Eat More Pest Species (Vol. 1)
Posted on | November 28, 2009 | 3 Comments
Marine pest species are fish or shellfish that inhabit bodies of water and fundamentally change (in a bad way) the surrounding ecosystem. They can be introduced to an area directly by human carelessness (e.g., releasing snakehead fish in your local pond) or through the effects of environmental and ecological changes. In this case, the cownose ray population has grown to large numbers because populations of its only natural predator, sharks, have declined due to overfishing.
Powerful jaw of a cownose ray can crush shellfish
Cownose rays are a big nuisance in the sounds of North Carolina and the Chesapeake Bay. They eat delicious oysters and bay scallops, and schools of the fish can devastate entire beds of shellfish. Two things can happen to help alleviate the ray’s pressure on shellfish: 1) rebuild shark populations to increase predation on rays (this is currently but slowly being done through regulation of the shark fishery); and 2) develop markets and a sustainable commercial fishery for cownose ray.
North Carolina launched a targeted marketing program in the 1970s at the same time as initiating development of a ray fishery. Unfortunately, their efforts were unsuccessful. Currently, the Virginia Marine Products Board is investing significantly in promoting “Chesapeake Ray,” a more appetizing sounding name for cownose ray. The Board provides marketing information, recipes, and a list of distributors on its website.
Migrating school of cownose rays
The flesh of Chesapeake ray is reddish and has a non-fishy, almost veal-like taste. Unlike most other fish, it is best prepared by slow cooking. If you are feeling adventurous, try making this recipe for Chesapeake Ray BBQ.
SOP plans to report on other pest species that are good eats and can be sustainably harvested. Keep an eye out for future posts with other recipes for non-traditional seafood dishes.
Tags: Chesapeake ray > cownose ray > ecosystem > fishery > management > overfishing > oyster > pest species > recipe > scallop > seafood > sustainable
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December 15th, 2009 @ 5:21 PM
[...] KEEP READING ON THE SUSTAINABLE OCEAN PROJECT » [...]
December 21st, 2009 @ 12:27 AM
[...] Dinner Bell: The Sustainable Ocean Project Wants You to Eat More Pests » [...]
December 9th, 2010 @ 1:33 PM
You have no idea what you are talking about Mr. Spear. What you have claimed is idiotic. Cownose Rays have life history characteristics which make them EXTREMELY vulnerable to fishing. There is also NO STRONG EVIDENCE that Cownose Ray population have undergone predation release with the decline of large sharks — that was an extremely speculative, and probably incorrect claim from a SINGLE publication in Science.