Panel members were moderator Patricia Unterman, chef and owner of Hayes Street Grill and Examiner food critic as well; Steve Fitz, a salt-of-the-earth Half Moon Bay sand dabs fisherman; Tom Worthington, from Monterey Fish Market; Zeke Grader, from the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Association; and Sheila Bowman, outreach coordinator for seafoodwatch.org, a program of the Monterey Aquarium to educate about sustainable fishing. We have to say we are a bit grumpy they provided a panel with only first rate, interesting, opinionated people and no one to make fun of.

All members of the panel were pretty much on the same page, but this does not mean that their message is not important. To sum it up: eat seafood, but be cautious about what you eat. Some fish is harvested in a sustainable manner, which means that there is no risk of depleting the stocks in the long run, and some is not. Just say no to Chilean seabass. Whenever you purchase fish, vote with your wallet and only get the one that is sustainable. And check Seafood Watch for updated information on what you can eat.

Anchovies courtesy of Ocean Friends Brand Feeds