2022 Seafood Watch Updates

 

Seafood Watch

 Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch uses science-based information to evaluate the most common items available in the North American seafood market against environmental sustainability criteria. Recommendations are updated at least once every three years or as soon as new information is made available, and recommendation updates are released once a month. 

 

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

 

November

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Big Blue Octopus Indonesia - Indian Ocean Hand Implements Avoid Avoid
Harpoon Avoid Avoid
Traps Avoid Avoid

 

October

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Scup  USA - Mid-Atlantic Bottom Trawl Good Alternative Good Alternative
USA - New England Bottom Trawl Good Alternative Good Alternative
Swordfish USA - California Buoy gear Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Best Choice
  Harpoons Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Best Choice



 

September

 

Species Name

Origin

Method

Old SFW Rating

New SFW Rating

American Lobster           

Canada - Bay of Fundy

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

Canada - Atlantic (Lobster Fishing Area 33)

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

Canada - Atlantic (Offshore Lobster Fishing Area 41)

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

Canada - Atlantic (Lobster Fishing Areas 27-32)

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

Canada - Newfoundland & Labrador

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

Canada - Quebec North Shore and Anticosti Island

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

Canada - Gulf of St. Lawrence (South)

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

Canada - Nova Scotia (Southwest)

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

Canada - Gaspe Peninsula

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

Canada - Magdalen Islands

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - New England (South)

Pots

Avoid

Avoid

American Plaice

USA - New England

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Atlantic Cod       

USA - Georges Bank   

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Set Gillnet

Avoid

Avoid

Set Longline

Avoid

Avoid

USA - Gulf of Maine   

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Set Gillnet

Avoid

Avoid

Set Longline

Avoid

Avoid

Atlantic Croaker      

USA - Northwest Atlantic 

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Beach Seine

Best Choice

Good Alternative

USA - Northwest Atlantic (Coastal/Offshore Fishery)

Set Gillnet

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Northwest Atlantic (Inshore/North of Cape Hatteras Fishery)

Set Gillnet

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

USA - Northwest Atlantic (Inshore/South of Cape Hatteras Fishery)

Set Gillnet

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

USA - Northwest Atlantic (North of Cape Hatteras Fishery)

Stationary Uncovered Pound Net

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

USA - Northwest Atlantic (South of Cape Hatteras Fishery)

Stationary Uncovered Pound Net

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Atlantic Halibut

USA - New England

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

Atlantic Rock Crab          

Canada - Quebec Gulf and Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

Canada - Gulf of St. Lawrence (South)

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Connecticut

Pots

Avoid

Avoid

USA - Maryland

Pots

Avoid

Avoid

USA - New Jersey

Pots

Avoid

Avoid

USA - Rhode Island

Pots

Avoid

Avoid

USA - Massachusetts

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Maine

Pots

Avoid

Avoid

USA - New Hampshire

Pots

Avoid

Avoid

USA - New York

Pots

Avoid

Avoid

USA - Virginia

Pots

Avoid

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Black Sea Bass   

USA - Florida (Gulf of Mexico)

Pots

Avoid

Avoid

USA - Northwest Atlantic  

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Handline

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

Blackback Flounder    

USA - Georges Bank

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

USA - Gulf of Maine 

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Set Gillnet

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Mid-Atlantic

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

USA - New England

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

Bluefish  

USA - Northwest Atlantic  

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines

Best Choice

Best Choice

Set Gillnet

Good Alternative

Avoid

Goosefish 

USA - Northwest Atlantic (MAFMC)

Set Gillnet

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Northwest Atlantic (NEFMC)

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Haddock     

USA - Georges Bank  

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Set Longline

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

USA - Gulf of Maine  

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Set Longline

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Jonah Crab          

Canada - Maritimes & Bay of Fundy

Pots

Avoid

Avoid

Canada - Maritimes & Gulf of Maine

Pots

Avoid

Avoid

USA - Connecticut

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Maryland

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - New Jersey

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Rhode Island

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Maine

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Massachusetts

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - New Hampshire

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - New York

Pots

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Virginia

Pots

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Pollock     

USA - Georges Bank  

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Set Gillnet

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Gulf of Maine  

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Set Gillnet

Good Alternative

Avoid

Snow Crab   

Canada - Maritimes

Pots

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

Canada - Gulf of St. Lawrence (South)

Pots

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

Canada - Newfoundland & Labrador

Pots

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

Canada - Gulf of St. Lawrence (North)

Pots

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

Summer Flounder    

USA - Northwest Atlantic  

Barriers, fences, weirs, corrals

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines

Best Choice

Best Choice

Set Gillnet

Good Alternative

Avoid

USA - Mid-Atlantic

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

USA - New England

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

White Hake  

USA - Northwest Atlantic  

Large Mesh Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Set Gillnet

Good Alternative

Avoid

Set Longline

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Whiteleg Shrimp 

USA 

Ponds

Best Choice

Best Choice

Indoor Flowthrough Raceway

Best Choice

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Winter Skate 

USA - Northwest Atlantic 

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Set Gillnet

Good Alternative

Avoid

Witch Flounder 

USA - Mid-Atlantic

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

USA - New England

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

Yellowtail Flounder    

USA - Cape Cod & Gulf of Maine

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

USA - Georges Bank

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

USA - Mid-Atlantic

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

USA - New England 

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

Set Gillnet

Avoid

Avoid

 

 

  

August

 

Species Name

Origin

Method

Old SFW Rating

New SFW Rating

Abalone spp.    

Worldwide    

Enclosed Bottom Closure

Best Choice

Best Choice

Indoor Flowthrough Tank

Best Choice

Best Choice

Off-Bottom Culture

Best Choice

Best Choice

Outdoor Flowthrough Tank

Best Choice

Best Choice

Open Bottom Culture

Good Alternative

Best Choice

Antarctic Butterfish     

New Zealand (BNS1)  

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Midwater Trawl

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Set Longline

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

New Zealand (BNS2)  

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Midwater Trawl

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Set Longline

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Atlantic Seabob Shrimp  

USA - Florida (Western Central Atlantic)

Skimmer Trawl

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

USA - Gulf of Mexico 

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Skimmer Trawl

Avoid

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Big Blue Octopus 

USA - Hawaii (Eastern Central Pacific) 

Hand Implements

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Bigeye Scad 

USA - Hawaii (Eastern Central Pacific) 

Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Surrounding Nets

Best Choice

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Blue Swimming Crab     

India - Arabian Sea (Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, and Maharashtra) 

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

Gillnets and entangling nets

Avoid

Avoid

India - Bay of Bengal (Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal) 

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

Gillnets and entangling nets

Avoid

Avoid

India - Palk Strait and Palk Bay (Tamil Nadu) 

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Avoid

Gillnets and entangling nets

Avoid

Avoid

Brown Rock Shrimp

USA - Gulf of Mexico and West Central Atlantic

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Brown Shrimp   

USA - Florida (Gulf of Mexico)

Skimmer Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

USA - Gulf of Mexico 

Skimmer Trawl (Vessels > 40 ft)

Avoid

Good Alternative

Skimmer Trawl (Vessels < 40 ft)

Avoid

Avoid

USA - Gulf of Mexico and West Central Atlantic

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Caribbean Red Snapper  

Brazil - North (Amapá and Pará) 

Traps

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

Vertical Lines

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal)

Vertical Lines

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

Dog Snapper 

Brazil - Northeast (Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia)

Handlines

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal)

Vertical Lines

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

Green Sea Urchin        

Canada - British Columbia

Diving

Best Choice

Best Choice

Canada - New Brunswick 

Diving

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Towed Dredges

Avoid

Avoid

Canada - Newfoundland and Labrador

Diving

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Canada - Nova Scotia

Diving

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Canada - Quebec

Diving

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

USA - Maine  

Diving

Avoid

Avoid

Hand Implements

Avoid

Avoid

Towed Dredges

Avoid

Avoid

Lane Snapper  

Brazil - Northeast (Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia) 

Handlines

Avoid

Avoid

Traps

Avoid

Avoid

Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal)

Vertical Lines

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

Leaf Barnacle

Canada - British Columbia

Hand Implements

Best Choice

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Mackerel Scad 

USA - Hawaii (Eastern Central Pacific) 

Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Portable Lift Nets

Best Choice

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Mutton Snapper 

Brazil - Northeast (Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia) 

Handlines

Avoid

Avoid

Traps

Avoid

Avoid

Northern Shrimp

Canada - Nova Scotia

Traps

Best Choice

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Pacific Herring

USA - California

Set Gillnet

Best Choice

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Pink Shrimp   

USA - Florida (Gulf of Mexico)

Skimmer Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

USA - Gulf of Mexico 

Skimmer Trawl (Vessels > 40 ft)

Avoid

Good Alternative

Skimmer Trawl (Vessels < 40 ft)

Avoid

Avoid

USA - Gulf of Mexico and Western Central Atlantic

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Red Sea Urchin    

Canada - British Columbia

Diving

Best Choice

Best Choice

USA - Alaska

Diving

Best Choice

Best Choice

USA - California

Diving

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

USA - Oregon

Diving

Best Choice

Best Choice

USA - Washington

Diving

Best Choice

Best Choice

Royal Red Shrimp

USA - Gulf of Mexico and Western Central Atlantic

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

Vermilion Snapper 

Brazil - Northeast (Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia)

Handlines

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal)

Vertical Lines

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

White Hake     

Canada - New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island  

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Set Gillnet

Avoid

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Set Longline

Avoid

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Canada - Newfoundland and Labrador  

Bottom Trawl

Avoid

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Set Gillnet

Avoid

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Set Longline

Avoid

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

White Shrimp   

USA - Florida (Gulf of Mexico)

Skimmer Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

USA - Gulf of Mexico 

Skimmer Trawl (Vessels > 40 ft)

Avoid

Good Alternative

Skimmer Trawl (Vessels < 40 ft)

Avoid

Avoid

USA - Gulf of Mexico and Western Central Atlantic

Bottom Trawl

Good Alternative

Good Alternative

White-Striped Octopus 

USA - Hawaii (Eastern Central Pacific) 

Hand Implements

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Yellow Perch

USA - Maryland (Chesapeake Bay)

Fyke Nets

Good Alternative

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Yellowtail Snapper  

Brazil - Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Distrito Federal)

Vertical Lines

Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

Avoid

Brazil - Northeast (Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia) 

Handlines

Avoid

Avoid

Traps

Avoid

Avoid

 

July

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Green Jobfish Snapper USA - Hawaii (Eastern Central Pacific) Handlines and hand-operated pole-and-lines Good Alternative Best Choice
Trolling Lines Good Alternative Best Choice
Red Swamp Crayfish USA Ponds Best Choice Best Choice

 

 

April

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Atlantic Sturgeon Canada - St. Lawrence River Estuary Set Gillnet Avoid Good Alternative
Dolphinfish   Indonesia - Indian Ocean Drifting Longline Avoid Avoid
Indonesia - West Central Pacific Drifting Longline Avoid Avoid
Taiwan - Western Central Pacific Drifting Longline Avoid Avoid
Lake Sturgeon Canada - St. Lawrence River Set Gillnet Avoid Good Alternative
Lake Whitefish  Canada - Lake Winnipegosis Set Gillnet Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Canada - Lake Winnipeg Set Gillnet Avoid Avoid
Northern Pike   Canada - Lake Manitoba Set Gillnet Avoid Avoid
Canada - Lake Winnipeg Set Gillnet Avoid Avoid
Canada - Lake Winnipegosis Set Gillnet Avoid Avoid
Walleye   Canada - Lake Manitoba Set Gillnet Avoid Avoid
Canada - Lake Winnipeg Set Gillnet Avoid Avoid
Canada - Lake Winnipegosis Set Gillnet Avoid Avoid
Yellow Perch Canada - Lake Manitoba Set Gillnet Good Alternative Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

 

 

March

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Channel Catfish USA Ponds Best Choice Best Choice
Cobia Panama Marine Net Pen Good Alternative Good Alternative

 

 

February

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Deepsea Red Crab USA - Northwest Atlantic Traps Good Alternative Seafood Watch - Not Applicable

  

 

January

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Blue Tilefish      USA - Gulf of Mexico Set Longline Good Alternative Good Alternative
USA - Mid-Atlantic Set Longline Best Choice Best Choice
USA - South Atlantic Handlines and hand-operated pole-and-lines Best Choice Best Choice
Set Longline Best Choice Best Choice
Blueline Tilefish USA - Gulf of Mexico Handlines and hand-operated pole-and-lines Good Alternative Good Alternative
Set Longline Good Alternative Good Alternative
USA - South Atlantic Handlines and hand-operated pole-and-lines Avoid Good Alternative
Set Longline Avoid Good Alternative
Giant Pacific Octopus Canada - British Columbia (Dungeness Crab Fishery) Pots Good Alternative Good Alternative
Canada - British Columbia (Spot Prawn Fishery) Pots Good Alternative Good Alternative
USA - Alaska - Bering Sea (Pacific Cod Pot Fishery) Pots Best Choice Best Choice
USA - Alaska - Gulf of Alaska (Pacific Cod Pot Fishery) Pots Best Choice Best Choice