Sorry, didn’t mean to speak “in ex cathedra.” I happen to be working at an aquarium, developing interpretation for a new shark exhibit, so I hear this stuff all the time.
From what I gather, scientists don’t like to rate various threats as “#1” or “#2,” because they are hard to define, even harder to measure. I understand that cartilige is relatively low on the threat list (but rising). Taking sharks for their fins is much bigger, due to the huge market for shark fin soup. (It also gets a lot of attention because of its inherent cruelty – they cut the fins off living sharks and throw the maimed animal back into the water to die.)
But I believe (and I will try to check this for you) slightly more sharks are taken “accidentally” in drift nets or by trawlers which are actually targeting other fish. Rather than throw them back, they use the sharks and other unwanted “trash fish” for low-end sea food items, like fish sticks.
If shark populations were healthy I’d join you in a fish stick repast; as it is, I’ll take a pass.
(Dolphin Fish) This fish is not a mammal or the porpoise that we have seen in the Sea World shows or remember as Flipper. It is smaller fish, with a distinctive hump on its head, more colorful and very plentiful. It is also most closely associated with Hawaiian cuisine because its taste blends so well with some of the native fruits and its was first introduced to the U.S. main land via Hawaii. Today it is cheaper and fresher locally. Mahi is pink, has a mildly sweet flesh which turns white when cooked. It is available all year round but is best purchased in the winter. There is a migration of the fish to the south at that time and the fishermen of Ecuador, which has 40°%e of the worlds production of Mahi, are harvesting around the clock. Mahi is excellent when fresh and cooked until it is just done when the meat barely flakes off, otherwise it will tend to taste dry.
Hmm. I question the relevance of taste-testing a few of these, as they are endangered species, and the only way you’d get 'em is the “grey market” of ex-zoo critters which probably alters the taste quite a bit (won’t even bring up the legal, ethical questions of encouraging the consumption of endangered species, by definition low populations without sustainable harvests yet possible…)
Some, such as bear, are not ranched; you can hunt them and eat them, but in most states you can’t commercialize sport-caught meat (home-consumption only).
Elk, alligator, deer, ostrich, and a few others are “ranched” - read “captive-bred” - so are available for general use.
Re. sharks: the fin trade, no question is the activity pushing shark catch over MSY. Vessels at sea don’t have room enough to store anything but high-value items, so shark as a by-catch merely takes up room more profitably spent on target species. On law-abiding U.S. vessels in certain fisheries, regulated avoidance of waste has led to some keeping of by-catch - but this is an insignificant amount compared to the Asian fleets throughout the Pacific, who get large price per pound of shark fin for what takes little space, and often is an unreported fishery.
I’ll find the cites if you’d like, but the problem there is how the data is collected if at all by such spineless agencies as the Nat’l Marine Fisheries Disservice. (One example is recording data every fifth set by observers, while sets 1 to 4 aren’t counted. Any Taipei fishing captain with two working synapses can figure that one out).
Speaking of eating Kangaroo… does anyone know whether or not the rumour of McDonald’s getting sued for putting Kangaroo meat in it’s burgers in the late 80s is true?
A wonderful place to sample lots of kinds of " wild game and exotic meats " is the Buckhorn Exchange. It is in Denver, and is still in it’s original site. It started as a trading post, the city grew around it. Great meals, INCREDIBLE old carved bar upstairs. In one sitting, I ate ( all for the first time ) Buffalo steak- delish,and juicy, and sweet, Elk, rattlesnake, alligator bits ( fried…) and rabbit.
Yes, I had bizarre dreams that night.
Typer
" If you want to kiss the sky you’d better learn how to kneel "
I definitely do NOT want to give the impression that I’m encouraging consumption of endagered species.
BTW - despite my UserName, I am NOT a chef!
I had no idea shark was endangered. I had “shark bites,” at a tropical-themed restaurant in St. Louis once, and I just assumed that they wouldn’t serve an endangered species. (I thought it tasted like beef, BTW).
Some African chef came to our town once, offering lion, tiger, and other game-type meats, on a sample platter. At $100 a pop, I had to pass, but the whole event piqued my curiosity.
I recognize that it’s difficult to compare the tastes of various meats. I also recognize that it all depends on how the chef prepares it. But I’m hoping that I can get some generalizations on this point.
Y-not Burger in Torrence California was (2 years ago, not sure about now - I moved) was serving ostrich burgers. Everyone said they tasted like mild beef.
I can’t believe that lion or tiger is available legitimitly anywhere in the world, although I’m sure black market sources do exist; I would want a close inspection of the preparation of such a dish. Isn’t tigers’ penis soup a chinese remedy for impotence; ah, good old sympathetic magic, kinda reminds me of christianity, gimme that ole time religion. BTW, I think anyone who poaches endagered species for profit should be taken outside and shot,
Larry
OOhhh… waitaminute. Sharks ain’t endangered - yet. Just that the present “harvest activity” is not gonna go on fer long at the present rate. (I said some of your menu items… my fault, shoulda been more specific.)
The African chef there… had to be zoo critters, ex-pets, or smuggled; all pretty much “grey” market, anyway. No other choices. You see, endangered species laws apply to importing, selling interstate, but NOT mere possession. A ridiculously large loophole.
Your friendly government agent can watch you walk down the street with a panda on a leash, and has little recourse. No requirements for a “license”, or for some kinda permit. The burden of proof is on the gubbiment to show that that lion steak you’re serving at your restaurant ain’t illegal. Check out http://www.mercurycenter.com/nation/zoo/ or www.fwoa.org for more info.
BTW, the penis soup nonsense ? Yeah, aphrodisiac in the sense that, well… Imagine, say, Contestant #3 was an Annamite prince some 1000 yrs ago. He invites us all to dinner, and as a show of munificence, offers a multi-course feast, including a dozen tureens of tiger-penis soup. Well, heck ! tigers need some 35+ acres apiece to live, that’s tantamount to saying I got control over at least that many acres of territory. Land & vassals equals power (ask Trump), which presumably is the only true aphrodisiac prior to Viagra. The symbol has overtaken the meaning, if you will.
Skin the animal. Save the skin.
Dismember the rest of the animal. Throw the head to a dog.
Heat up several fist-sized rocks in a fire. Put some red-hot rocks into the empty marmot skin. Put in some marmot meat. More rocks. More meat. Etc. When skin is full, close the neck opening and seal with a hot rock.
Put the ‘‘package’’ onto the fire to cook. Pull off the fur as it melts.
Cut open and eat.
The meat is delicious, but it’s difficult to describe the taste. If I recall correctly (I only had it once) the flavor is a little like rabbit, but more pronounced.
I moved to a new neighborhood a couple of months ago, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my new supermarket stocks all kinds of exotic meats in the freezer section – including kangaroo, buffalo, alligator, pheasant, and more. Haven’t bought any yet but sooner or later we won’t be able to face another chicken breast and then we’ll hop to it.
After a couple weeks of digging, all I can find in reference to shark being eaten under assumed names are:
Time Magazine, Aug. 11, 1997 “piked dogfish, a small spiny shark, has begun to stand in for cod in the fish and chips served in British pubs.”
A WWF web page (sorry, no citation) titled “Shark on the menu,” which lists euphemisms used in the US, Europe and Australia.
The “common knowledge” that fish sticks are made of by-catch sharks continues to elude verification, but I’ve heard it from enough marine biologists to keep looking…
Haven’t been there in many years, but there is a place that used to feature (probably still do) several exotic meats (rattlesnake, lion, etc). Try Adam’s Rib in Zionsville, IN (one of the “cheap” suburbs of Indy). I’ll save you some research… 40 S Main St. 317/873-3301. Sorry, don’t know the zip code.
I had the rattlesnake and remember it as being quite good… but that was about 15 years ago. The restaurant is still there and the owners are the same, so good luck.
p.s. It is just down the road from the Rolls Royce dealership.
A fast food place in Inuvik, NWT serves both caribou burgers and muskox burgers. In both cases, they taste very much like hamburgers once they are grilled and covered with ketchup and other condiments.
The muskox took a longer time to cook as I suppose it was a much denser meat.
I’ve had shark 3 times. The first, it tasted sort of like rubber (taste, not texture) but strange enough that I was not turned off it forever. The 2nd time, it was utterly terrible – gristle and awfully prepared. The 3rd was a mako shark cooked by my sister. It tasted like a good whitefish.
