Last week Larry brought a little pamphlet about the safety of seafood (or lack thereof) home from Sy and Muriel's house. They both volunteer at the Georgia Aquarium and that's where Sy had picked up the brochure. He probably lifts all kinds of things from them.

Anyway, the pamphlet is produced by Seafood Savvy, a program that educates consumers about which fish are okay to eat, because they're safe and sustainably procured and which ones are not, because there's something fishy about the way they're caught or farmed or because they're packing enough mercury to fill a cavity. You should avoid the latter.

You can download and print your own pocket guide from the Aquarium's website or just call Sy and ask him to send you one. He won't mind.

Looking through the guide made me want to troll around for Georgia restaurants that obtain their fish and seafood in ways that aren't harmful to the environment. I didn't have to cast around too long before I discovered Goin' Coastal in Canton. They bill themselves as a "sustainable seafood joint" whose credo is to "feature only the highest quality seafood from sources, either fished or farmed, that can exist over the long term without compromising species' survival or the health of the ecosystem."

Their menu says that the beer and wine they serve are purchased from "purveyors committed to sound and sustainable practices. From 100% organic wine to locally brewed ales, their suppliers' holistic approaches to agricultural practices respect the environment, the eco-system and society." Ahoy.

There's also Tubby's Tank House with locations in Thunderbolt and Savannah. Tubby's insists on serving locally caught shrimp (on the GOOD column of my Seafood Savvy guide) even though it's considerably more expensive than imported shrimp (which Seafood Savvy says to AVOID).

Larry and I have always said we are willing to pay more for food that is harvested sustainably and I guess lots of other people feel the same. According to this article in Savannah Now, Tubby's sells 300 pounds of Georgia shrimp every week throughout the summer. Discriminating diners must think it's worth the price.

I can't really take another paper's word for it, though. The journalist's ethical code dictates that I go to the coast myself and check it out personally. That's just the price I pay for being a reporter.