Overfishing is a major problem for many aquatic species. When you choose fish, select varieties that are abundant, and forgo those that are being depleted.
These recommendations come from montereybayaquarium.org, which offers a printable pocket guide and a mobile app; below is the fall/winter 2013 guide for the Southeast. Note that these species are based on sustainable practices, not health choices. Some tuna, for example, may contain mercury.
Best choices
Arctic Char (farmed)
Bass: Striped (US hook & line, farmed)
Catfish (US)
Clams, Mussels, Oysters
Crab: Dungeness & Stone
Crayfish (US farmed)
Halibut: Pacific (US)
Lobster: Spiny (CA, FL & Mexico)
Mahi Mahi (US Atlantic troll, pole)
Salmon (AK)
Scallops (farmed)
Tilapia (Ecuador & US)
Trout: Rainbow (US farmed)
Tuna: Albacore/White canned (Canada & US troll, pole)
Tuna: Skipjack/Light canned (US troll, pole)
Tuna: Yellowfin (US troll, pole)
Wreckfish (US)
Good alternatives
Crab: Blue
Crab: King (US)
Flounders, Soles (US Pacific)
Grouper: Red (US Gulf of Mexico)
Lobster: American
Mahi Mahi (US)
Monkfish (US)
Pompano (US wild)
Porgy: Red (US)
Salmon (CA, OR & WA wild)
Scallops (wild)
Shrimp (Canada & US wild)
Squid (US)
Swordfish (US)
Tilapia (China & Taiwan)
Tuna: Albacore/White canned (US longline)
Tuna: Skipjack/Light canned
(imported troll, pole & US longline)
Tuna: Yellowfin (imported troll, pole & US longline)
Wahoo (US)
Yellowtail: California
Avoid
Abalone (China & Japan)
Caviar, Sturgeon (imported wild)
Conch (wild)
Crab: Red King (Russia)
Crayfish (China farmed)
Lobster: Spiny (Brazil)
Mahi Mahi (imported)
Orange Roughy
Salmon: Atlantic (farmed)
Sharks
Shrimp (imported)
Snapper: Red (US)
Squid (imported)
Swordfish (imported)
Tuna: Albacore/White canned (except Canada &US troll, pole & US longline)
Tuna: Bluefin
Tuna: Skipjack/Light canned (except troll, pole & US longline)
Tuna: Yellowfin (except troll, pole & US longline)
This article appeared in print with the headline “Give fish a chance.”
