2023 Seafood Watch Rating Updates

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. 2022 Rating updates can be viewed here.

 

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

 

December 2023

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
American Eel     USA - Maine Fyke nets Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
USA - South Carolina Fyke nets Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
USA - North Carolina Pots Good Alternative Good Alternative
USA - Northwest Atlantic Barriers, fences, weirs, corrals, etc. Avoid Good Alternative
USA - Northwest Atlantic (excluding North Carolina) Pots Avoid Avoid
Atlantic Seabob Shrimp Guyana Bottom Trawls Avoid Seafood Watch - Not Applicable
Buri Amberjack Japan - East China Sea (Tung Hai) and the Sea of Japan Stationary uncovered pound nets Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Eastern Round Herring Ecuador Purse seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
European Sprat Herring  Ireland Midwater Trawl Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
United Kingdom - Scotland Midwater Trawl Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Frigate Tuna Ecuador Purse seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Japanese Pilchard Sardine   Japan - East China Sea (Tung Hai) and the Sea of Japan (Tsushima Warm Current stock)  Purse seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Stationary uncovered pound nets Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Japan - Northwest Pacific Ocean (Pacific Coast of Japan) Purse seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Japanese Scad   Japan - East China Sea (Tung Hai) and the Sea of Japan (Tsushima Warm Current stock)  Purse seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Best Choice
Stationary uncovered pound nets Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Japan - Northwest Pacific Ocean (Pacific Coast of Japan) Purse seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Pacific Chub Mackerel    Ecuador Purse seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Japan - East China Sea (Tung Hai) and the Sea of Japan (Tsushima Warm Current stock)  Purse seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Stationary uncovered pound nets Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Japan - Northwest Pacific Ocean (Pacific Coast of Japan) Purse seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Shortfin Scad Ecuador Purse seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Striped Mullet  USA - Florida (Western Central Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico)  Beach seine Best Choice Good Alternative
Cast nets Best Choice Best Choice

 

 

August 2023

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Arctic Char Iceland Raceways Best Choice Best Choice
Canada Raceways Best Choice Seafood Watch - Not Applicable
USA Raceways Best Choice Seafood Watch - Not Applicable
Blue Swimming Crab Indonesia (Jawa) Gillnets Avoid Avoid
Pots Avoid Avoid
Indonesia (Sulawesi) Gillnets Avoid Avoid
Pots Avoid Avoid
Indonesia (Sumatera) Gillnets Avoid Avoid
Pots Avoid Avoid
Thailand - Andaman Sea or Burma Sea Gillnets Avoid Avoid
Pots Avoid Avoid
Thailand - Gulf of Siam (Gulf of Thailand) Gillnets Avoid Avoid
Pots Avoid Avoid
Vietnam - Gulf of Siam (Gulf of Thailand) Gillnets Avoid Avoid
Pots Avoid Avoid
Traps Avoid Avoid
Rainbow Trout USA Freshwater Net Pen Best Choice Best Choice
Outdoor Flowthrough Raceway Best Choice Best Choice
Ponds Best Choice Best Choice
Red Swimming Crab China Bottom Trawl Avoid Avoid
Pots Avoid Avoid

 

 

July 2023

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Blue Catfish USA - Virginia (Chesapeake Bay) Low-frequency electric fishing Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Best Choice
Set Gillnet Best Choice Good Alternative
USA - Maryland and Virginia (Chesapeake Bay) Boat Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Pots Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Stationary uncovered pound nets Best Choice Good Alternative
USA - Maryland (Chesapeake Bay) Drift Gillnet Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Set Longline Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
USA - Chesapeake Bay Barriers, fences, weirs, corrals, etc. Best Choice Seafood Watch - Not Applicable
Beach Seine Best Choice Seafood Watch - Not Applicable
Fyke Net Best Choice Seafood Watch - Not Applicable
Bowfin USA - Louisiana Set Gillnet Good Alternative Good Alternative
Paddlefish USA - Mississippi River Basin  Set Gillnet Good Alternative Good Alternative
USA - Alabama River Set Gillnet Good Alternative Seafood Watch - Not Applicable
Rainbow Trout Chile Freshwater Raceways Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Best Choice
Shovelnose Sturgeon USA - Mississippi River Basin Drift Gillnet Good Alternative Good Alternative
White Sturgeon USA - Columbia River Drift Gillnet Good Alternative Good Alternative
Wreckfish USA - Western Central Atlantic Vertical Line Best Choice Best Choice

 

 

June 2023

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Arched Swimming Crab Mexico - Sinaloa Crab Rings Good Alternative Good Alternative
Traps Good Alternative Good Alternative
Blue Crab Mexico - Campeche Crab Rings Good Alternative Good Alternative
Scoopnets Good Alternative Good Alternative
California Market Squid USA - California Purse Seine Best Choice Best Choice
Caribbean Spiny Lobster Honduras Diving Avoid Avoid
Traps Avoid Avoid
Cortez Swimming Crab Mexico - Sinaloa Crab Rings Good Alternative Good Alternative
Traps Good Alternative Good Alternative
Mexico - Sonora Traps Good Alternative Good Alternative
Southern Flounder USA - Texas Handlines and hand-operated pole and line Good Alternative Good Alternative
Harpoon Good Alternative Good Alternative

  

May 2023

 

Species Name

Origin

Method

Old SFW Rating

New SFW Rating

Red King Crab

Norway - Barents Sea

Pots

Best Choice

Best Choice

 

April 2023

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Blue Swimmer Crab        Australia - New South Wales Pots Best Choice Good Alternative
Australia - Queensland Pots Good Alternative Avoid
Australia - Gulf of St. Vincent Pots Good Alternative Best Choice
Australia - Spencer Gulf Pots Best Choice Best Choice
Australia - Peel-Harvey Estuary Pots Best Choice Best Choice
Australia - Shark Bay  Bottom Trawl Avoid Good Alternative
Pots Good Alternative Good Alternative
Australia - Cockburn Sound Pots Good Alternative Seafood Watch - Not Applicable
Brill   United Kingdom   Beam Trawl Avoid Seafood Watch - Not Applicable
Bottom Trawl Avoid Seafood Watch - Not Applicable
Trammel Net Good Alternative Seafood Watch - Not Applicable
Clams spp. Worldwide Bottom Culture Best Choice Best Choice
Off-Bottom Culture Best Choice Best Choice
Cockles spp. Worldwide Bottom Culture Best Choice Best Choice
Off-Bottom Culture Best Choice Best Choice


March 2023

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Atlantic Chub Mackerel   Portugal and Spain (East Division 27.9.a) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Atlantic Mackerel  Spain - Bay of Biscay (South) (Division 27.8.c)  Handlines and Hand-Operated Pole-and-Lines Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
European Anchovy    France - Bay of Biscay (North) (Division 27.8.a) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Portugal and Spain (East Division 27.9.a) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Spain - Bay of Biscay (Central) (Division 27.8.b) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Best Choice
Spain - Bay of Biscay (South) (Division 27.8.c) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Best Choice
European Horse Mackerel Portugal and Spain (East Division 27.9.a) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
European Pilchard Sardine France - Bay of Biscay (Central) (Division 27.8.b) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
France - Bay of Biscay (North) (Division 27.8.a) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Portugal and Spain (East Division 27.9.a) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Spain - Bay of Biscay (Central) (Division 27.8.b) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Avoid
Spain - Bay of Biscay (South) (Division 27.8.c) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Hybrid Red Tilapia Colombia Ponds Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Net Pens Good Alternative Good Alternative
Nile Tilapia Colombia Ponds Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Net Pens Good Alternative Good Alternative
Red Drum USA Ponds Best Choice Best Choice
Red Mullet United Kingdom (Cornwall) Beam Trawl Good Alternative Avoid
Bottom Trawl Good Alternative Avoid
Set Gillnet Good Alternative Good Alternative

 

January 2023

 

Species Name Origin Method Old SFW Rating New SFW Rating
Atlantic Chub Mackerel   Morocco (Central Zone) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Morocco (Zone C) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Morocco (Zone North) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Black Drum  USA - Louisiana Trotlines Good Alternative Good Alternative
USA - Texas Trotlines Good Alternative Good Alternative
Blue Swimming Crab  Sri Lanka - Gulf of Mannar Gillnets and entangling nets Good Alternative Good Alternative
Sri Lanka - Palk Strait or Palk Bay Gillnets and entangling nets Good Alternative Good Alternative
Brazilian Sardinella Brazil  Purse Seine Avoid Avoid
Caribbean Spiny Lobster    Belize  Diving Avoid Avoid
Pots Avoid Avoid
Brazil Pots Avoid Avoid
USA - Florida (Gulf of Mexico) Pots Good Alternative Good Alternative
European Anchovy  Morocco (Central Zone) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Morocco (Zone North) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
European Pilchard Sardine   Morocco (Central Zone) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Morocco (Zone C) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Morocco (Zone North) Purse Seine Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Giant Tiger Prawn    Vietnam    Extensive Ponds (Rice-Shrimp) Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Extensive Ponds Avoid Good Alternative
Extensive Ponds (Shrimp-Mangrove) Avoid Good Alternative
Intensive Ponds Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Whiteleg Shrimp  Vietnam  Extensive Ponds (Rice-Shrimp Seafood Watch - Not Applicable Good Alternative
Intensive Ponds Avoid Avoid