We’re back today with our good friend Molly Lutcavage, Oceanographer, Bluefin Tuna and Sea Turtle Physiologist, and the Director of Large Pelagics Research at the University of Massachusetts.
Her last appearance on the show was back on episode 16 of this podcast, The Truth About Bluefin Tuna, making her one of our earliest podcast guests! She was also featured in Season 2 of the WildFed TV show on Outdoor Channel, in our Atlantic Bluefin Tuna episode. Her ground-breaking work on Atlantic Bluefins has revealed that, contrary to what most folks have been led to believe, the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna population is strong, and the fishery has been rebuilt. That work led Daniel to harvest his first bluefin last year, and to feel really good about eating locally sourced bluefin from here in the Gulf Of Maine — a fish that he had avoided because he believed the fishery was being over-exploited.
We're glad we learned otherwise because participating in that fishery was an incredible experience. And, Daniel's still eating the tuna he caught last year. In fact, he served some last weekend as poké to some guests he had in town. Bluefin as a food — even when it's been in the freezer for almost a year, like Daniel's — is one of the most incredible delicacies available to us from the wild world.
But Molly doesn’t just work in the Gloucester fishery here in New England, she winters on the island of Kauai, in Hawaii where she’s involved in marine research efforts there too. She recently returned home to the North East for the summer, and we had been in Hawaii recently too, so we thought it would be great to get back together and discuss, not just bluefin and sea turtles, but also talk about her work in Hawaii and about closing the loop between fisherman and the consumer.
You probably already know, but Americans are exporting far more of our fish than we are eating and up until recently it’s been a lot harder for the public to access fresh fish from the fleet than it has been for us to connect with our local farmers. Of course, we can get local fish, but it’s often passed through several middlemen first.
But Molly and others are developing models that help to close that loop and bring the consumer and the fisherman closer together. She also believes in utilizing more of our catch and continues to combat the myth of methyl-mercury toxicity from large pelagic like tuna.
All in all, Molly is a living legend, specializing where the worlds of marine biology and fisheries intersect. She’s had an incredible career at sea and her insights are invaluable to us and many others, so it's always a pleasure to sit down with her for another great conversation.
View full show notes, including links to resources from this episode here: https://www.wild-fed.com/podcast/149