Ocean Wise

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Program Overview
Ocean Wise Logo

Ocean Wise is a conservation program created to educate and empower consumers about the issues surrounding sustainable seafood. Ocean Wise works directly with restaurants, markets, food services, and suppliers ensuring that they have the most current scientific information regarding seafood and helping them make ocean-friendly buying decisions. To learn more about Ocean Wise click here.

Ocean Wise Partner Programs

Ocean Wise works with restaurant partners across Canada to help identify and source sustainable seafood options. These options are then highlighted on their menus with the Ocean Wise symbol, making it easier for consumers to make environmentally friendly seafood choices. Ocean Wise restaurant partners are committed to continuous improvement with their seafood sourcing.

Ocean Wise also works with seafood suppliers selling product into Canada who are committed to identifying their sustainable options. By creating a dedicated Ocean Wise product list it makes it easier for customers to choose ocean-friendly options.

Vist the Ocean Wise website for a mapped list of all Ocean Wise Partners.

Rating Criteria

Ocean Wise’s recommendations are based on four criteria. An Ocean Wise recommended species is:

  • Abundant and resilient to fishing pressures.
  • Well managed with a comprehensive management plan based on current research.
  • Harvested in a method that ensures limited bycatch on non-target and endangered species.
  • Harvested in ways that limit damage to marine or aquatic habitats and negative interactions with other species.

Ocean Wise’s classification system is based on two categories: sustainable (Ocean Wise recommended) or unsustainable (Ocean Wise not recommended). Species are regularly updated and/or reclassified with the latest scientific information.

General Rule of Recommendations

Ocean Wise Seafood uses program Standards to determine seafood recommendations from a variety of sources (e.g., Seafood Watch, Marine Stewardship Council). Ocean Wise will NOT DEFER to Seafood Watch recommendations when both a Seafood Watch and MSC certification assessment exist for the same seafood. As a result, ALL seafood currently certified by the Marine Stewardship Council is now visible on the Master Seafood List and Ocean Wise Seafood website

Recommendations

Final Score for Aquaculture = geometric mean of the eight scores (Criterion 1-8).

Final Score for Aquaculture = geometric mean of the eight scores (Criterion 1-8).

Symbol Seafood Rating Seafood Rating Summary Seafood Watch Scoring
Recommended Sustainable

Wild Fisheries: Final Seafood Watch score ≥ 2.8 -OR- all MSC-certified fisheries from Canada and the United States (with the exception of fisheries where the Risk-Based Framework was used in Principle 1; and/or where objections were filed; and/or where the certified client group is involved in recent or ongoing lawsuits relating directly to fishing activity; and/or there is any rightsholder objection to a certification) -OR- all other MSC-certified fisheries with the Principle 2 score ≥ 84.5 and no open conditions on other species, specifically endangered, threatened, or protected (ETP) species

Aquaculture: Final Seafood Watch score ≥ 5.5

Not Recommended

 Unsustainable

Wild Fisheries: Final Seafood Watch score < 2.8

Aquaculture: Final Seafood Watch score < 5.5