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.

December

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Atlantic Cod	Northeast Arctic - Barents and Norwegian Sea (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Atlantic Seabob Shrimp	Guyana	Bottom Trawl
Bigeye Tuna	Pacific Ocean - Western Central (MSC)	Purse Seine (Unassociated)
Blue Mussel	Ireland (MSC)	Off-Bottom Culture
Eastern Round Herring	Ecuador	Purse Seine
European Sprat Herring	Ireland	Midwater Trawl
European Sprat Herring	United Kingdom - Scotland	Midwater Trawl
Foolish Mussel	Ireland (MSC)	Off-Bottom Culture
Frigate Tuna	Ecuador	Purse Seine
Haddock	Northeast Arctic - Barents and Norwegian Sea (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Japanese Pilchard Sardine	Japan - East China Sea (Tung Hai) and the Sea of Japan (Tsushima Warm Current Stock)	Purse Seine
		Pound nets
	Japan - Northwest Pacific	Purse Seine
Japanese Scad	Japan - East China Sea (Tung Hai) and the Sea of Japan (Tsushima Warm Current Stock)	Purse Seine
		Pound nets
	Japan - Northwest Pacific	Purse Seine
Mediterranean Mussel	Ireland (MSC)	Off-Bottom Culture
Pacific Chub Mackerel	Ecuador	Purse Seine
	Japan - Northwest Pacific	Purse Seine
	Japan - East China Sea (Tung Hai) and the Sea of Japan (Tsushima Warm Current Stock)	Purse Seine
		Pound nets
Pollock	Germany - North Sea (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Shortfin Scad	Ecuador	Purse Seine
Skipjack Tuna	Pacific Ocean - Western Central (MSC)	Purse Seine (Unassociated)
Yellowfin Tuna	Pacific Ocean - Western Central (MSC)	Purse Seine (Unassociated)

November

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Antarctic Krill	Antarctica (MSC)	Midwater Trawl		SUSPENDED
Blue King Crab	Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC)	Traps
Haddock	United Kingdom - Rockall (MSC)	Trawls		WITHDRAWN
Red King Crab	Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC)	Traps
Snow Crab	Russia - Sea of Okhotsk (MSC)	Traps

October

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Bigeye Tuna	Micronesia (MSC)	Longline
Blue Mussel	Germany (MSC)	Boat Dredge
Blue Mussel	Germany (MSC)	Ropes
Yellowfin Tuna	Micronesia (MSC)	Longline

September

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Albacore Tuna	Atlantic Ocean - South (MSC)	Drifting Longline
Albacore Tuna	Atlantic Ocean - South (MSC)	Shallow-Set Longline
Atlantic Cod	Arctic Ocean - Northeast (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Atlantic Haddock	Arctic Ocean - Northeast (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Atlantic Haddock	Norway - North Sea (MSC)	Longline
Atlantic Pollock	Arctic Ocean - Northeast (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Bight Redfish	Australia - Great Australian Bight (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Bight Redfish	Australia - Great Australian Bight (MSC)	Danish Seine
Deep-water Flathead	Australia - Great Australian Bight (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Deep-water Flathead	Australia - Great Australian Bight (MSC)	Danish Seine
Eurasian Perch	Russia & Estonia - Lake Peipus (MSC)	Gillnet
		Traps
		Danish Seine
European Hake	Norway - North Sea (MSC)	Longline
Greater Argentine	Iceland (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Greater Argentine	Iceland (MSC)	Midwater Trawl
Green Rock Lobster	Australia - New South Wales (MSC)	Traps
Gummy Shark	Australia - Great Australian Bight (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Gummy Shark	Australia - Great Australian Bight (MSC)	Danish Seine
Pacific Oyster	Japan - Okayama (MSC)	Miscellaneous gear
Zander Perch	Russia & Estonia - Lake Peipus (MSC)	Gillnet
		Traps
		Danish Seine

August

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Acadian Redfish	USA - Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Albacore Tuna	American Samoa (MSC)	Pelagic Longline
Arctic Char	Canada	Raceways
Arctic Char	USA	Raceways
Banana Prawn	Australia - North (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Bigeye Tuna	American Samoa (MSC)	Pelagic Longline
Brown Tiger Prawn	Australia - North (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Endeavor Prawn	Australia - North (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Greasyback Prawn	Australia - North (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Green Tiger Prawn	Australia - North (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Haddock	USA - Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Pollock	USA - Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Pollock	Norway - Northeast Arctic (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Silver Lipped Pearl Oyster	Australia (MSC)	Miscellaneous gear
Skipjack Tuna	Pacific Ocean - East (MSC)	Purse Seine - Floating Object
	Pacific Ocean - East (MSC)	Purse Seine - Unassociated
	American Samoa (MSC)	Pelagic Longline
St. Paul Rock Lobster	Indian Ocean - South (MSC)	Pots	SUSPENDED
Yellowfin Tuna	American Samoa (MSC)	Pelagic Longline

July

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Albacore Tuna	Pacific Ocean - West (MSC)	Longline
Baltic Flounder	Poland (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Baltic Flounder	Poland (MSC)	Midwater Trawl
Bigeye Tuna	Pacific Ocean - West (MSC)	Longline
Blue Catfish	USA - Virginia (Chesapeake Bay)	Low-frequency electric fishing
	USA - Virginia (Chesapeake Bay)	Set Gillnet
	USA - Maryland and Virginia (Chesapeake Bay)	Seine Net
	USA - Maryland and Virginia (Chesapeake Bay)	Pots
	USA - Maryland (Chesapeake Bay)	Drift Gillnet
	USA - Maryland (Chesapeake Bay)	Set Longline
	USA - Chesapeake Bay	Traps (barriers, fences, or weirs)
		Beach Seine
		Fyke Nets
European Flounder	Poland (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
European Flounder	Poland (MSC)	Midwater Trawl
Jack-knife Shrimp	Australia (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Paddlefish	USA - Alabama River	Set Gillnet
Rainbow Trout	Chile	Outdoor Raceways
Yellowfin Tuna	Pacific Ocean - West (MSC)	Longline

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
Greenland Turbot	Canada - Atlantic (MSC)	Gillnet
Herring	Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Sweden (MSC)	Purse Seine
Herring	Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Sweden (MSC)	Midwater Trawl
Pikeperch	Lithuania - Curonian Lagoon (MSC)	Gillnet

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
Atlantic Mackerel	Spain - Bay of Biscay (South)	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

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)
Bigeye Tuna	Micronesia (MSC)	Purse Seine (Unassociated)
Blue Mussels	Sweden (MSC)	Rope grown
Blue Swimming Crab	Sri Lanka - Gulf of Mannar	Gillnet
Blue Swimming Crab	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
European Anchovy	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
Giant Tiger Shrimp	Vietnam	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
Mackerel Icefish	Australia -Heard Island and McDonald Islands (MSC)	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
Patagonia Toothfish	Australia - Heard Island and McDonald Islands (MSC)	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)
	Micronesia (MSC)	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
	Indonesia (MSC)	Pole and Line