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
November
October
September
Species Name | Origin | Method | Old OW Rating | New OW Rating |
Atlantic Cod | Faroe Islands (MSC) | Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Jig | ![]() |
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Atlantic Croaker | USA - Northwest Atlantic | Nets | ![]() |
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Beach Seine | ![]() |
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Atlantic Rock Crab | USA - Virginia | Pots | ![]() |
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Black Sea Bass | USA - Northwest Atlantic | Pots | ![]() |
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Haddock | Faroe Islands (MSC) | Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Jig | ![]() |
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Jonah Crab | USA - Virginia | Pots | ![]() |
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Lesser Sand-Eel | Norway (MSC) | Trawl | ![]() |
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Snow Crab | Canada - Northwest Atlantic | Pots | ![]() |
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Newfoundland & Labrador (MSC) | Pot | ![]() |
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Swordfish | Reunion Island (MSC) | Pelagic Longline | ![]() |
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Whiteleg Shrimp | USA | Indoor flowthrough raceway | ![]() |
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August
Species Name | Origin | Method | Old OW Rating | New OW Rating |
Albacore Tuna | Russia - East Sakhalin (MSC) | Pelagic Longline | ![]() |
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Antarctic Butterfish | New Zealand | Bottom Trawl | ![]() |
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Midwater Trawl | ![]() |
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Set Longline | ![]() |
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Atlantic Seabob Shrimp | USA - Florida (West Central Atlantic) | Skimmer Trawl | ![]() |
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Bottom Trawl | ![]() |
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USA - Florida (Gulf of Mexico) | Skimmer Trawl | ![]() |
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Bottom Trawl | ![]() |
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Big Blue Octopus | USA - Hawaii | Hand Implements | ![]() |
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Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines | ![]() |
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Bigeye Scad | USA - Hawaii | Surrounding Nets | ![]() |
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Bigeye Tuna | Ecuador (MSC) | Purse Seine - Floating Object | ![]() |
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Purse Seine - Unassociated | ![]() |
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Pacific Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Indian Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Atlantic Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Pacific Ocean - West Central (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Caribbean Red Snapper | Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal) | Traps | ![]() |
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Vertical Lines | ![]() |
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Chum Salmon | Russia - Iturup Island (MSC) | Surrounding Net | ![]() |
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Traps | ![]() |
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Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Dog Snapper | Brazil - Northeast (Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia) | Traps | ![]() |
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Vertical Lines | ![]() |
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Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal) | Traps | ![]() |
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Vertical Lines | ![]() |
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Hoki Grenadier | Australia (MSC) | Midwater Trawl | ![]() |
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Lane Snapper | Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal) | Vertical Lines | ![]() |
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Leaf Barnacle | Canada - British Columbia | Hand Implements | ![]() |
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Lemon Sole | Iceland (MSC) | Seine Net | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Mackerel Scad | USA - Hawaii | Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines | ![]() |
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Portable Lift Nets | ![]() |
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Northern Shrimp | Canada - Nova Scotia | Traps | ![]() |
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Pacific Herring | USA - Hawaii | Set Gillnet | ![]() |
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Pink Salmon | Russia - Iturup Island (MSC) | Traps | ![]() |
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Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Queen Scallop | Faroe Islands (MSC) | Boat Dredge | ![]() |
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Skipjack Tuna | Ecuador (MSC) | Purse Seine - Floating Object | ![]() |
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Purse Seine - Unassociated | ![]() |
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Pacific Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Indian Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Atlantic Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Pacific Ocean - West Central (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Vermillion Snapper | Brazil - Northeast (Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia) | Handlines | ![]() |
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Vertical Lines | ![]() |
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Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal) | Handlines | ![]() |
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Vertical Lines | ![]() |
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Walleye Pollock | Russia - East Sakhalin (MSC) | Midwater Trawl | ![]() |
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Western Rock Octopus | Australia - Western Australia (MSC) | Traps | ![]() |
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White Hake | Canada - New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador | Bottom Trawl | ![]() |
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Set Gillnet | ![]() |
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Set Longline | ![]() |
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White-Striped Octopus | USA - Hawaii | Hand Implements | ![]() |
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Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines | ![]() |
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Yellow Perch | USA - Chesapeake Bay | Fyke Nets | ![]() |
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Yellowfin Tuna | Ecuador (MSC) | Purse Seine - Floating Object | ![]() |
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Purse Seine - Unassociated | ![]() |
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Pacific Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Indian Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Atlantic Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Pacific Ocean - West Central (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Yellowtail Snapper | Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal) | Vertical Lines | ![]() |
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June
Species Name | Origin | Method | Old OW Rating | New OW Rating |
Albacore Tuna | Hawaii (Eastern Central Pacific) | Deep-Set Longline | ![]() |
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Trolling Lines | ![]() |
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South Africa | Handline | ![]() |
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Trolling Lines | ![]() |
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India | Trolling Lines | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Deep-Set Longline | ![]() |
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Pelagic Longline | ![]() |
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Mediterranean Sea | Pelagic Longline | ![]() |
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Atlantic Cod | Atlantic Ocean - Northeast | RAS - recirculating aquaculture systems (with wastewater treatment) | ![]() |
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Greenland | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Canada - Northwest Atlantic | Handline | ![]() |
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Norway - Barents Sea | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Russia - Barents Sea | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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France - Celtic Sea | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Ireland - Celtic Sea | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Belgium - Irish Sea | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Ireland - Irish Sea | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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United Kingdom - Irish Sea | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Denmark - Kattegat Bay & North Sea | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Traps | ![]() |
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Iceland | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Traps | ![]() |
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United Kingdom | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Traps | ![]() |
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Germany | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Traps | ![]() |
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Poland | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Traps | ![]() |
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Sweden | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Traps | ![]() |
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North Sea - Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom | Seine | ![]() |
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Trawl | ![]() |
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Longline | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Handline | ![]() |
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Traps | ![]() |
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Capelin | Canada - Newfoundland | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Northern Clams | USA - Northwest Atlantic | Dredges | ![]() |
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Orange Roughy | Atlantic Ocean - Northwest | Trawls | ![]() |
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Patagonian Scallop | Atlantic Ocean - Southwest (MSC) | Bottom Trawl | ![]() |
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Scup | USA - Northwest Atlantic (MSC) | Otter Trawl | ![]() |
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Shortspine Rockfish | USA - Alaska - Bering Sea | Trawls | ![]() |
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Shovelnose Sturgeon | USA - Mississippi River Basin | Drift Gillnet | ![]() |
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Skipjack Tuna | Hawaii | Longline | ![]() |
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Softshell Clams | USA - Northwest Atlantic | Dredges | ![]() |
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Walleye Pollock | Russia - Bering Sea (MSC) | Midwater Trawl | ![]() |
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White-Stripped Octopus | Philippines | Diving | ![]() |
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Hand Implements | ![]() |
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Jigs | ![]() |
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May
Species Name | Origin | Method | Old OW Rating | New OW Rating |
Albacore Tuna | Japan (MSC) | Pole and Line | ![]() |
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Blue Mussel | Denmark (MSC) | Traps | ![]() |
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Rope Grown | ![]() |
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Chum Salmon | Russia - Sea of Okhotsk and Bolshaya River (MSC) | Beach Seine | ![]() |
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Drift Gillnet | ![]() |
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Set Gillnet | ![]() |
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Trap Net | ![]() |
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European Pilchard Sardine | United Kingdom - Cornwall (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Pacific Cod | Russia - East Kamchatka Peninsula (MSC) | Bottom Longline | ![]() |
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Pink Salmon | Russia - Sea of Okhotsk and Bolshaya River (MSC) | Beach Seine | ![]() |
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Drift Gillnet | ![]() |
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Set Gillnet | ![]() |
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Trap Net | ![]() |
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Skipjack Tuna | Japan (MSC) | Pole and Line | ![]() |
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Sockeye Salmon | Russia - Sea of Okhotsk and Bolshaya River (MSC) | Beach Seine | ![]() |
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Drift Gillnet | ![]() |
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Set Gillnet | ![]() |
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Trap Net | ![]() |
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Thread Herring | Mexico - Gulf of California (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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April
Species Name | Origin | Method | Old OW Rating | New OW Rating |
Atlantic Sturgeon | Canada - St. Lawrence River Estuary | Set Gillnet | ![]() |
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Bigeye Tuna | Pacific Ocean - South (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Indian Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Atlantic Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Blue King Crab | Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC) | Traps | ![]() |
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Golden King Crab | Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC) | Traps | ![]() |
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Lake Sturgeon | Canada - St. Lawrence River Estuary | Set Gillnet | ![]() |
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Lake Whitefish | Canada - Lake Winnipegosis | Set Gillnet | ![]() |
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Red King Crab | Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC) | Traps | ![]() |
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Skipjack Tuna | Pacific Ocean - South (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Indian Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Atlantic Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Southern Australian Scallop | Australia - Bass Strait (MSC) | Dredge | ![]() |
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White Hake | USA - Northwest Atlantic | Longline | ![]() |
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Yellow Perch | Canada - Lake Manitoba | Set Gillnet | ![]() |
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Yellowfin Tuna | Pacific Ocean - South (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Indian Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Atlantic Ocean (MSC) | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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March
Species Name | Origin | Method | Old OW Rating | New OW Rating |
Pacific Herring | Canada - British Columbia | Purse Seine | ![]() |
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Gillnet | ![]() |
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Southern King Crab | Argentina (MSC) | Traps | ![]() |
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Walleye Pollock | Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC) | Midwater Trawl | ![]() |
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January/February
Species Name | Origin | Method | Old OW Rating | New OW Rating |
Blueline Tilefish | USA - West Central Atlantic | Longline | ![]() |
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USA - West Central Atlantic & Gulf of Mexico | Handline | ![]() |
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Deepsea Red Crab | USA - Northwest Atlantic | Traps | ![]() |
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Patagonian Toothfish | Australia - Heard Island and McDonald Islands (MSC) | Traps | ![]() |
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Pollock | France (MSC) | Bottom Trawl | ![]() |
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Sharks (All spp.) | Hawaii | Wild-caught | ![]() |
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