2024 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 2023 can be found here.

August

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Albacore Tuna	Fiji (MSC)	Longline
Baltic Flounder	Poland (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Baltic Flounder	Poland (MSC)	Midwater Trawl
Bigeye Tuna	Fiji (MSC)	Longline
Blue Mussels	Germany - Lower Saxony (MSC)	Dredge
Blue Mussels	Germany - Lower Saxony (MSC)	Rope
European Flounder	Poland (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
European Flounder	Poland (MSC)	Midwater Trawl
European Plaice	Poland (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
European Sprat Herring	Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Sweden (MSC)	Midwater Trawl
		Purse Seine
		Longline
	Poland (MSC)	Trawl
Haddock	Faroe Islands (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
		Longline
		Jig
	Norway - North Sea (MSC)	Danish Seine
		Bottom Trawl
		Hook and Line
		Purse Seine
		Gillnet
		Pots
Hake	Norway - North Sea (MSC)	Danish Seine
		Bottom Trawl
		Hook and Line
		Purse Seine
		Gillnet
		Pots
Lake Herring	Canada - Ontario (Lake Superior)	Gillnet
	USA - Minnesota (Lake Superior)	Gillnet
	USA - Minnesota (Lake Superior, tribal fishery)	Gillnet
	USA - Wisconsin (Lake Superior)	Gillnet
	USA - Wisconsin (Lake Superior, tribal fishery)	Gillnet
Lake Trout	USA - Michigan (Lake Superior, 1836 treaty tribal fishery)	Traps
	USA - Michigan (Lake Superior, 1842 treaty tribal fishery)	Gillnet
	USA - Minnesota (Lake Superior tribal fishery)	Gillnet
	USA - Wisconsin (Lake Superior tribal fishery)	Gillnet
	USA - Wisconsin (Lake Superior tribal fishery)	Traps
	USA - Wisconsin (Lake Superior)	Gillnet
	USA - Wisconsin (Lake Superior)	Traps
Lake Whitefish	USA - Michigan (Lake Superior, 1842 treaty state fishery)	Gillnet
	USA - Michigan (Lake Superior, 1842 treaty state fishery)	Traps
	USA - Michigan (Lake Michigan tribal fishery)	Traps
	USA - Michigan (Lake Superior, 1836 treaty tribal fishery)	Traps
	USA - Wisconsin (Lake Michigan)	Bottom Trawl
	USA - Wisconsin (Lake Superior tribal fishery)	Gillnet
	USA - Wisconsin (Lake Superior tribal fishery)	Traps
	USA - Wisconsin (Lake Superior	Gillnet
	USA - Wisconsin (Lake Superior	Traps
Northern Shrimp	Canada - Gulf of St. Lawrence (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Northern Shrimp	Iceland (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Pollock	Norway - North Sea (MSC)	Danish Seine
		Bottom Trawl
		Hook and Line
		Purse Seine
		Gillnet
		Pots
	Faroe Islands (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
		Longline
		Jigs
Turbot	Poland (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Tusk	Faroe Islands (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
		Longline
		Jig
Yellowfin Tuna	Fiji (MSC)	Longline

August (Special Assessment)

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Arrowtooth Flounder	Canada - British Columbia (3CD shallow water flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5DE deepwater flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (3CD/5ABC deepwater flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC/5DE shallow water flatfish fishery)	Bottom Tawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5DE pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia	Midwater Trawl
Big Skate	Canada - British Columbia (outside rockfish fishery)	Set Longline
	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC/5DE shallow water flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5DE pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
Blackspotted Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (rockfish trawl fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (outside rockfish fishery)	Jig
		Set Longline
		Troll
	Canada - British Columbia (sablefish longline fishery)	Set Longline
Bocaccio Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC/5DE rockfish trawl fishery)	Midwater Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (3CD rockfish trawl fishery)	Midwater Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (3CD pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC/5DE shallow water flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (rockfish trawl fishery)	Bottom Trawl
Canary Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (3CD pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
China Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (outside rockfish fishery)	Set Longline
		Troll
		Jig
Darkblotched Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia	Midwater Trawl
Dover Sole	Canada - British Columbia (5DE deepwater flatfish)	Bottom Trawl
Dover Sole	Canada - British Columbia (3CD shallow water flatfish)	Bottom Trawl
English Sole	Canada - British Columbia (3CD pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5DE pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC/5DE shallow water flatfish)	Bottom Trawl
Flathead Sole	Canada - British Columbia (3CD shallow water flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
Greenstriped Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia	Bottom Trawl
Greenstriped Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia	Midwater Trawl
Kelp Greenling	Canada - British Columbia (inside rockfish fishery)	Set Longline
		Jig
		Troll
Lingcod	Canada - British Columbia (sablefish longline fishery)	Set Longline
	Canada - British Columbia (inside rockfish fishery)	Set Longline
		Jig
		Troll
	Canada - British Columbia (outside rockfish fishery)	Set Longline
		Jig
		Troll
	Canada - British Columbia	Midwater Trawl
Longnose Skate	Canada - British Columbia (3CD shallow water flatfish)	Bottom Trawl
Longspine Thornyhead Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia	Bottom Trawl
Pacific Cod	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC/5DE shallow water flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5DE pelagic fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (rockfish trawl fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (3CD pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (3CD shallow water flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
Pacific Halibut	Canada - British Columbia (MSC)	Longline
	Canada - British Columbia (outside rockfish fishery)	Set Longline
		Jig
		Troll
Pacific Ocean Perch	Canada - British Columbia (3CD pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
Pacific Ocean Perch	Canada - British Columbia (5DE/5ABC rockfish trawl)	Midwater Trawl
Petrale Sole	Canada - British Columbia (3CD pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5DE/5ABC shallow water flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British COlumbia (5ABC/5CD deepwater flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (rockfish trawl fishery)	Bottom Trawl
Quillback Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (outside rockfish fishery)	Set Longline
	Canada - British Columbia (outside rockfish fishery)	Jig
	Canada - British Columbia (outside rockfish fishery)	Troll
Redbanded Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia	Midwater Trawl
Redstripe Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC/5DE rockfish trawl fishery)	Midwater Trawl
Redstripe Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (3CD rockfish trawl)	Midwater Trawl
Rex Sole	Canada - British Columbia (3CD shallow water flatfish)	Bottom Trawl
Rougheye Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia	Midwater Trawl
Rougheye Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (5DE deepwater flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
Sablefish	Canada - British Columbia (rockfish trawl)	Bottom Trawl
Sablefish	Canada - British Columbia (sablefish pot fishery)	Pots
Sharpchin Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (rockfish trawl fishery)	Bottom Trawl
Shortraker Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia	Midwater Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (outside rockfish fishery)	Set Longline
		Troll
		Jig
Shortspine Thornyhead Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (3CD rockfish trawl fishery)	Midwater Trawl
Shortspine Thornyhead Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (sablefish longline fishery)	Set Longline
Silvergray Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (3CD rockfish trawl fishery)	Midwater Trawl
Southern Rock Sole	Canada - British Columbia	Midwater Trawl
Spiny Dogfish	Canada - British Columbia (rockfish trawl fishery)	Bottom Trawl
Spiny Dogfish	Canada - British Columbia (spiny dogfish longline fishery)	Set Longline
Splitnose Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (rockfish trawl fishery)	Bottom Trawl
Tiger Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (inside rockfish fishery)	Troll
	Canada - British Columbia (inside rockfish fishery)	Jig
	Canada - British Columbia (outside rockfish fishery)	Set Longline
		Troll
		Jig
Walleye Pollock	Canada - British Columbia (3CD pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (3CD shallow water flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC/5DE shallow water flatfish fishery)	Bottom Trawl
	Canada - British Columbia (5DE pelagics fishery)	Bottom Trawl
Widow Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (5ABC/5DE rockfish trawl fishery)	Midwater Trawl
Widow Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (3CD rockfish trawl fishery)	Midwater Trawl
Yelloweye Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (sablefish longline fishery)	Set Longline
	Canada - British Columbia (inside rockfish fishery)	Troll
	Canada - British Columbia (outside rockfish fishery)	Set Longline
		Troll
		Jig
	Canada - British Columbia (spiny dogfish longline fishery)	Set Longline
Yellowtail Rockfish	Canada - British Columbia (inside rockfish fishery)	Troll
	Canada - British Columbia (inside rockfish fishery)	Jig
	Canada - British Columbia (outside rockfish fishery)	Set Longline
		Troll
		Jig
	Canada - British Columbia (3CD rockfish trawl fishery	Midwater Trawl

June

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Albacore Tuna	Marshall Islands (MSC)	Pelagic Longline
Bay Scallops	USA - Massachusetts	Towed Dredges
Brook Trout	Worldwide (Naturland)	Net Pen
Brook Trout	Worldwide (Naturland)	Ponds
Chinook Salmon	Alaska (MSC)	Purse Seine
	Alaska (MSC)	Troll
	Canada - British Columbia (Robertson Creek Hatchery)	Dip Net
	Canada - British Columbia (Barkley Sound/Somass - Area 23)	Drift Gillnet
	Canada - British Columbia (Barkley Sound/Somass - Area 23)	Seine Net
	Canada - British Columbia (Area F)	Troll
Chum Salmon	Alaska (MSC)	Purse Seine
	Alaska (MSC)	Troll
	Canada - British Columbia (Fraser Chehalis ESSR)	Trap
	Canada - British Columbia (Nitinat Lake)	Drift Gillnet
Coho Salmon	Alaska (MSC)	Purse Seine
	Alaska (MSC)	Troll
	Canada - British Columbia (Robertson Creek Hatchery)	Trap
	Canada - British Columbia (Area F)	Troll
Common Carp	Worldwide (Naturland)	Ponds
Giant Tiger Shrimp	Worldwide (GAA)	All Farming Methods
Giant Tiger Shrimp	Worldwide (Naturland)	Ponds
Milkfish	Worldwide (Naturland)	Net Pen
Milkfish	Worldwide (Naturland)	Ponds
Nile Perch	Worldwide (Naturland)	All Farming Methods
Nile Tilapia	Mexico	Net Pen
Nile Tilapia	Mexico	Ponds
Pacific Sardine	Australia - South (MSC)	Purse Seine
Pink Salmon	Alaska (MSC)	Purse Seine
	Alaska (MSC)	Troll
	Canada - British Columbia (Area F)	Troll
	Canada - British Columbia (Pink demo fishery)	Seine Net
Rainbow Trout	Worldwide (Naturland)	Net Pen
Rainbow Trout	Worldwide (Naturland)	Ponds
Sockeye Salmon	Alaska (MSC)	Purse Seine
	Alaska (MSC)	Troll
	Canada - British Columbia (Barkley Sound/Somass - Area 23, Great Central, Sproat)	Drift Gillnet
		Seine Net
	Canada - British Columbia (Meziadin River)	Dip Net
	Canada - British Columbia (Barkley Sound/Somass - Area 23, Henderson)	Drift Gillnet
		Seine Net
	Canada - British Columbia (Babine Lake)	Seine Net
	Canada - British Columbia (Babine Lake)	Traps
Striped Bass	USA - Chesapeake Bay	Handlines and hand-operated pole-and-lines
	USA - Maryland (Chesapeake Bay)	Gillnet and Entangling Nets
	USA - Virginia (Chesapeake Bay)	Gillnet and Entangling Nets
	USA - Northwest Atlantic	Handlines and hand-operated pole-and-lines
Sutchi Catfish	Worldwide (Naturland)	Net Pen
	Worldwide (Naturland)	Ponds
	Vietnam (GAA)	All Farming Methods
Tilapia	Worldwide (GAA)	All Farming Methods
	Worldwide (Naturland)	Net Pen
	Worldwide (Naturland)	Ponds
Whiteleg Shrimp	Worldwide (GAA)	All Farming Methods
Whiteleg Shrimp	Worldwide (Naturland)	Ponds

April

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Atlantic Mackerel	Northern Ireland (MSC)	Midwater Trawl
Californian Anchovy	Mexico - Sonora (MSC)	Purse Seine
Chub Mackerel	Mexico - Sonora (MSC)	Purse Seine
Eastern King Prawn	Australia - East (MSC)	Otter Trawl
Northern Prawn	Norway - Skagerrak and Norwegian Deep (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Pacific Anchoveta	Mexico - Sonora (MSC)	Purse Seine
Skipjack Tuna	France - Atlantic (MSC)	Purse Seine
Snow Crab	Norway - Barents Sea (MSC)	Pots
Spiny Ornate Lobster	Papua New Guinea - Torres Strait (MSC)	Diving
Yellowfin Tuna	France - Atlantic (MSC)	Purse Seine

March

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Albacore Tuna	Pacific Ocean - Western Central (MSC)	Handlines and pole-and-lines
Albacore Tuna	Japan (MSC)	Handlines and pole-and-lines
Atlantic Wolffish	Canada - Prince Edward Island	Recirculating Aquaculture System
Deepsea Crab	Chile	Traps
Northern Quahog Clams	Canada (Maritimes)	Hand Implements
Patagonian Toothfish	Australia - Macquarie Island (MSC)	Bottom Trawl
Queen Conch	Jamaica - Pedro Bank	Diving
Skipjack Tuna	Indian Ocean (MSC)	Purse Seine
Skipjack Tuna	Indian Ocean (MSC)	Purse Seine

January/February

Species Name	Origin	Method	Old OW Rating	New OW Rating
Albacore Tuna	Canada - Atlantic (MSC)	Longline
		Troll
		Rod and Reel
		Buoy Gear
Argentine Anchovy	Argentina (MSC)	Midwater Trawl
Atlantic Herring	USA - Northwest Atlantic	Midwater Trawl
Blacktail Snapper	USA - Hawaii	Handlines and hand-operated pole and lines
		Diving
		Surrounding nets
Blue Tilapia	Peru	Raceways
California Spiny Lobster	Mexico - Baja California (MSC)	Traps
Common Shrimp	United Kingdom - England (The Wash)	Beam Trawl
Hybrid Red Tilapia	Ecuador	Ponds
Nile Tilapia	Ecuador	Ponds
Nile Tilapia	Honduras	Freshwater Net Pen
Swordfish	Canada - Atlantic (MSC)	Longline
		Rod and Reel
		Harpoon
		Buoy Gear
Yellowfin Tuna	Canada - Atlantic (MSC)	Longline
		Rod and Reel
		Buoy Gear
		Troll