Sustainable Seafood

Sustainable seafood comes from sources that protect marine life, support healthy fish populations, and minimize harm to habitats and non-target species. It also takes into account the wellbeing of workers and local communities involved in the supply chain.

Choosing sustainable seafood helps prevent overfishing, reduce bycatch, and preserve critical ocean ecosystems, all while supporting food security and coastal economies. These practices are often verified through third-party certifications or Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs), which ensure that both environmental and social standards are being met.

Learn more in our article What Is Sustainable Seafood and How Do I Choose It? Your Top Questions Answered.

The best way to identify sustainable seafood is to look for trusted third-party certifications. These labels indicate that the seafood was caught or farmed with care for the environment and worker welfare. Some of the most credible programs include the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for wild-caught seafood, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) for farmed seafood, Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), and Friend of the Sea (FOS).

These certifications assess the full supply chain—from fishing or farming practices to traceability and social standards. Many certified products include QR codes or documentation that let you verify how and where the seafood was sourced.

For non-certified seafoods, use sustainability guides like the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch, which offer species-specific and region-based recommendations. And don’t hesitate to ask your grocer or server questions like: Where was this caught? How was it caught or raised? If they can’t answer, it’s often best to choose something else.

For more detailed advice, read our 7 Rules for Choosing Sustainable Seafood.

There are a number of myths or misconceptions when it comes to sustainable seafood. For one, many people assume that sustainable seafood is more expensive, when in fact, sustainable seafood can often be an economical choice. Another common myth is that wild-caught seafood is always more sustainable than farmed seafood. The reality is much more nuanced, with some farmed choices, like shellfish, ranking among the most sustainable. Learn more about common sustainable seafood myths.

In many cases, yes. Sustainable seafood is often caught or farmed under stricter environmental and food safety standards, making it less likely to contain contaminants like mercury, antibiotics, or industrial pollutants. Certified aquaculture also limits chemical use and ensures clean feed and water quality.

Sustainable choices like mussels, clams, and small oily fish such as sardines are lower on the food chain, meaning they accumulate fewer toxins and offer valuable nutrients like omega-3s, selenium, and vitamin D. Plus, certified and traceable seafood is less likely to be mislabeled—helping you avoid endangered or high-risk species.

Learn more in our article What Is Sustainable Seafood and How Do I Choose It? Your Top Questions Answered.

Unsustainable fishing impacts the ocean in several major ways:

• Overfishing: Fish are removed from the ocean faster than they can reproduce, depleting their populations and their role in ocean ecosystems.
• Bycatch: Non-target species, including endangered wildlife like sea turtles, dolphins, and seabirds, are unintentionally injured or killed by indiscriminate fishing practices.
• Habitat destruction: Certain methods of fishing, like bottom trawling and dynamite fishing, damage or destroy ecosystems, including coral reefs and seagrass beds.
• Ghost gear: Lost or discarded fishing nets, traps, and other fishing gear remain in the ocean and continue to kill marine life for years.

These impacts degrade biodiversity, impact ocean health, and threaten long-term food and economic security.

Bycatch refers to wildlife caught via fishing that is not the target species. Bycatch, which is often discarded, can include significant amounts of non-commercial fish species, including sharks and rays, as well as sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals like dolphins and seals. Learn more in our film about sea turtle bycatch and sustainable seafood.

Not necessarily. Sustainability depends on how seafood is caught or farmed, not just whether it’s wild. For example, farmed bivalves like oysters and mussels are often more sustainable because they filter water and don’t rely on feed. Responsible aquaculture can be a great way to meet demand while reducing pressure on wild populations.

Look for certifications like Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) or Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), or use guides like Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch to help you choose seafood from sources with good practices, whether it's wild-caught or farmed. For more detailed advice, read our 7 Rules for Choosing Sustainable Seafood.

These species are consistently recognized for low-impact farming or responsible fishing methods:

• 🦪 Mussels, oysters, and clams (farmed or wild)
• 🐟 Arctic char
• 🐠 U.S. wild-caught Pacific cod, Atlantic haddock
• 🦀 Dungeness crab (U.S. West Coast)
• 🐟 U.S. wild-caught salmon
• 🐡 Lionfish (invasive, environmentally helpful to remove)
• 🐟 U.S. farmed catfish
• 🐟 Pole/troll-caught skipjack or albacore tuna

For more information, read 7 Do’s & Don’ts for Choosing Sustainable Seafood

These species are overfished, caught using destructive methods, or linked to labor and environmental concerns:

• 🦐 Most imported shrimp (linked to a high degree of habitat loss and bycatch)
• 🐟 Atlantic salmon (from open net pens in Canada, Chile, Norway, Scotland)
• 🐟 Bluefin tuna
• 🐠 Orange roughy
• 🦈 Sharks
• 🐍 Eel
• 🐟 Chilean sea bass and Atlantic halibut

For more information, read 7 Do’s & Don’ts for Choosing Sustainable Seafood.

Yes! Individual choices are one of the most powerful forces driving change in the seafood industry. As of 2021, over 71% of global consumers say they actively seek out sustainable seafood, and this growing demand is reshaping the market.

Since 2010, consumption of certified sustainable seafood has more than doubled. Sales reached $138 billion in 2021, growing four times faster than the overall seafood market.

This social pressure is working. More retailers and restaurants now offer certified products, and major seafood companies are shifting their sourcing to meet sustainability standards. At the same time, fisheries around the world are joining improvement projects, adopting science-based limits, and taking steps to reduce bycatch and protect habitats—all in response to what consumers are asking for!

Every time you ask a question, choose a certified product, or avoid overfished species, you help push the system toward a healthier future for both oceans and communities.

In addition to choosing responsibly sourced seafood at home, there are other meaningful ways to support healthier oceans.

One great option is to buy from Community-Supported Fisheries (CSFs)—local programs that deliver fresh, low-impact seafood straight from fishers to consumers. CSFs promote sustainability, reduce the seafood supply chain's footprint, and directly support fishing communities. Use tools like the Seafood Finder by the Local Catch Network to find CSFs or sustainable vendors near you.

When traveling, your seafood choices matter, too. Nearly 90% of tourists say they want more sustainable travel options, and seafood is a big part of that. Before your trip, check international seafood guides and avoid ordering overfished or endangered species in that region. Ask restaurant staff where their seafood comes from, how it was caught, and if it’s certified or local.

You can also support local fishermen and responsible restaurants that prioritize sustainable sourcing. These everyday decisions strengthen local economies and help shift the global seafood industry in the right direction.