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Farmed vs. Wild-caught
Recommendations for ecologically responsible fish and seafood consumption
by Dan Hernández, HPC memberThe state of the world’s fisheries has received a lot of attention lately. Most of the attention has been on the fisheries that are currently in decline and facing extinction. Many species of fish are declining due to overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution. For a consumer (especially one that likes to eat fish!), this is troublesome news. However, not all fish species are threatened. Many fisheries are being managed responsibly and use environmentally-friendly techniques.
With all the fish species on the market today, it is increasingly difficult to know when you are making an environmentally-conscious choice. Thankfully, the Monterey Bay Aquarium maintains a report called Seafood WATCH, which is a list of all fish and seafood, the aquarium's recommendations on the best choices for the consumer, and definitions of some terms commonly used on fish and seafood labels. Following is a review of their recommendations for the more common fish you will find in grocery stores and restaurants.
Salmon
Salmon are one of the most extensively managed, and most commonly eaten, species in the world. Most salmon are native to the Pacific Ocean, ranging from California to Alaska. They are anadromous (breeding in freshwater and living in saltwater); therefore they are especially sensitive to habitat destruction in their breeding grounds from dam construction, deforestation, and urbanization.Salmon are now commonly raised in offshore pens. These farming operations are of major environmental concern. Salmon farms release concentrated amounts of waste directly into the ocean and expose wild populations to parasites and disease. In addition, farmed salmon can contain pesticides and antibiotics that are used to control disease. Farmed salmon that escape their pens (a frequent occurrence) also pose a threat to the genetic diversity of wild salmon populations.
Seafood WATCH recommends you buy only wild-caught Alaskan salmon or other wild-caught salmon certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. Alaska continues to have a healthy wild salmon population; supporting this fishery ensures protection for this resource and their habitat.
Bottom Line: Wild-caught salmon from Alaska is best. Avoid farmed salmon!
Tuna
There are several tuna species found throughout the world’s oceans. Tuna grow and reproduce quickly, so they are a good option for seafood consumers. The exception to this is bluefin tuna, a favorite among sushi-lovers, which should be avoided.With tuna, the concern is the method used to catch it. Techniques such as “longlining” and “purse seining” have significant bycatch of marine mammals and other untargeted fish species and cause harm to the ocean floor. Instead, look for tuna labeled as troll-caught, pole-caught, or handline-caught. These methods have less impact on the environment. (See the Monterey Bay Aquarium Web site for descriptions of fishing methods.)
Canned tuna is usually labeled as “chunk white,” (albacore tuna), or “chunk light,” (yellowfin or skipjack tuna). These are recommended as best choices by Seafood WATCH.
Bottom Line: Tuna is a good choice, but avoid bluefin and longline-caught fish.
Shrimp
There are several species of shrimp found in the US, Canada, and in coastal areas around the world. Species found in North America (cocktail shrimp, white, pink, or brown shrimp, and prawns) are the best option. Avoid tiger shrimp and white shrimp, which are imported and commonly farmed or trawl-caught.Shrimp farming in foreign countries has contributed to the destruction of coastal mangroves that provide habitat for myriad species of marine life and protect coastlines against the destructive forces of hurricanes and tsunamis. Trawling for shrimp is a threat to sea turtles and other species. It also causes damage to the sea floor due to the net scraping along the bottom. In the US, trawling nets have special devices to reduce the bycatch of sea turtles, but these are not common internationally.
Bottom line: North American shrimp are your safest choice.
Other good seafood choices: Oysters, clams, scallops, mussels, catfish (US farmed), crab (except king crab), Pacific cod, Pacific halibut, tilapia (US farmed), trout, lobster (US/Maine).
Species to AVOID: Chilean sea bass, Atlantic cod, Atlantic halibut, orange roughy, swordfish (imported), grouper, red snapper, flounder, sole, conch.
General recommendations
- Canadian and U.S. fisheries are usually more responsibly managed than those in other countries.
- Avoid species caught using longlines. Longlines cause significant bycatch of sea turtles, sharks, marine birds, and other untargeted species.
- Wild-caught is not always better than farmed. Inland farms for species such as tilapia, trout, and arctic char do not have the same negative effects on the environment as offshore fish farms.
For more information, see the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Web site: http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp