Seafood: Environmental Impacts
For More Information:
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch website contains a comprehensive overview of all of the different methods of both wild-catch fishing and aquaculture and the impacts they have. Every fishery has different regulations and levels of sustainability, meaning that a species of fish caught in one fishery is not necessarily as sustainable as the same species caught in another fishery. The Monterey Bay Aquarium also has several regional seafood pocket guides that rate fish based on what’s best for you and the oceans, and are particularly helpful and easy to consult when grocery shopping or at a restaurant. The guides are constantly updated and can be downloaded for free. (iPhone users can also download their app.) The Marine Stewardship Council certifies fisheries based on sustainability factors. The Environmental Defense Fund also produces a sustainable seafood guide. If, on the other hand, you want access to comprehensive data on the state of the ocean’s fisheries, including easy–to-understand graphs and charts, check out the Sea Around Us Project website.
Learn about the social implications of the fishing industry.