For those  who have watched The Guardian’s short video documentary on the realities of the fishing slave trade in South East Asia, we’re sure you agree it’s not happy viewing. Thousands of men press-ganged into Thailand’s fishing industry, which is run by a few extremely powerful bosses. Innocent men seeking work are told nothing about where they are going until they get to the boats. They think they are going to get legitimate paid work to help feed their families. Quite the opposite, they get paid nothing, and often don’t get to see land or their homes and families again in very many months, and even  years. They are worked all the hours God sends, catching and sorting ‘trash fish’ which goes to make fishmeal for the farmed prawn industry. These are the large tiger prawns farmed intensively and extensively in South East Asia, and sold regularly and cheaply in various big name multinationals we all recognise in our towns and cities. At what cost to the human rights of the workers trapped on the boats which catch their  food? This is aside from issues within the farming process itself. Without a massive change in the way people think about food, this scenario is set to be repeated time and time again. Nothing can change unless the buying public understand the background of what is essentially (and often literally) a cut throat industry. In the meantime, we can say a word of thanks for our own prawn fishing industry. Irish prawn boats go out to sea to bring back daily catches of some of the best quality wild prawns in the world. Dublin Bay Prawns are meaty, deliciously sweet in taste and lend themselves well to any seafood dish – from a luxury fish pie, to risotto and curries. You name it.  The difference between these shelffish and the farmed variety is vast – nothing to beat their gorgeous texture and taste. Yes, there is preparation involved in cooking and shelling. Well worth the effort for a far superior product. Get to know your local seafood and how to cook and prepare it this summer season. We are blessed to have such bounty in our waters. Grown naturally.