Enangered Species
Consumer Guide to Overfishing
| Salmon |
BEST: Alaskan, wild-caught (including coho, sockeye, king, pink and red, and sake)
AVOID: All farmed (including Atlantic)
Salmon has become one of the most popular seafood choices on the menu, but not all are created equal. Hands down, Pacific salmon from Alaska represents the best of the best in terms of fishery management and monitoring, with freshwater habitats that have remained relatively pristine. On the contrary, farmed salmon (commonly sold as Atlantic salmon, with 90 percent imported from Canada and Chile) contributes greatly to a number of environmental hazards, including water pollution and disease.
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| Scallops |
BEST: Bay, farmed
AVOID: All dredged
Bay scallops are smaller in size and primarily come from aquaculture farms in China, where they are produced via suspension culture and therefore have a relatively low impact on the environment. Sea scallops are larger and often used when making sushi (known as "hotate"), but usually caught by dredging, which can cause extensive damage to the seafloor habitat, making farmed scallops the better choice.
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| Shrimp |
BEST: Oregon pink, wild-caught (including salad and cocktail)
AVOID: All imported (including tiger prawns)
Most shrimp are caught by trawling, a practice that yields the highest bycatch levels of any commercial fishery. However, pink shrimp from Oregon, often used in salads or sandwiches, employs trawl configurations and devices that are the least damaging, making this variety the best choice. Northern shrimp farmed in the Canadian and U.S. Atlantic regions can also provide a reasonable alternative, as many fishers adhere to laws limiting environmental impacts. However, imported catches, both wild-caught and farmed, should be avoided altogether as their practices contribute greatly to pollution and habitat loss.
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| Tuna |
BEST: Albacore or yellowfin, troll/pole or handline-caught only
AVOID: All longline-caught (including ahi)
When caught by troll or pole-and-line, particularly in British Columbia and Hawaii, albacore tuna is the most ocean-friendly option. However, longline catches should be avoided, as this method can result in the bycatch of many other endangered or threatened species, such as sea turtles, sharks and seabirds. The same rules apply to yellowfin tuna, which fishery managers generally consider to be at healthy levels of abundance. When caught via troll/pole fisheries, bycatch for yellowfin tuna is usually minimal, as compared to longline hauls that yield more damage.
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To find out more about overfishing, check out The Blue Ocean Institute's Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood or the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Web site.
RELATED LINKS
Learn more about eels
See the mammals on the endangered species list
Check out the Top 10 Extinct Animals
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