Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch now offers Foodists regional pocket guides to sustainable use of the most popular seafood species found on menus and markets-aisles on the West coast. All species are ranked in “Best Choices,” “Proceed With Caution” and “Avoid” categories by the Seafood Watch team.


Why Make Sustainable Seafood Choices?

Increased consumer demand for seafood and the growth of destructive fishing practices has had a profound effect on the health of the oceans. Today, 11 of the world’s 15 most important fishing areas – and nearly 70 percent of the world’s fisheries – are either fully fished or overfished. Perhaps 30 million tons of fish, sharks and seabirds die each year as “wasted catch” – animals caught accidentally and discarded, dead or dying. Farmed fish is not a simple solution. Some methods of commercial fish farming, however, have their own problems, including , pollution, spread of disease and genetic modifications to wild populations.

The Seafood Watch Pocket Guide, which is updated twice a year, reflects the best information available on the status of the featured fisheries and farm-raised species, as gleaned from government fisheries management agencies, the academic research community, and the fishing and aquaculture industries.
Download one here.