2022 Ocean Wise Updates

Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise seafood recommendations are generated from assessments using the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program methodology. Recommendation updates are released once a month. Ratings updates from 2021 can be found here.

 

January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December 

 

December

 

Species Name Origin Method Old OW Rating New OW Rating
Acadian Redfish Canada (MSC) Bottom Trawl OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Midwater Trawl OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Beaked Redfish Canada (MSC) Bottom Trawl OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Midwater Trawl OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Bigeye Tuna Solomon Islands (MSC) Pelagic Longline OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Blue King Crab Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC) Crab Rings OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Blue Mussel Ireland (MSC) Off-Bottom Culture OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
European Plaice Atlantic Ocean - Northeast (MSC) Bottom Trawl OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Mediterranean Mussel Ireland (MSC) Off-Bottom Culture OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Northern Blue Mussel Ireland (MSC) Off-Bottom Culture OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Northern Pike USA - Indiana (Cedar Lake) (MSC) Bottom-set gillnet OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Red King Crab Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC) Crab Rings OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Skipjack Tuna Indian Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Swordfish USA - Eastern Central Atlantic Buoy Gear OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Walleye USA - Indiana (Cedar Lake) (MSC) Bottom-set gillnet OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Walleye Pollock Russia - East Kamchatka Peninsula Midwater Trawl OW - Unknown OW - Recommended

 

 

November

 

Species Name Origin Method Old OW Rating New OW Rating
Sablefish USA - North Pacific (MSC) Bottom-set longline OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Skipjack Tuna Indonesia (MSC) Pole and Line OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Steelhead Trout Canada - Lois Lake Net pen OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Yellowfin Tuna Indonesia (MSC) Pole and Line OW - Recommended OW-Avoid

 

 

October

 

Species Name Origin Method Old OW Rating New OW Rating
Atlantic Seabob Shrimp Suriname (MSC) Trawl OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Bigeye Tuna  USA - Hawaii (MSC)  Shallow-set longline OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Deep-set Longline OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Blue Ling    Iceland (MSC)    Bottom Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Nephrops Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Danish Seine OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Bluefin Tuna  Morocco (MSC)  Greenstick OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Handline  OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Common Ling    Iceland (MSC)    Bottom Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Nephrops Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Danish Seine OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
European Perch Lithuania - Curonian Lagoon Gillnet OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
European Plaice    Iceland (MSC)    Bottom Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Nephrops Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Danish Seine OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Golden Redfish    Iceland (MSC)    Bottom Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Nephrops Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Danish Seine OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Pikeperch Lithuania - Curonian Lagoon Gillnet OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Pollock    Iceland (MSC)    Bottom Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Nephrops Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Danish Seine OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Swordfish  USA - California  Buoy Gear OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Harpoon OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Tusk    Iceland (MSC)    Bottom Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Nephrops Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Danish Seine OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Walleye Pollock Russia - East Kamchatka and North Kuril Islands Midwater Trawl OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Wolffish    Iceland (MSC)    Bottom Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Nephrops Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Danish Seine OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Yellowfin Tuna  USA - Hawaii (MSC)  Shallow-set longline OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Deep-set longline OW - Unknown OW-Avoid

  

 

September

 

Species Name Origin Method Old OW Rating New OW Rating
Atlantic Cod Faroe Islands (MSC) Trawl OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Longline OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Jig OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Atlantic Croaker USA - Northwest Atlantic Nets OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Beach Seine OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Atlantic Rock Crab USA - Virginia Pots OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Black Sea Bass USA - Northwest Atlantic Pots OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Haddock Faroe Islands (MSC) Trawl OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Longline OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Jig OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Jonah Crab USA - Virginia Pots OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Lesser Sand-Eel Norway (MSC) Trawl OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Snow Crab Canada - Northwest Atlantic Pots OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Newfoundland & Labrador (MSC) Pot OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Swordfish Reunion Island (MSC) Pelagic Longline OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Whiteleg Shrimp USA Indoor flowthrough raceway OW - Recommended OW - Unknown

 

 

August

 

Species Name Origin Method Old OW Rating New OW Rating
Albacore Tuna Russia - East Sakhalin (MSC) Pelagic Longline OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Antarctic Butterfish   New Zealand   Bottom Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Midwater Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Set Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Atlantic Seabob Shrimp    USA - Florida (West Central Atlantic)  Skimmer Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Bottom Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
USA - Florida (Gulf of Mexico)  Skimmer Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Bottom Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Big Blue Octopus  USA - Hawaii  Hand Implements OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Bigeye Scad USA - Hawaii Surrounding Nets OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Bigeye Tuna      Ecuador (MSC)  Purse Seine - Floating Object OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Purse Seine - Unassociated OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Pacific Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Indian Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Atlantic Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Pacific Ocean - West Central (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Caribbean Red Snapper  Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal)  Traps OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Vertical Lines OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Chum Salmon   Russia - Iturup Island (MSC)   Surrounding Net OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Traps OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Dog Snapper    Brazil - Northeast (Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia)  Traps OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Vertical Lines OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal)  Traps OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Vertical Lines OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Hoki Grenadier Australia (MSC) Midwater Trawl OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Lane Snapper Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal) Vertical Lines OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Leaf Barnacle Canada - British Columbia Hand Implements OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Lemon Sole  Iceland (MSC)  Seine Net OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Mackerel Scad  USA - Hawaii  Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Portable Lift Nets OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Northern Shrimp Canada - Nova Scotia Traps OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Pacific Herring USA - Hawaii Set Gillnet OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Pink Salmon  Russia - Iturup Island (MSC)  Traps OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Queen Scallop Faroe Islands (MSC) Boat Dredge OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Skipjack Tuna      Ecuador (MSC)  Purse Seine - Floating Object OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Purse Seine - Unassociated OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Pacific Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Indian Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Atlantic Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Pacific Ocean - West Central (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Vermillion Snapper    Brazil - Northeast (Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia)  Handlines OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Vertical Lines OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal)  Handlines OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Vertical Lines OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Walleye Pollock Russia - East Sakhalin (MSC) Midwater Trawl OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Western Rock Octopus Australia - Western Australia (MSC) Traps OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
White Hake   Canada - New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador   Bottom Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Set Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Set Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
White-Striped Octopus  USA - Hawaii  Hand Implements OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Yellow Perch USA - Chesapeake Bay Fyke Nets OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Yellowfin Tuna      Ecuador (MSC)  Purse Seine - Floating Object OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Purse Seine - Unassociated OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Pacific Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Indian Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Atlantic Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Pacific Ocean - West Central (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Yellowtail Snapper Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal) Vertical Lines OW - Unknown OW-Avoid

 

 

 June

 

Species Name Origin Method Old OW Rating New OW Rating
Albacore Tuna Hawaii (Eastern Central Pacific)  Deep-Set Longline OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Trolling Lines OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
South Africa  Handline OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Trolling Lines OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
India    Trolling Lines OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Deep-Set Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Pelagic Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Mediterranean Sea Pelagic Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Atlantic Cod Atlantic Ocean - Northeast RAS - recirculating aquaculture systems (with wastewater treatment) OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Greenland     Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Canada - Northwest Atlantic Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Norway - Barents Sea     Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Russia - Barents Sea     Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
France - Celtic Sea     Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Ireland - Celtic Sea     Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Belgium - Irish Sea     Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Ireland - Irish Sea     Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
United Kingdom - Irish Sea     Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Denmark - Kattegat Bay & North Sea      Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Traps OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Iceland      Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Traps OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
United Kingdom      Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Traps OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Germany      Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Traps OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Poland      Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Traps OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Sweden      Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Traps OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
North Sea - Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom      Seine OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Longline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Handline OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Traps OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Capelin Canada - Newfoundland Purse Seine OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Northern Clams USA - Northwest Atlantic Dredges OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Orange Roughy Atlantic Ocean - Northwest Trawls OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Patagonian Scallop Atlantic Ocean - Southwest (MSC) Bottom Trawl OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Scup USA - Northwest Atlantic (MSC) Otter Trawl OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Shortspine Rockfish USA - Alaska - Bering Sea Trawls OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Shovelnose Sturgeon USA - Mississippi River Basin Drift Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Skipjack Tuna Hawaii Longline OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Softshell Clams USA - Northwest Atlantic Dredges OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Walleye Pollock Russia - Bering Sea (MSC) Midwater Trawl OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
White-Stripped Octopus Philippines   Diving OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Hand Implements OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Jigs OW-Avoid OW - Unknown

 

 

May

 

Species Name Origin Method Old OW Rating New OW Rating
Albacore Tuna Japan (MSC) Pole and Line OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Blue Mussel Denmark (MSC) Traps OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Rope Grown OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Chum Salmon Russia - Sea of Okhotsk and Bolshaya River (MSC) Beach Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Drift Gillnet OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Set Gillnet OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Trap Net OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
European Pilchard Sardine United Kingdom - Cornwall (MSC) Purse Seine OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Pacific Cod Russia - East Kamchatka Peninsula (MSC) Bottom Longline OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Pink Salmon Russia - Sea of Okhotsk and Bolshaya River (MSC) Beach Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Drift Gillnet OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Set Gillnet OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Trap Net OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Skipjack Tuna Japan (MSC) Pole and Line OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Sockeye Salmon Russia - Sea of Okhotsk and Bolshaya River (MSC) Beach Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Drift Gillnet OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Set Gillnet OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Trap Net OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Thread Herring Mexico - Gulf of California (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Recommended OW-Avoid

 

 

April

 

Species Name Origin Method Old OW Rating New OW Rating
Atlantic Sturgeon Canada - St. Lawrence River Estuary Set Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Bigeye Tuna   Pacific Ocean - South (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Indian Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Atlantic Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Blue King Crab Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC) Traps OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Golden King Crab Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC) Traps OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Lake Sturgeon Canada - St. Lawrence River Estuary  Set Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Lake Whitefish Canada - Lake Winnipegosis Set Gillnet OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Red King Crab Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC) Traps OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Skipjack Tuna Pacific Ocean - South (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Indian Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Atlantic Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Southern Australian Scallop Australia - Bass Strait (MSC) Dredge OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
White Hake USA - Northwest Atlantic Longline OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Yellow Perch Canada - Lake Manitoba Set Gillnet OW-Avoid OW - Unknown
Yellowfin Tuna Pacific Ocean - South (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Indian Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Atlantic Ocean (MSC) Purse Seine OW - Unknown OW-Avoid

 

 

March

 

Species Name Origin Method Old OW Rating New OW Rating
Pacific Herring Canada - British Columbia Purse Seine OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Gillnet OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Southern King Crab Argentina (MSC) Traps OW - Unknown OW-Avoid
Walleye Pollock Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC) Midwater Trawl OW - Unknown OW - Recommended

 

 

January/February

 

Species Name Origin Method Old OW Rating New OW Rating
Blueline Tilefish USA - West Central Atlantic Longline OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
USA - West Central Atlantic & Gulf of Mexico Handline OW-Avoid OW - Recommended
Deepsea Red Crab USA - Northwest Atlantic Traps OW - Recommended OW - Unknown
Patagonian Toothfish Australia - Heard Island and McDonald Islands (MSC) Traps OW - Unknown OW - Recommended
Pollock France (MSC) Bottom Trawl OW - Recommended OW-Avoid
Sharks (All spp.) Hawaii Wild-caught OW - Unknown OW-Avoid