Max Harvey, seafood buyer for Jasper White’s Summer Shacks (and a few wholesalers), buys nearly 10,000 pounds of fish every week, which gives him enormous buying power in the industry. Summer Shack restaurants highlight local species. Harvey was a chef at the first Summer Shack in Cambridge and at La Campania in Waltham.
Q. What is your approach to buying fish during a time when over-fishing and sustainability are top concerns?
A. Buying from reputable operators. And then my focus is buying quality. Because of regulations, things have changed a lot in terms of area openings and allowed days at sea. It’s put a lot of pressure on fishermen and it’s created a dip in supply.
Q. How do you balance environmental concerns with customer demands?
A. I look at the high-profile fish that are hands-down not sustainable and I won’t touch those. The classic is Chilean sea bass. I’m doing my part by sticking with day boaters. I try to stay local. My job would be really easy if I didn’t have to worry about costs and I had no boundaries.
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