Endangered Seafood

A number of seafood species are on the endangered species list, or are harvested in a manner that endangers other than the fishing target species. As a consumer you can make a difference by refusing to purchase or consume the fish and seafood on the watch lists.

Updated: 11/04/2009
Avoid purchase and consumption of these species
(For more information visit: Seafood Watch and SeaChoice)
Thanks to Seafood WATCH and Seafood Choice for the information on this page.


AVOID Best Alternate Other Alternatives Listed By
Bass: Black Sea


SeaChoice
Caviar and Sturgeon (imported wild-caught)
 
Caviar and Sturgeon (U.S. farmed)

Sturgeon (wild-caught from OR, WA)
Seafood Watch
Chilean Seabass/Patagonian Toothfish
Patagonian toothfish, Chilean seabass, Toothfish, Antarctic cod, Black hake, Antarctic blenny, Patagonian blenny, Icefish
 
Cobia (US farmed)

Sablefish/Black Cod/Butterfish (AK, BC)
Sablefish/Black Cod/Butterfish (CA, OR, WA)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Clams: Arctic Surf
Stimspons surf clam, Arctic surf clam, hard clam


SeaChoice
Cod: Atlantic and imported Pacific
Scrod, Whitefish
Cobia (US farmed)

Cod: Pacific (trap, hook-and-line, longline from AK

Pollock (wild-caught from AK)
Cod: Atlantic (Northeast Arctic and Iceland)

Cod: Pacific (U.S. trawl)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Conch: Queen
Abalone (U.S. farmed)
 
Seafood Watch
Crab: King (imported)
Alaska king crab, Red king crab, Golden king crab, Blue king crab, Golden king crab
Crab: Dungeness, Stone
Crab: Blue, King (U.S.), Snow
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Crayfish (imported farmed)
Crayfish (U.S. farmed)

Spot Prawn (BC)
Spot Prawn (U.S.)
Seafood Watch
Dogfish (U.S.)
Cod: Pacific (trap, hook-and-line, longline from AK)

Pollock (wild-caught from AK)
Cod: Pacific (U.S. trawl)

Dogfish (BC)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Eel: Freshwater
Freshwater eel, River eel, Common eel, Unagi, Kabayaki
 


SeaChoice
Flounder: Arrowtooth
Turbot


SeaChoice
Flounders, Soles (Atlantic)
Summer flounder, Fluke; Winter flounder, Lemon sole, Blackback, dab; Witch flounder, Gray sole; Yellowtail flounder, Rusty flounder; Windowpane flounder, Sand dab
Halibut: Pacific
Flounders, Soles (Pacific)

Turbot: Greenland
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Grenadier/Pacific Roughy
Tilapia (U.S. farmed)
Tilapia (Central and South America farmed)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Groupers
Mahi mahi (U.S. Atlantic troll/pole)

Striped Bass (farmed or wild-caught)

Tilapia (U.S. farmed)
Black Sea Bass

Mahi mahi (US longline, imported troll/pole)

Tilapia (Central and South America farmed)
Seafood Watch
Haddock (trawl)
Scrod
Cobia (U.S. farmed)

Cod: Pacific (trap, hook-and-line, longline from AK

Pollock (wild-caught from AK)
Haddock (hook-and-line)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Hake: White
Tilapia (U.S. farmed)
Hake: Silver, Red and Offshore

Tilapia (Central and South America farmed)
Seafood Watch
Halibut: Atlantic
Cobia (U.S. farmed)

Halibut: Pacific

Tilapia (U.S. farmed)
Flounders, Soles (Pacific)

Halibut: California (hook-and-line, bottom trawl)

Tilapia (Central and South America farmed)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Lobster: Spiny (Caribbean)
Spiny lobster, Rock lobster, Warmwater lobster, Florida spiny lobster, Caribbean spiny lobster, Crawfish
Lobster: Spiny (U.S.)
Lobster: American/Maine
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Marlin: Striped and Blue
Mahi mahi (U.S. Atlantic troll/pole)

Swordfish (harpoon or handline from the U.S. and Canadian Atlantic)
Mahi mahi (U.S. longline, imported troll/pole)

Swordfish (CA drift gillnet)

Swordfish (Harpoon or handline from the Indian Ocean, international Pacific and international Atlantic)

Swordfish (U.S. longline)
Seafood Watch
Monkfish
Goosefish, Monkfish, Anglerfish, Angerl, Allmouth, Lotte (Europe), Molligut, Bellyfish, Lawyerfish, Fishing frog, Ankoh, Ankimo (monkfish liver)
Mahi mahi (U.S. Atlantic troll/pole)

Sablefish/Black Cod/Butterfish (AK, BC)
Mahi mahi (U.S. longline, imported troll/pole)

Sablefish/Black Cod/Butterfish (CA, OR, WA)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Octopus: Common
Tako, Madako


SeaChoice
Orange Roughy
Slimehead
Halibut: Pacific

Tilapia (U.S. farmed)
Flounders, Soles (Pacific)

Halibut: California (hook-and-line, bottom trawl)

Tilapia (Central and South America farmed)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Paddlefish
Mississippi paddlefish, American paddlefish, Spoonbill, Spoonbill cat, Shovelbill cat, Duckbill cat, Shovelnose cat, Spoonbill sturgeon, Spadefish, Boneless cat, Freshwater sturgeon, Chattanooga beluga, American sturgeon, Freshwater whale


SeaChoice
Pompano: Florida
Striped Bass (farmed or wild-caught)
Black Sea Bass
Seafood Watch
Red snapper: Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean
American red snapper, Tai


SeaChoice
Rockfish: Pacific (trawl)
Rockcod, Snapper, Pacific red snapper, Channel rockfish
Halibut: Pacific

Rockfish: Black (CA, OR)

Sablefish/Black Cod/Butterfish (AK, BC)

Striped Bass (farmed or wild-caught)
Flounders, Soles (Pacific)

Rockfish (hook-and-line from AK, BC)

Sablefish/Black Cod/Butterfish (CA, OR, WA)
Sea Food Watch
SeaChoice
Salmon (farmed, including Atlantic)Atlantic Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Sake
Arctic Char (farmed)

Salmon (wild-caught from AK)
Salmon (wild-caught from WA)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Scallops: Wild
Giant scallop


SeaChoice
Sharks
Mako, Shortfin mako, Shark, Thresher shark, Shark
Halibut: Pacific
Sturgeon (U.S. farmed)

Sturgeon (wild-caught from OR, WA)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Shrimp (imported)
Rock, Red, Royal red, White, Pacific white, Vanna White, Atlantic white, Brown, Pink penaeid, Black tiget, Tiger prawn, Australian tiger prawn, Chinese white, Fleshy prawn, ebi
Shrimp: Pink (OR)

Spot Prawn (BC)
Shrimp (U.S., Canada)

Spot Prawn (U.S.)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Skate
Scallops: Bay (farmed)
Scallops: Sea (wild-caught Atlantic, U.S. and Canada)

Sturgeon (U.S. farmed)

Sturgeon (wild-caught from OR, WA)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Sturgeon: Russian, Beluga, Stellate, Ship
Osetra caviar; Beluga, giant sturgeon; Starry or starred sturgeon; Fringebarbel, Spiny, or Bastard sturgeon


SeaChoice
Snapper: Red and Vermilion (US)
Tilapia (U.S. farmed)
Tilapia (Central and South America farmed)
Seafood Watch
Swordfish (imported)
Mahi mahi (U.S. Atlantic troll/pole)

Swordfish (harpoon or handline from the U.S. and Canadian Atlantic)
Mahi mahi (U.S. longline, imported troll/pole)

Swordfish (CA drift gillnet)

Swordfish (Harpoon or handline from the Indian ocean, international Pacific and international Atlantic)

Sturgeon (U.S. farmed)

Swordfish (U.S. longline)
Seafood Watch
Tilapia (China, Taiwan farmed)
Nile tilapia, Mozambique tilapia, Blue tilapia, St. Peter's fish
Tilapia (U.S. farmed)
Tilapia (Central and South America farmed)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Tilefish (Southeast)
Mahi mahi (U.S. Atlantic troll/pole)

Striped Bass (farmed or wild-caught)
Mahi mahi (U.S. longline, imported troll/pole)

Tilefish (Mid-Atlantic)

Tuna: Albacore (Atlantic and Indian Ocean, troll/pole)
Seafood Watch
Tuna: Albacore (longline except for HI)Tombo, Canned white tuna, Shiro Maguro
Tuna: Albacore (South Pacific, U.S.+ and BC troll/pole)
Tuna: Albacore (HI longline)

Tuna: Albacore (North Atlantic, troll/pole)

Tuna: Albacore (South Atlantic, troll/pole)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Tuna: Bluefin and Bigeye (longline)
Ahi, Maguro, Po’onui, Kuromaguro, Atun de aleta azul, Horse mackerel
 
Tuna: Skipjack (WCPO, U.S. Eastern Pacific troll/pole)

Tuna: Yellowfin (U.S. Atlantic troll/pole)
Tuna: Bigeye (troll/pole)

Tuna: Skipjack (HI longline)

Tuna: Yellowfin (Pacific and Indian Ocean troll/pole, U.S. Atlantic
longline)
seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Tuna: Skipjack (FAD-caught)
Aku, Aku jerky, Canned light tuna
Tuna: Skipjack (WCPO, U.S. Eastern Pacific troll/pole, WCPO unassociated purse seine)
Tuna: Skipjack (Atlantic, Indian, and Eastern Pacific unassociated purse seine)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Tuna: Yellowfin (FAD-caught, longline except for U.S. Atlantic)
Canned light tuna, Ahi, Maguro
Tuna: Yellowfin (U.S. Atlantic troll/pole)
Tuna: Tongol (handline, troll/pole, Malaysia)

Tuna: Yellowfin (Pacific and Indian Ocean troll/pole, unassociated purse seine, U.S. Atlantic longline)
Seafood Watch
SeaChoice
Urchin: Red Sea, Green Sea
uni


SeaChoice
Yellowtail
hamachi, amberjack, kampachi, hiramasa, yellowtail kingfish


SeaChoice