Many of the fish we enjoy are in trouble due to destructive fishing and farming practices.
Purchase seafood caught or farmed in ways that support healthy oceans – now and for future generations!
Take Action –> Be part of the solution and make a difference for our oceans.
ASK –> Let businesses know that the food you eat and the sources it comes from Does Matter to you.
BUY –> Best Choices. If unavailable, look for Good Alternatives or the eco-certified options found online.
CHOOSE –> Seafood Watch partners when dining and shopping.
Here are the examples of fish that Represent Best Choices, Good Alternatives and those that are on the Avoid list.
Best Choices
Buy first from this list. This fish sources are well managed and caught or farmed in ways that cause little harm to habitats or other wildlife.
- Arctic Char, farmed
- Barramundi, US & Vietnam farmed
- Bass: Striped (US hook and line, farmed)
- Catfish, US
- Clams, Mussels & Oysters
- Cod: Pacific, AK
- Crab: Stone, US
- Crawfish, US farmed
- Mahi Mahi, US Atlantic troll, pole, and line
- Mullet: Striped (US wild)
- Pompano, US farmed
- Rockfish, CA, OR & WA
- Salmon, AK & New Zealand
- Sardines: Pacific (Canada & US)
- Scallops, farmed
- Seaweed, farmed
- Shrimp (AK wild, US farmed)
- Tilapia, Ecuador & US
- Trout: Rainbow (US farmed)
- Tuna: Albacore (Pacific troll, pole and line)
- Tuna: Skipjack (Pacific troll, pole and line)
- Wreckfish, US
Good Alternatives
Buy, but be aware there are concerns with how they’re caught or farmed.
- Branzino, Mediterranean farmed
- Crab: Blue & Kind, US
- Crawfish, LA wild
- Grouper: Black & Red, US
- Lobster, Bahamas & US
- Monkfish, US
- Pompano, US wild
- Salmon, CA, OR & WA wild
- Scallops, wild
- Shrimp, Canada & US wild, Ecuador farmed
- Snapper, US
- Squid, Mexico & US
- Swordfish, US
- Tilapia, China & Taiwan
- Tuna: Albacore, US longline
- tuna: Skipjack (free school, imported troll, pole and line, and US longline)
- Tuna: Yellowfin (free school, imported troll, pole and line, and HI longline)
- Wahoo, US
Avoid
Take a pass on these for now. They’re overfished or caught or farmed in ways that harm other marine life or the environment.
- Conch, wild
- Crab: Red King, Russia
- Crawfish, China
- Lobster: Spine (Belize, Brazil, Honduras & Nicaragua)
- Mahi Mahi, imported
- Orange Roughy
- Pompano, imported
- Salon: Atlantic, farmed
- Sardines: Atlantic (Mediterranean)
- Sharks
- Shrimp, imported
- Squid, imported
- Swordfish, imported longline
- Tuna: Albacore (except US troll, pole and line, and longline)
- Tuna: Bluefin
- Tuna: Skipjack (imported purse seine)
- Tuna: Yellowfin (except troll, pole and line, and HI longline)