Smart Seafood Guide
| Lionfish Cooking Demo on CNN with Chef Kerry Heffernan and Food & Water Watch's Wenonah Hauter |
|---|
2011 Update: We now include several invasive species in our Smart Seafood Guide! Invasive species are those that have been brought into an environment in which they are not native — either accidentally, or sometimes intentionally, to fix another problem. They are often hard to remove because they may not have natural predators in the regions where they’ve been introduced. Adding invasive species as a menu item may help to control their populations at less destructive levels. So enjoy some great cuisine and help the environment!
Download our fact sheet for information on invasive species.
We’ve analyzed over 100 different fish and shellfish to create the only guide assessing not only the human health and environmental impacts of eating certain seafood, but also the socio-economic impacts on coastal and fishing communities.
Download the pocket guide.
Our guide recommends safer, more sustainable options based on your personal tastes and priorities.
See Understanding the Smart Seafood Guide for more information.
Did you know:
| Quick Tips |
|---|
|
- Less than 2 percent of imported seafood is inspected.
- Over 70 percent of domestic shrimp and about 60 percent of domestic oysters came from the Gulf of Mexico prior to the April 2010 oil spill.
- The average consumer eats about 16 pounds of seafood annually, approximately 4 pounds of which is shrimp.
Our guide addresses the following questions, which we encourage you to ask before making a seafood purchase:
- Where is this seafood from?
- Is it caught or farmed locally?
- How is this fish caught?
- How is this fish farmed?
- Is this seafood associated with any contaminants?
- Is it an invasive species?
The devastating April 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill is likely to impact some seafood availability. The U.S. Government provides updates on the safety of Gulf seafood.**
