Picking Safe, Sustainable Fish
No doubt, fish are healthy eats, but shopping for them can get confusing. Is this one full of mercury? Where did that one come from? Do I need to worry about overfishing? Farm-raised or wild? Here are some resources to help make the safest and most eco-friendly choices.
Go to the Right Sources
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program aims to help consumers make seafood choices that keep oceans healthy and their dinner plates safe. They identify sustainable fishing operations and offer many downloadable pocket guides for various parts of the country (different seafood is more accessible to different geographical regions). Some guides are available in Spanish as well as English, and you can even get downloads to your iPhone. They really make it handy.
The guides have an easy-to-read, color-coded system that lists seafood that’s caught or raised in a sustainable manor and that’s low in mercury and other contaminants. (They also have a stand-alone guide for sushi.) Choosing isn’t all black and white — there are so many varieties of seafood to try. To help narrow it down, start with your favorite fish or target your region.
Here are some examples from a couple of the 2009 guides:
- Northeast Guide:
- Best Choices: Farmed Artic Char, Wild Alaskan Salmon, U.S.-Farmed Tilapia,
- Good Alternatives: Mahi Mahi, U.S. Shrimp (farmed or wild), Lobster
- Avoid: Atlantic Cod, Red Snapper, Imported Swordfish
- West Coast Guide:
- Best Choices: Pacific Cod, U.S.-Farmed Catfish, Wild Pollock
- Good Alternatives: Sea Scallops, US Shrimp (farmed or wild), Yellowfin tuna
- Avoid: Monkfish, Orange Roughy, Imported King Crab
Read Those Labels
When at the market, check packaging for the country of origin or ask your fishmonger. You can also look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) seal. The MSC certifies sustainable fishing operations throughout the country.
- Sustainable fish recipes to try:
- Salmon Kebabs with Yogurt Sauce
- Cod with Fennel, Dill and Tomato
- Caramelized Onion and Shrimp Bruschetta
- Baked Tilapia
I hope that eventually all fishing boats will be long-line, rather than net-caught fish.
I read somewhere that we should not eat Talapia from China — but that is all I seem to find. Anyone know of stores that carry US Talapia?
I’m near Palm springs near Salton Sea. Its soooo Polluted The talipia is deadly for you. Please ask where your talipia came from
A useful guide. People trying to avoid meat because of fat have to face the dilema of mercury in fish. A listing like the one you provided helps one find his way out.
I have read but of course not sure how true, that Tilapia is a fish that feeds behind other fish and their disposal. Really not a good fish to eat but became abundant so trend began. And farmed fish is usually raised in an area where water is settled or pooled, often not getting fresh water. Contaminants may settle more there. Just something to consider.
I want to know whether the caught fish, like cod, and blue shielf are safe for kids.
I live in the Mid West and Orange Roughy, Cat fish and Talapia are my favorites. Now I feel I shouldn’t eat either one. I am so confused and concerned. The comment from Krikri about farm raised brings up something to consider.
Any fish from the far east is not good for you due to how they are raised. Deadly chemicals are the rule and the US knows this and for years but imports any way. Hey to them its money. To you and me its our health. Bottom line I only buy seafood from Canada and the US.
Boycotting Canadian fish will soon stop the clubbing to death of baby seals for the oriental fur trade. Europe has alraedy stopped their trade with Canada for this reason.
Thanks for sharing the information. Excellent post. I have given a stumble to your post
I MADE SUSHI GRADE TUNA LAST NIGHT, ABOUT 8 OUNCES. SLICED IT IN SMALL SLICES, AND MARINATED IT IN LOW SALT SOY SAUCE, OLD BAY, GARLIC & CURRY FOR ABOUT AN HR WHILE MY HUSBAND & I TOOK OUR EVENING WALK. I SAUTEED IT ON MED IN 1 TBSP OF OLIVE OIL TO JUST OVER RARE. I SLICED 12 GRAPE TOMATOES IN HALF AND COOKED THEM IN THE JUICES FOR HALF A MINUTE, STILL FIRM. THEN I PRESENTED IT ON A SQUARE WHITE PLATE AND SERVED WITH A SPRINKLE OF PARSLEY. MY HUSBAND WAS AMAZED. THE PORTION WAS TAPAS SIZE BUT HAD AN EXPLOSION OF FLAVORS. A HAPPY HUSBAND!!!
Typing in all CAPS is equivilant to yelling at some one sitting next you. : )
Go for live talapia, but you must have the stomach to see them being killed in front of you. Most oriental market carries them in the water tank.
LOL!
I disagree with some of these fish choices. From all the extensicve reading I've done about eating fish (including shellfish), the consensus is that WILD is healthier than farmed! I will only eat wild – and I think the taste is far superior.
If you eat Tilapia you are asking for problems. My brother is in the fish farming business. Most of this fish is raised in Coachella Valley in So. Calif. This is right in the dessert. Nothing but sand as far as you can see. They are fed processed foods that don't resemble anything a normal fish eats and they also eat whatever is in the tank from fish feces to dead fish. No normal water circulation. Vital Choice Seafoods are providers of some of the finest wild caught fish in the world. That is the only place I will buy my seafood.
Not only is the fish horrible be careful and understand what you read on the label.
The front of the package states it is wild caught Alaskan fish…then you read the back of the package hidden in the corner and it states is is from CHINA. I would hate to tell you how they handle fish. You can look it up if you are interested.
How about shrimp farms? In Pakistan and Indonesia where there are so many and they are imported here during the last huge storm season they found bodies that had been dead for days in the shrimp pens. Do you really want to eat this?
Buy white shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico(USA) or from other areas in the south that are on the ocean and they send out shrimp boats to get them wild and fresh.
They cost a little more but your health is well worth it.
It is not if its fresh or not the problem is how it is raised. Is it farm fish or wild.
Tilapia that is farm raised is trash fish.
I agree with you kilty that if you eat tilapia that raise from the farm is pasitively not healthy bec. of how they feed them process food,but mostly in asia where I from my dad is in the fishing business and i know what he feeding them with RICE Hask and he plant some morning glory to the farm where the fish can eat too.not all tilapia is bad the more the tilapia bigger its have more hormone,to buy a good catfish is to buy the wild catfish they sell then at winco or asian store.
I didn't see any mention of the outstanding farm raised catfish that are grown in Alabama, MS, and
AR., which has been undercut by cheap imports.