The 10 Eco-Worst Fish

 

The 10 Eco-Worst Fish
Avoid these fish -- eating them is not good for the ocean and, in many cases, your own health

By
Environmental Defense Fund

Updated: 9/8/2008 2:52:35 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve all got enough stressors in our life -- ordering a piece of fish shouldn’t be one of them. Our good friends at Environmental Defense Fund agree. We’ve long been fans of EDF’s online Seafood Selector, and the handy pocket guide version. With their help we’ve pulled together this short list of the 10 eco-worst fish. Avoid eating these fish for now because of a number of ecological concerns: In most cases, the following come from overfished populations, they have poor (or no) management and have high bycatch or habitat impacts; or, they come from farms that allow widespread pollution, chemical use and escapes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Atlantic Cod (a.k.a. Gadus morhua, rock cod, codling, scrod cod)

Once super-abundant, the Atlantic cod was an important source of food for North American colonists. This cold-water dweller with its characteristic goatee (or chin barbell) lives in a variety of habitats, ranging from shoreline to deep ocean shelf. Cod grow up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in length and can live up to 25 years.

Commercial Sources

Atlantic cod are found in the North Atlantic Ocean. In the eastern Atlantic, they occur from the Barents Sea in northern Europe to the Bay of Biscay off France, and around Iceland. In the western Atlantic, they are distributed from Greenland to Cape Hatteras in North Carolina.

The main sources of Atlantic cod are Norway, Iceland and the Russian Federation. Atlantic cod sold in the U.S. market are primarily from Iceland, Canada and Norway.

Capture Methods

Atlantic cod come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with bottom trawls. Additional types of fishing gear include gillnets, seines, hooks-and-lines, traps and pound nets.

Eco Details

• Heavily fished for the last 50 years, U.S. and Canadian cod stocks remain extremely depleted, and European populations have declined as well.
• Poor management and unreported catches threaten the Atlantic cod's recovery.
• Atlantic cod are caught with bottom trawls, which damage bottom habitat and result in considerable bycatch of other groundfish species (such as halibut and flounder).
• Look for cod that has been caught by hook-and-line.

Health Details

This is an Eco-Worst choice. If you decide to eat it, we recommend the following due to unknown contaminant levels:

• Adults and children should eat no more than 4 meals per month.

Good Alternatives

• Alaska pollock (U.S.)
• Pacific cod caught by longline
• Pacific halibut

 

Chilean Sea Bass

Antarctic toothfish and Patagonian toothfish (covered below), which both go by the market name Chilean sea bass, inhabit the frigid waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans near Antarctica.

Toothfish grow slowly and reproduce late in life, making them highly vulnerable to fishing pressure.

About Patagonian Toothfish

This long-lived, slow-growing Patagonian toothfish inhabits the deep cold sub-Antarctic waters of the southern ocean. It feeds on plankton and is, in turn, food for whales and seals.

The fish can grow up to 6 feet long, or 183 cm. This fish is often given the more appetizing name Chilean sea bass.

Commercial Sources

Patagonian toothfish are found in the southern Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are common in waters off southern Chile and Argentina, as well as the islands off Antarctica.

The main sources of Patagonian toothfish are Chile, Argentina, France and Australia. Patagonian toothfish sold in the U.S. market are primarily from Chile, Argentina and Uruguay.

Note: French fishing vessels catch Patagonian toothfish in the South Indian Ocean, off Antarctica.

Capture Methods

Patagonian toothfish come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with bottom trawls.

Note: A large percentage of toothfish, also known as Chilean sea bass, are caught illegally.

Eco Details

• These deepwater fish mature slowly and are highly vulnerable to overfishing.
• Toothfish populations are in severe decline due to illegal pirate fishing spurred by international demand.
• In addition, Chilean sea bass are caught with longlines, which can kill endangered albatrosses and other sea birds.

Health Details

This is an Eco-Worst choice. If you decide to eat it, we recommend the following due to elevated mercury levels:

• Adults should eat no more than 2 meals per month.
• Kids up to age 12 should eat no more than 1 meal per month.

Good Alternatives

• Sablefish from Alaska or Canada
• Farmed striped bass

 

 

 

Monkfish

Monkfish and goosefish (covered below), two species of deepwater fish related to anglerfish, were once considered nothing more than bycatch. As catches of other groundfish like cod and halibut declined, more and more fishers began to go after monkfish in the mid-Atlantic and New England and now populations are severely overfished. These fish are taken primarily with bottom trawls and dredges, which result in high levels of bycatch and habitat damage. Goosefish is the more common species sold in the U.S., but it is sold under the general name "monkfish".

About Goosefish

The "American angler" uses a false lure to fish for its food. This fish grows to over 3 feet (0.9 meter) in length and hovers on the ocean bottom.

Commercial Sources

Goosefish are found in the western North Atlantic, from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence to Florida. However, they are rare south of Cape Hatteras in North Carolina.

The main source of goosefish is the United States.

Capture Methods

Goosefish come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with bottom trawls and gillnets. Additional types of fishing gear include dredges, pots, traps and seines.

Eco Details

• This Atlantic bottomfish was once considered worthless. But rising prices for goosefish livers, sought after in Asian markets, have led to rapid overfishing and crashing populations.
• Goosefish are caught in dredges and trawls that damage the ocean floor.

Health Details

This is an Eco-Worst choice. If you decide to eat it, we recommend the following due to moderate mercury levels:

• Kids age 6-12 should eat no more than 3 meals per month.
• Kids up to age 6 should eat no more than 2 meals per month.

Good Alternatives

• Catfish from U.S.
• Sablefish from Alaska or Canada
• Farmed striped bass

 

 

 

Orange Roughy

Also called the slimehead in its native New Zealand, the orange roughy is actually bright brick-red (which pales to orange after it dies) with a blue belly. A sedentary fish that dwells in deep cold waters, it is the longest-living fish (up to 149 years) but grows very slowly, to about 2 feet (61 cm) in length.

Commercial Sources

Orange roughy are found in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Oceans. In the eastern Atlantic, they range from Iceland to South Africa. In the Indo-Pacific, they are distributed around New Zealand and off Chile.

The main sources of orange roughy are New Zealand and Namibia. Orange roughy sold in the U.S. market are primarily from New Zealand, China, Namibia and Australia.

Capture Methods

Orange roughy come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with bottom trawls.

Eco Details

• Orange roughy mature at a very slow rate and live extremely long lives. Intensive exploitation in past decades has greatly decreased populations.
• Management in New Zealand and Australia is good, but unregulated landings by other countries continue.

Health Details

This is an Eco-Worst choice. If you decide to eat it, we recommend the following due to elevated mercury levels:

• Women should eat no more than 2 meals per month.
• Men should eat no more than 1 meal per month.
• Kids age 6-12 should eat no more than 1 meal per month.
• Kids up to age 6 should eat no more than ½ meals per month.

Good Alternatives

• Catfish from U.S.
• Farmed striped bass

 

 

 

Farmed Atlantic Salmon

The Atlantic salmon is a popular aquaculture species. Struggling with habitat loss and other problems, the few remaining wild Atlantic salmon hatch in freshwater streams, then travel to sea but return to freshwater to spawn. Although farm-raised specimens tend to be smaller when harvested, wild salmon can grow to up to 5 feet (152 cm) long.

Commercial Sources

Atlantic salmon are native to the North Atlantic Ocean. In Europe, they occur from the Arctic Circle to Portugal. In North America, they range from Quebec to Connecticut. Landlocked populations are distributed in Russia, North America and northern Europe. In addition, Atlantic salmon have been extensively introduced around the world.

Although a small number of wild Atlantic salmon are caught in northern Europe, farmed fish are predominant. The main sources of farmed salmon are Norway, the United Kingdom and Chile. Atlantic salmon sold in the U.S. market are primarily farmed fish from Chile and Canada.

Note: In the United States, wild Atlantic salmon are on the Endangered Species List.

Capture Methods

Atlantic salmon come primarily from fish farms, where they are raised in netpens. Wild fish are caught with seines. Additional types of fishing gear include gillnets, traps and hooks-and-lines.

Eco Details

• Atlantic salmon are usually farmed in large-scale, densely stocked netpens that pollute surrounding waters with waste and chemicals.
• Fish can escape and compete for resources, breed with or spread parasites to wild fish.

Health Details

This is an Eco-Worst choice. If you decide to eat it, we recommend the following due to elevated PCB levels:

• Adults should eat no more than 1 meal per month.
• Kids age 6-12 should eat no more than 1 meal per month.
• Kids up to age 6 should eat no more than ½ meals per month.

Good Alternatives

• Farmed rainbow trout
• Wild salmon from Alaska
• Canned salmon
• Farmed Arctic char

 

 

 

Shark - (Carcarhinus limbatus) or shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus)

Sharks come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and can be found in the open ocean, freshwater rivers and everywhere in between. Most types are extremely vulnerable to overfishing because they mature slowly and have few offspring. Some species, such as the spiny dogfish, are relatively small (growing to only 4 feet) but can live 100 years. Others, such as the thresher shark, grow more quickly and can reach lengths of 20 feet with their whip-like tail. Most shark populations have declined by 90 percent or more since the advent of industrial fishing.

Commercial Sources

Sharks are found throughout the world's oceans and coastal areas. Most shark meat in the U.S. is domestically caught or imported from Canada.

Capture Methods

Sharks come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are caught with longlines, gillnets, bottom trawls and seines.

Eco Details

Most shark species are severely depleted. The main reasons for their precipitous decline are:

• They are caught accidentally by the thousands and discarded as waste by tuna and swordfish longline fishers.
• There is strong demand for their fins in Asia.
• Most sharks mature slowly and have few offspring. At two years, spiny dogfish have the longest gestation time of any vertebrate.

Health Details

This is an Eco-Worst choice. If you decide to eat it, we recommend the following due to elevated mercury levels:

• Women should not eat at all.
• Men should eat no more than 1 meal per month.
• Kids up to age 12 should not eat at all.

More Detailed Species Information

• Blacktip shark
• Common thresher shark
• Shortfin mako
• Spiny dogfish
• Longfin mako

Good Alternatives

• Catfish from U.S.
• Mahimahi from U.S. caught by troll/pole
• Farmed striped bass

 

 

 

Imported Shrimps and Prawns

Most shrimp sold in the U.S. is imported from countries in Latin America and Southeast Asia, where environmental regulations are often lax or not enforced. The most common shrimp species are Chinese white shrimp, whiteleg shrimp, giant freshwater prawn, blue shrimp and giant tiger prawns, which we cover here.

About Giant Tiger Prawns

Also known as the black tiger shrimp, the shrimp is easily recognizable by the dark stripes on its shell. Of all shrimp, these are among the most widely distributed and marketed shrimp in the world. Most black tigers on the market are farmed in Asia, where rapid growth of shrimp farms has resulted in the loss of coastal wetlands and other environmental problems. Tiger shrimp can grow as long as 13 inches (33 cm).

Commercial Sources

Giant tiger prawns are native to the Indian and western Pacific Ocean. They occur from the east coast of Africa to Japan and western Australia. They have been introduced into North America and Europe.

The main sources of giant tiger prawns are Thailand, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. Giant tiger prawns sold in the U.S. market are primarily from Thailand, India and Indonesia.

Capture Methods

Giant tiger prawns come from marine fisheries as well as shrimp farms. Wild shrimp are primarily caught with bottom trawls. Farmed shrimp are raised in ponds.

Eco Details

Wild shrimp fisheries abroad have large amounts of bycatch, including endangered sea turtles. Outside the U.S., the construction of many shrimp farms has destroyed mangrove forests and other coastal wetlands.

Health Details

This is an Eco-Worst choice. If you decide to eat it, we recommend the following due to unknown contaminant levels:

• Adults and children should eat no more than 4 meals per month.

Good Alternatives

• Farmed shrimp from U.S.
• Spot prawn from Canada
• Pink shrimp from Oregon

 

 

Imported Swordfish

A voracious predator, the swordfish uses its 2-to-3-foot sword nose to spear prey. Popular with diners, it has been severely overfished, particularly in Atlantic waters. It lives a short, fast life, growing quickly to as long as 14 feet, or 4.3 meters.

Commercial Sources

Swordfish are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, including the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. They occur in tropical, temperate and sometimes cold waters.

The main sources of swordfish are Taiwan, Japan and Spain. Swordfish sold in the U.S. market are primarily from Singapore, Mexico, Brazil and Chile.

Capture Methods

Swordfish come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with longlines. Additional types of fishing gear include harpoons, gillnets and trawls.

Eco Details

• Most swordfish are caught with longlines, which have high bycatch of juvenile billfish, sea turtles, seabirds and sharks.
• Although the U.S. has imposed strict regulations in the Pacific to reduce bycatch of endangered sea turtles, foreign fleets are not subject to these restrictions, and there is no international management for swordfish in the Pacific.
• U.S. swordfish populations are almost fully recovered in the North Atlantic.

Health Details

This is an Eco-Worst choice. If you decide to eat it, we recommend the following due to elevated mercury levels:

• Women should not eat at all.
• Men should eat no more than 1 meal per month.
• Kids up to age 12 should not eat at all.

Good Alternatives

• Mahimahi from U.S. caught by troll/pole
• Farmed striped bass

 

 

 

Bigeye/Yellowfin Tuna (Imported Longline)

Yellowfin tuna, also known as ahi, is usually sold as fresh or frozen steaks. It may also be canned, as light tuna often labeled 'gourmet' or 'tonno.'

Yellowfin tuna is a popular, widespread commercial fish. Among the fastest fish in the sea, tunas migrate widely in mixed schools; larger fish may school with porpoises. In its short life (8 years), yellowfin grows to nearly 9 feet (2.7 meters) in length and up to 200 kg.

Bigeye tuna, also known as ahi, is usually sold as fresh or frozen steaks. This tuna is also a popular fish for sushi/sashimi. Among the fastest fish in the sea, tunas migrate widely. In its short life span (about 11 years), the bigeye grows to up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) and can weigh up to 210 kg.

Commercial Sources

Yellowfin tuna are found in the tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans; however they are absent from the Mediterranean Sea.

Capture Methods

Yellowfin tuna come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. Tuna found in surface waters are mainly caught with purse seines and poles-and-lines. Fish in deeper waters are primarily caught with longlines. Additional types of fishing gear include troll lines and gillnets.

Commercial Sources

Bigeye tuna are found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. However, they are absent in the Mediterranean Sea.

The main sources of bigeye tuna are Japan and Taiwan, followed by Spain and Korea. Bigeye tuna sold in the U.S. market are primarily from the United States, supplemented with imports from Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica and Brazil.

Capture Methods

Bigeye tuna come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with longlines. Additional types of fishing gear include troll lines, poles-and-lines, purse seines and gillnets.

Eco Details

• Most yellowfin and bigeye are caught with longlines, which often also catch threatened sea turtles, seabirds and sharks.
• Look for fish that have been caught by trolling or pole-and-line gear (especially from the U.S. Atlantic), as they result in almost no bycatch.

Health Details

This is an Eco-Worst choice. If you decide to eat it, we recommend the following due to elevated mercury levels:

• Women should eat no more than 3 meals per month.
• Men should eat no more than 2 meals per month.
• Kids age 6-12 should eat no more than 2 meals per month.
• Kids up to age 6 should eat no more than 1 meal per month.

More Detailed Species Information

• Yellowfin tuna
• Bigeye tuna

Good Alternatives

• Yellowfin from the U.S. Atlantic caught by troll/pole
• Albacore from U.S. or Canada

 

 

 

Bluefin Tuna

Bluefin tuna, highly prized for its flesh, is popular for sushi and sashimi. one of the fastest fish in the sea, the bluefin migrates widely. It is known to reach over 12 feet (3.8 meters) in length and weigh up to 680 kg.

Commercial Sources

Bluefin tuna are found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In the eastern Atlantic, they occur from Norway to the Canary Islands, including the Mediterranean and Black Seas. In the western Atlantic, they range from Labrador and Newfoundland to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

In addition, there is a southern population off Venezuela and Brazil. In the Pacific, they range from the Gulf of Alaska to Baja California, Mexico, and from the southern Sea of Okhotsk to the northern Philippines. They have also been reported off South Africa.

Capture Methods

Bluefin tuna come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with purse seines, longlines, troll lines and trap nets. Additional types of fishing gear include harpoons, handlines, pole-and-line and nets.

Eco Details

Because of the lucrative market for bluefin, catches often exceed international quotas and populations have been severely depleted. Unlike most tunas, bluefin are slow growing and late to mature and thus less resilient to fishing pressure.

Underreporting of juvenile catches and pirate fishing are other factors contributing to the decline of bluefin populations. This highly migratory species is managed by international organizations.

Health Details

This is an Eco-Worst choice. If you decide to eat it, we recommend the following due to elevated mercury and PCB levels:

• Adults and children should not eat at all.

Good Alternatives

• Yellowfin from the U.S. Atlantic caught by troll/pole
• Albacore from U.S. or Canada

 

 

 

 

 

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