2023 Ocean Wise Rating 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 2022 can be found here.

 

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

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April

 

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Blue Swimmer Crab	Australia - New South Wales	Pots
Greenland Turbot	Canada - Atlantic (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
		Gillnet
Herring	Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Sweden (MSC)	Purse Seine
		Midwater Trawl
Pikeperch	Lithuania - Curonian Lagoon (MSC)	Gillnet

 

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March

 

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Atlantic Chub Mackerel	Portugal and Spain	Purse Seine
Atlantic Cod	Norway - North Sea (MSC)	Danish Seine
		Bottom Trawl
		Hook and Line
		Purse Seine
		Gillnet
		Pots
Atlantic Mackerel	Spain - Bay of Biscay (South)	Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines
		Purse Seine
European Anchovy	France - Bay of Biscay (North)	Purse Seine
	Portugal and Spain	Purse Seine
	Spain - Bay of Biscay (Central)	Purse Seine
	Spain - Bay of Biscay (South)	Purse Seine
European Horse Mackerel	Portugal and Spain	Purse Seine
European Pilchard Sardine	France - Bay of Biscay (Central)	Purse Seine
	France - Bay of Biscay (North)	Purse Seine
	Portugal and Spain (East)	Purse Seine
	Spain - Bay of Biscay (Central)	Purse Seine
	Spain - Bay of Biscay (South)	Purse Seine
Hybrid Red Tilapia	Colombia	Ponds
Nile Tilapia	Colombia	Ponds
Whiting	North Sea (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
		Pair Trawl
		Danish Seine
		Pair Seine

 

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January & February

 

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Albacore Tuna	Japan (MSC)	Pole and Line
Atlantic Chub Mackerel	Morocco (Central Zone)	Purse Seine
	Morocco (North Zone)	Purse Seine
	Morocco (Zone C)	Purse Seine
Atlantic Cod	Norway - Northeast Arctic (MSC)	Gillnet
		Hook and Line
		Longline
		Danish Seine
		Bottom Trawl
Beaked Redfish	Norway (MSC)	Trawl
Bigeye Tuna	Micronesia (MSC)	Purse Seine (Floating Object)
		Purse Seine (Unassociated)
Blue Mussels	Sweden (MSC)	Rope grown
Blue Swimming Crab	Sri Lanka - Gulf of Mannar	Gillnet
	Sri Lanka - Palk Strait or Palk Bay	Gillnet
Chilean Jack Mackerel	Pacific Ocean - South (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Chilean Nylon Shrimp	Chile (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Chum Salmon	Russia - Karaginsky Bay (MSC)	Traps
European Anchovy	Morocco (Central Zone)	Purse Seine
	Morocco (North Zone)	Purse Seine
European Pilchard	Morocco (Central Zone)	Purse Seine
	Morocco (North Zone)	Purse Seine
	Morocco (Zone C)	Purse Seine
Giant Tiger Shrimp	Vietnam	Extensive Ponds
		Intensive Ponds
Great Scallop	France - Bay of Saint-Brieuc (MSC)	Dredge
Greenland Turbot	Norway (MSC)	Gillnet
		Bottom Longline
		Danish Seine
		Bottom Trawl
Lesser Sand-Eel	Norway (MSC)	Midwater Trawl
Mackerel Icefish	Australia -Heard Island and McDonald Islands (MSC)	Longline
		Midwater Trawl
Northern Shrimp	Iceland (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Pacific Sardine	South Australia (MSC)	Purse Seine
Patagonia Toothfish	Australia - Heard Island and McDonald Islands (MSC)	Longline
		Midwater Trawl
Pink Salmon	Russia - Karaginsky Bay (MSC)	Traps
Pollock	United Kingdom (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Sandfish	Western Australia (MSC)	Hand Implements
Skipjack Tuna	Micronesia (MSC)	Purse Seine (Floating Object)
		Purse Seine (Unassociated)
	Japan (MSC)	Pole and Line
Whiteleg Shrimp	Vietnam	Extensive Ponds
Yellowfin Tuna	Micronesia (MSC)	Purse Seine (Floating Object)
		Purse Seine (Unassociated)
		Pelagic Longline
	Ecuador (MSC)	Purse Seine
	Indonesia (MSC)	Handline
		Pole and Line