Seafood isn’t necessarily food from the sea. University of Idaho Extension educators say the health benefits of eating fish are overwhelming but—at just over 60% of American Heart Association recommendations—U.S. per capita consumption is underwhelming. That’s why Extension aquaculture educator Gary Fornshell developed a four-lesson curriculum, “Seafood at Its Best,” to help the nation’s nutrition educators, dietitians, and food-service professionals boost the national appetite for seafood. Living here in Idaho, one might ask why the University of Idaho is concerned about food from the sea…as in seafood. Gary Fornshell has the answer: “When people think of seafood there’s a common misperception that seafood comes just from the ocean when seafood includes both freshwater and marine species, not only fish but also shellfish. In fact 50% of the world’s seafood supply now comes from aquaculture or fish farming and Idaho is the number one producer of Rainbow Trout in the U.S.

Idaho fish farms also produce tremendous amounts of Tilapia.