seems to have dodged the worst of Fukushima radiation.

Consequently, we now are not eating any fish from the northern Pacific Ocean unless it is confirmed from local Hawaiian waters. To date we have no reports that local fish have been affected. We are also eating some locally farmed seafood including shrimp and clams. We buy only Atlantic salmon and have stopped buying tuna or fish we cannot identify.

Eventually, if Fukushima radiation is not contained, Hawaii and the southern Pacific Ocean will be contaminated and we will have to reevaluate what fish we will consider eating. This issue should be of the highest priority to the human race. The Pacific Ocean is the largest surface liquid water body in the observed universe. If the Pacific dies so do we. Water is life! See also Fukushima's Radiation Impact 1/10/17 and Fukushima radiation on West Coast 1/13/17]

World wide, the demand for seafood is increasing. Yet many populations of the large fish we enjoy eating are overfished and, in the US, we import over 80% of our seafood to meet the demand.

Destructive fishing and fish farming practices only add to the problem. By purchasing fish caught or farmed using environmentally friendly practices, you're supporting healthy, abundant oceans. Down load and print your own Seafood Watch, Hawaii Sustainable Seafood Pocket Guide, which you can carry to the grocery store, at (http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.aspx).

Other regions of the United States are available as well. These recommendations are researched by Monterey Bay Aquarium scientists. For more information about your favorite seafoods, including items not listed here, visit seafoodwatch.org.

Best Choices:

Aku/Skipjack Tuna (Pacific troll, pole and line)
Akule/Big-eye Scad (HI net)
Arctic Char (farmed)
Barramundi (US & Vietnam farmed)
Bass (US hook and line, farmed)
Clams, Mussels & Oysters
Kamano/Salmon (AK & New Zealand)
Limu/Ogo/Seaweed (farmed)
Lionfish (US)
Lobster: Spiny (Mexico)
Opae/Prawn: Freshwater (Canada & US)
Opae/Shrimp (US farmed & AK)
Opelu/Mackerel Scad (HI net)
Papa'i/Crab: King, Snow & Tanner (AK)
Rockfish (AK, CA, OR & WA)
Sardines: Pacific (Canada & US)
Scallops (farmed)
Shutome/Swordfish (Canada & US buoy, handline, harpoon)
Tilapia (Canada, Ecuador & US)
Tombo/Albacore Tuna (troll, pole and line)

Image above: Steamed mussels with olive oil, garlic and white wine. From (http://rockdragon.blogspot.com/2010/04/cooking-steamed-mussels.html).

Good Alternatives:

Ahi/Yellowfin Tuna (free school, HI longline, Pacific & Indian,Ocean troll, pole, line)
Aku/Skipjack Tuna (free school, imported troll, pole and line, and US longline)
Ehu/Red Snapper (HI)
Hapu‘upu‘u/Hawaiian Grouper (HI)
Hebi/Shortbill Spearfish (imported)
He’e/Octopus (Portugal & Spain pot, trap and HI
Kajiki/Blue Marlin (HI)
Mahi Mahi (Ecuador & US longline)
Onaga/Ruby Snapper (HI)
Ono/Wahoo (HI)
Opae/Shrimp (Canada & US wild,
Ecuador & Honduras farmed)
Opah/Moonfish (HI)
Opakapaka/Pink Snapper (HI)
Papa'i/Crab: Dungeness (Canada & US)
Tilapia (China, Indonesia, Mexico & Taiwan)
Tombo/Albacore Tuna (US longline)
Uku/Gray Snapper (HI)
Yellowtail (US gillnet)

Avoid:

Ahi/Yellowfin Tuna (Atlantic troll, pole and line)
Aku/Skipjack Tuna (imported purse seine)
He’e/Octopus: Common (Portugal & Spain trawl, Mexico)
Kajiki/Blue Marlin
Mahi Mahi (imported)
Mano/Sharks
Ono/Wahoo (imported)
‘Opae/Shrimp (imported)
Opah/Moonfish (imported)
Orange Roughy
Papa'i/Crab (Asia & Russia)
Salmon: Atlantic (farmed)
Sardines: Atlantic (Mediterranean)
Shutome/Swordfish (imported longline)
Snapper (Brazil)
Tilapia (Colombia)
Tombo/Albacore Tuna (except troll, pole and line, and US longline)
Tuna: Bluefin

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )

Ea O Ka Aina

Tepco robot finds melted core

The Okinawan Diet

USMC contaminates Okinawa bases

Hawaii Seafood Guide Update

FROM KAUAI HAWAII

NEWER ARTICLES

OLDER ARTICLES

TITLES IN ORDER

ADD ARTICLE

PARTIAL INDEX

WEEK'S VISITS