When you buy fish or other seafood at the grocery store or order it at a restaurant, do you ever wonder where it came from? More importantly, do you know if it was caught or farmed using environmentally-friendly or sustainable methods?
Many saltwater and freshwater fish populations around the world are declining for a host of reasons, from over-fishing to habitat destruction. That's why it's important that the seafood you consume comes from suppliers that farm or fish in ways that will ensure the long-term health of the world's oceans, rivers and lakes.
If you support fisheries and fish farms that are healthy for ocean wildlife and for the environment, YOU can make a huge difference.
Smart Seafood Choices
Do you know which seafood are good choices for your dinner plate? The following fish and other species are considered "best choices" for smart consumers in the Midwest (as of July 2010):
- Arctic Char (farmed)
- Barramundi (U.S. farmed)
- Catfish (U.S. farmed)
- Clams (farmed)
- Cod: Pacific (Alaska longline)
- Crab: Dungeness and Stone
- Halibut: Pacific
- Lobster: Spiny (U.S.)
- Mussels (farmed)
- Oysters (farmed)
- Perch: Yellow (Lake Erie)
- Salmon (Alaska wild)
- Scallops, Bay (farmed off-bottom)
- Striped Bass (farmed or wild)
- Tilapia (U.S. farmed)
- Trout: Rainbow (farmed)
- Tuna: Albacore including canned white tuna (troll/pole, U.S. and British Columbia)
- Tuna: Skipjack including canned light tuna (troll/pole)
- Whitefish: Lake (trap net)
There are other tasty fish that are okay to eat, too. For a complete list of recommended seafood choices (and those that aren't recommended), why not print out a Midwest Seafood Watch Card from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It provides suggestions for sustainable types of fish and other seafood you can purchase in the Midwest and in other regions of the U.S. Use it every time you buy seafood in a store or restaurant to choose seafood that is good for both you and the oceans.
And next time you're in the mood for seafood, make a difference!
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