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Which Fish?

With fish stocks under pressure, which are okay to eat?

  1. noAnchovy
    2.
  2. yesArctic Char
    3.
  3. yesBarramundi (US/Europe/Australia)
    4.
  4. yesBarramundi (Closed Production)
    5.
  5. noBarramundi (Other)
    6.
  6. noBream (Gilthead Bream)
    7.
  7. noBream (Red Seabream)
    8.
  8. yesBream (Black Bream/Seabream)
    9.
  9. yesBrown Crab
    10.
  10. yesCatfish (US Farmed)
    11.
  11. noCatfish (Other)
    12.
  12. noCaviar (Beluga/Ossietra/Sevruga)
    13.
  13. noClam (Dredged)
    14.
  14. yesClam (Other)
    15.
  15. noCockle (Dredged)
    16.
  16. yesCockle (Hand Gathered)
    17.
  17. noCod
    18.
  18. yesColey/Saithe
    19.
  19. yesCrayfish (US)
    20.
  20. noCrayfish (Other)
    21.
  21. noDab
    22.
  22. noDogfish
    high mercury
    23.
  23. yesDungeness Crab
    24.
  24. noEel
    25.
  25. yesEuropean Perch
    26.
  26. yesFlounder
    27.
  27. noGrenadier/Hoki/Whiptail
    28.
  28. yesGurnard
    29.
  29. yesHaddock
    30.
  30. yesHalibut (Pacific)
    high mercury
    31.
  31. noHalibut (Other)
    high mercury
    32.
  32. yesHerring (Norway, Iceland, North Sea, US)
    33.
  33. noHerring (Other)
    34.
  34. noJohn Dory
    35.
  35. yesKing Crab (US)
    36.
  36. noKing Crab (Other)
    37.
  37. yesKing Prawn (Organic Farmed)
    38.
  38. noKing Prawn (Other)
    39.
  39. noLobster
    high mercury
    40.
  40. yesMackerel
    41.
  41. yesMahi-Mahi/Dolphinfish
    42.
  42. noMarlin
    high mercury
    43.
  43. noMonkfish
    high mercury
    44.
  44. yesMussels
    45.
  45. noOrange Roughy/Slimehead
    high mercury
    46.
  46. yesOysters
    47.
  47. yesPangasius (GlobalGAP Certified)
    48.
  48. noPangasius (Other)
    49.
  49. noPink Shrimp
    50.
  50. noPlaice
    51.
  51. yesPollock/Pollack
    52.
  52. yesPouting/Bib
    53.
  53. noRay
    54.
  54. noRazor Clam
    55.
  55. yesSalmon (Farmed)
    56.
  56. yesSalmon (Alaskan)
    57.
  57. noSalmon (Atlantic)
    58.
  58. yesSalmon (Other)
    59.
  59. noSardine (Mediterranean)
    60.
  60. yesSardine (Other)
    61.
  61. noSeabass (Farmed)
    high mercury
    62.
  62. noSeabass (Trawled)
    high mercury
    63.
  63. yesSeabass (Other Wild Caught)
    high mercury
    64.
  64. noShark
    high mercury
    65.
  65. noSkate
    high mercury
    66.
  66. noSnapper
    high mercury
    67.
  67. noSole (Common/Dover Sole)
    68.
  68. yesSole (Other)
    69.
  69. yesSpider Crab
    70.
  70. noSpiny Lobster (Nicaragua, Honduras, Brazil)
    71.
  71. yesSpiny Lobster (Other)
    72.
  72. yesSquid
    73.
  73. yesStone Crab
    74.
  74. yesStriped Bass
    high mercury
    75.
  75. noSturgeon
    76.
  76. yesSwordfish (Hawaii, California, Oregon)
    high mercury
    77.
  77. noSwordfish (Other)
    high mercury
    78.
  78. yesTiger Prawn (Organic or Zero Input Farmed)
    79.
  79. noTiger Prawn (Other)
    80.
  80. yesTilapia (Organic or Closed Production)
    81.
  81. noTilapia (Other)
    82.
  82. yesTrout (Rainbow Trout)
    83.
  83. noTrout (Other)
    84.
  84. noTuna (Longline and Purse Seine caught)
    high mercury
    85.
  85. noTuna (Albacore)
    high mercury
    86.
  86. noTuna (Yellowfin)
    high mercury
    87.
  87. yesTuna (Skipjack)
    high mercury
    88.
  88. noTuna (Bigeye)
    high mercury
    89.
  89. noTuna (Bluefin)
    high mercury
    90.
  90. yesTurbot (farmed)
    91.
  91. noTurbot (wild caught)
    92.
  92. yesWalleye (US)
    high mercury
    93.
  93. yesWhite Shrimp (Wild Caught)
    94.
  94. yesWhite Shrimp (Farmed in fully recirculating systems or inland ponds)
    95.
  95. noWhite Shrimp (Other Farmed)
    96.
  96. yesYellow Perch (US)
    high mercury
    97.
  97. yesZander
    98.

Sources:

  1. Monterey Bay Aquarium
  2. Marine Conservation Society
  3. Fish Watch
  4. Greenpeace
  5. IUCN Red List
  6. Eat the Seasons
  7. Wikipedia
  8. FDA Mercury Table

Information was compiled from four main sources: the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Marine Conservation Society, FishWatch, and the Greenpeace Red List. Individual entries have lists of sources, and I have aimed to reach a verdict solely based on the information contained in the sources. MCS ratings of 1-2 are considered "sustainable", and a rating of 3 is acceptable if other sources label the fish as sustainable. Information from these sources was supplemented by data directly from the IUCN red list. A IUCN rating of "least concern" was considered "sustainable".

Where there was serious contradiction, or the differences between sustainable and unsustainable sources of a fish was too involved, I have erred on the side of caution.

With some fish labeled unsustainable there will be exceptions where you can source them sustainably from specific places. To highlight these sources and mention updates, I've started a twitter stream at @which_fish.

Project and data collation by David Stark
Design inspired by Mike
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Raw data in JSON and as a spreadsheet. Feel free to use.

Disclaimer: sustainability data is simplified for ease of use, and may contain inaccuracies.
Contact me with suggestions/corrections.