Sustainable Seafood Practices
Judy Seybold, MS, RDN, LD, CLC
Chief Nutrition Officer
Do you have a hard time deciphering what seafood is sustainable when dining out or purchasing at a supermarket? Are you confused about why it is so important to choose sustainable seafood?
Seafood species are being extracted from the ocean much quicker than they can be replenished. Currently, over 90% of fish populations are considered fully fished or overfished according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Overfishing is a global issue. Seafood is the primary source of protein for over one billion people, so we can’t ignore the impact it has on our food supply.
It’s vital to protect our oceans because they are home to most life on the planet, they help feed the world, and millions of people make their living from fishing. If we don’t protect our oceans, the damage could be devastating for all.
Sifter can help you find seafood certified as sustainable. Start here→
How to choose?
Choosing what seafood to eat depends on many factors, including how and where the seafood was caught. Some restaurants and supermarkets have made sustainability a core goal and will advertise where their seafood is from and whether it has any sustainability certifications, but many do not. If this information is not available, it’s important that you ask the questions about where your seafood is from and how it is fished. Hopefully, it will spark a conversation that will bring to light the importance of sustainable seafood.
In addition to certifications and inquiring directly about sustainability, there are also multiple guides that can direct you to the most sustainable seafood. Some of the guides may be region-specific and include considerations about mercury content. Following is a compilation of various sources of best choices for sustainable seafood. But, review additional resources and guides (as there are variations among them) to decide what your best options are based on your location and what’s important to you.
Best choices for sustainability
These species are more abundant and resilient to fishing, well managed, and harvested in a method that ensures limited bycatch (unwanted fish/marine life caught during commercial fishing for a different species) and limited damage to other marine life.
- Albacore tuna
- Arctic char (farmed)
- Black cod
- Crab (Dungeness, Stone)
- Pacific cod
- Pacific halibut
- Rainbow trout
- Salmon (Alaska wild)
- Shellfish: clams, mussels, oysters (farmed)
- Snow crab
- Walleye
Worst choices for sustainability
Seafood that is overfished, caught, farmed in ways that hurt the environment or other marine life, or not managed well should be avoided.
- Atlantic cod
- Chilean sea bass
- Halibut
- Mahi mahi (imported)
- Monkfish
- Orange roughy
- Pollock
- Red snapper
- Shark
- Shrimp
- Tuna (bluefin, skipjack)
Mercury content is also a concern in seafood as it can disrupt brain function and harm the nervous system. It’s especially threatening to young children and pregnant women. As a general guideline, the larger the fish, the higher the mercury content. Larger fish feed on smaller fish and therefore absorb the mercury content of their prey. This list includes seafood with the highest content that may be avoided.
Fish highest in mercury
- Bluefish
- Grouper
- Mackerel (king)
- Marlin
- Orange roughy
- Shark
- Swordfish (ahi, bigeye)
- Tilefish
Consult your doctor or a registered dietitian if you have questions about safe seafood consumption and mercury content in seafood. Review guides of sustainable seafood and make your choices based on what aligns with your ethics.
Additional Resources
What is sustainable seafood?
Oceanic Society: Sustainable Seafood
Ocean Wise