179: James Arthur Smith - Is Regenerative Aquaculture the Future of Seafood?
James Arthur Smith is the founder and CEO of Seatopia. His carbon-neutral, certified mercury-safe seafood subscription box relies on seafood farmers who practice regenerative aquaculture. Not familiar with the term? It’s like regenerative agriculture, but in the water instead of on land. James explains the nuances of aquaculture farming to Dr. Anthony Gustin. He discusses how it increases biodiversity, restores ecosystems, and produces healthier fish for us. They talk about seafood provenance and why farm-raised vs. wild-caught isn’t the right question to ask (and highlight which questions you *should* be asking about your seafood). There’s so much misinformation in our seafood supply chain that it’s easy to feel confused and stop eating fish altogether like Dr. Gustin did. But just like regenerative agriculture is changing the way we farm, regenerative aquaculture is becoming the future of mercury-safe, antibiotic-free, sustainable seafood farming you can feel good about. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Shamu and a steelhead trout breeding and hatchery program ignited James’ passion for regenerative aquaculture When farm-raised is better than wild-caught fish The dark side of commercial and line-caught fishing How microplastics and heavy metals like mercury get into our water systems and move up the sealife food chain What sushi-grade fish means and why sushi chefs don’t work with fresh, wild-caught fish How the carbon footprints of farm-raised vs. wild-caught fish compare Best practices for freezing, storing, and using frozen fish Resources mentioned in this episode: James Arthur Smith’s company, Seatopia James’ LinkedIn