What is "Sustainable" Seafood?

Blackened Catfish. Courtesy of Marcus Samuelsson"Eat seafood; stay healthy!" say health experts, encouraging us to trade in our red meat for fish. It's comparatively lean and many varieties have a wealth of the omega-3 fatty acids that contribute to healthy hearts.

The good news? We've listened. Seafood consumption has never been higher (Americans eat an average of 40 pounds per person per year, almost double the rate of the 1960s). And the bad news? High demand for seafood has led to an increase in industrial-scale fishing, which, in turn, has led to the severe depletion of certain fish populations in the world's oceans-the Atlantic cod population, for example, has collapsed. Our seafood craving has also led to a worldwide boom in fish farms, some of which pump the animals full of hormones and antibiotics, and pollute surrounding waters.

The result is that we're urged to be more selective in choosing our seafood, to buy fish that's been caught or raised sustainably. But what exactly does that mean? Swordfish versus tuna? Wild-caught versus farmed; domestic or imported? A trip to the seafood counter can be incredibly confusing.

To help you make those choices, here's a brief guide to eating seafood that's healthy and sustainable.

What does "sustainable seafood" mean?

It isn't being overfished (caught before it can reproduce on a long-term basis). Both Atlantic cod and swordfish were at the brink of disaster. Consumers pulled back on swordfish, and stocks are coming back. But Atlantic cod has a long way to go.
Look for: The blue eco-label of the Marine Stewardship Coucil, which certifies fisheries that comply with sustainable standards. That's not to say that fish without the MSC label are not sustainably caught, but it's a good place to start.

It's caught without harm to other types of fish and wildlife. When longlines (up to 3,000 baited hooks on lines up to 50 miles long), trawl fisheries, or gill nets are used, many other types of fish, and sea turtles, get caught at the same time and are then discarded as "bycatch." Look for: Fish and shellfish that are caught using pole-and-line, traps, and by trolling.

If it's farm-raised, the farm isn't polluting the waters or affecting the surrounding ecosystem with its waste products. U.S. seafood farms are often subject to more stringent regulations. Look for: Domestically raised seafood, such as bay scallops, arctic char, and rainbow trout.

Is wild-caught better than farmed?

It depends on what you're buying. Shrimp, which is the top-selling seafood in the U.S., and tilapia are most often imported from fish farms in Asia, where environmental regulations are not as strict. These farms frequently treat the fish with pesticides and hormones, and are big polluters. Ask your fish dealer where the shrimp or tilapia has been raised.
Alaskan wild-caught salmon, though, is a more sustainable choice than farmed salmon.

What about canned tuna? Tuna has been extremely overfished, and can contain unacceptable levels of mercury for children and pregnant women. The most sustainable choice is to avoid buying canned tuna altogether. But if you can't avoid buying it, it's best to choose pole-caught albacore or skipjack, which are more abundant than yellowfin, bluefin, or bigeye tuna.

Buying Guides to Help You Decide

For up-to-date and easy-to-use regional takes on best choices, good alternatives, and fish to avoid buying, download the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Pocket Guide. Or check out the Natural Resources Defense Council's Sustainable Seafood Guide.

The Environmental Defense Fund's Pocket Seafood Selector is another good buying guide. The National Marine Fisheries Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has an Office of Sustainable Fisheries and a "Fish Watch" bulletin.

Healthy Eating Cookbook Shelf

Top seafood chef Rick Moonen, of Las Vegas's rm Seafood, knows his fish and shares that knowledge in Fish Without a Doubt: The Cook's Essential Companion, with Roy Finamore.