In theory, fish farming
is the ideal answer to
top 10 and Worst 10
protecting wild species
from depletion and
seafood choices
avoiding environmental
degradation.
Eco-Worst
The reality chilean sea bass
is more complex.
Grouper
Eco-Best
Monkfish
anchovies
To help us easily make sustainable
orange roughy
seafood choices, several environmental
arctic char (farmed)
salmon, farmed/atlantic
and conservation organizations distill
atlantic mackerel
shark
their research into handy consumer
Mussels
guides. Each advises which choices
swordfish (imported)
oysters (farmed)
are high in heart-healthy omega-3s,
tilefish
and which have questionable levels of
sablefish (Alaska, Canada)
(Gulf of Mexico/South Atlantic)
mercury, PCBs or other contaminants.
salmon, wild (Alaska)
Seafood Watch publishes down-
tuna, bigeye/yellowfin
sardines, Pacific (U.S.)
loadable regional and national Seafood
(imported longline)
Watch pocket guides, and a sushi guide,
trout, rainbow (farmed)
tuna, bluefin
that rate seafood as “best choices,” “good
alternatives” or “avoid.” Blue Ocean
Source: Environmental Defense Fund; EDF.org.
Institute’s wallet-size Guide to Ocean-
Friendly Seafood, available free by
email request, rates fish and seafood
within five categories. Its wallet-size
Ocean-Friendly Sushi Guide is avail-
Be label-conscious
able as a PDF download. Blue Ocean
also provides FishPhone, the nation’s
first sustainable seafood text messag-
Farm raised/wild caught
ing service (text FISH and the species
labels by the country of origin indicate
name to 30644 for instant information).
where fish come from, and are government
The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
regulated. Refer to a reliable pocket guide to
publishes its Pocket Seafood Selec-
determine which option is best for a particular type of fish.
tor and Pocket Sushi Selector as free,
downloadable guides listing Best, OK The marine Stewardship Council
and Worst choices. certification (MSC.org) appears on wild fish from
“Fisheries conservation is one of sustainable fisheries.
the most important marine conserva-
tion issues today,” notes Julie Packard,
executive director of the Monterey Bay
Aquarium. “It’s an environmental prob-
The Seafood Safe label (SeafoodSafe.com)
lem whose solution is in people’s hands
indicates how many monthly servings women of child-
every time they buy seafood. We know
bearing age can safely eat, based on mercury and PCB
that, through their seafood choices,
levels.
consumers and businesses can have a
tremendous impact on the health of the
Fishwise labels (SustainableFishery.org), designed for
oceans.”
retailers, follow the color code guidelines established by
Seafood Watch for sustainability; also indicate where the
For more information and to download
fish came from and how it was caught. Currently used by
seafood guides, visit: SeafoodWatch.
a limited number of retailers in a few states.
org; BlueOcean.org; and EDF.org.
January 2009 27
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