Most likely, you already know that eating fish at least twice a week is recommended. Fish is a healthy, lean source of protein. The oily varieties, like salmon, tuna and sardines, provide omega-3 fatty acids that are good for your heart and brain. Then, there is the issue of choosing sustainable seafood. It’s not always easy to know what type of seafood is the best for you and your environment.
Seafood Watch (a program run by the Monterey Bay Aquarium) has compiled data from reputable health and environmental organizations to create “Super Green: Best of the Best,” a list of fish that are good for the body and the environment. The list was last updated in January 2010 and includes fish that have low contaminants, below 216 parts per million [ppb] of mercury and 11 ppb of PCBs. They also must be rich in omega-3 fats and come from sustainable fisheries.
Blue Ocean Institute’s sustainability ratings and detailed info are also available.
6 Healthiest Fish to Eat
Seafood Watch has identified six fishes that are good for the environment and you.
1. Albacore Tuna, troll or pole caught in the US or British Columbia
The majority of tunas are high in mercury, but the type of white tuna commonly canned- gets the Super Green rating if it’s “troll or pole-caught“ in the US or British Columbia. This is because smaller fish (usually under 20 pounds) are caught by trolls or poles, as opposed to larger fish caught with longlines. These fish are much healthier and have lower mercury levels and contaminants. Those caught in northern waters have higher omega-3 content. Do your research to find out how your fish is caught, or look for the blue eco-label of the Marine Stewardship Council.
2. Salmon (wild-caught in Alaska)
Consider this to get an idea of Alaska’s salmon fishing management: Biologists are stationed at the mouths of rivers to count wild fish returning to spawn. As with the Chinook fisheries, if the numbers start to decline, the fishery will be closed before reaching its limit. Alaskan wild-caught Salmon are healthier than any other salmon, as they contain 1,210 mg omega-3s in every 3-ounce serving and have fewer contaminants.
3. Oysters, farmed
Farmed oysters are healthy (a 3-ounce portion contains more than 300 mg of Omega-3s and about one-third of the daily iron recommendations). They are also good for the environment. Oysters eat the algae and nutrients in the water to improve the quality of the water. The oysters can act as a natural reef, attracting other fish and providing them with food. A word of caution: raw shellfish from warm water, in particular, can contain bacteria which can cause illness.
4. Sardines (wild-caught), Pacific
It’s no surprise that the tiny, cheap sardine makes many superfood lists. The sardine contains more omega-3s (1.950 mg) than any other food. It contains more omega-3s (1,950 mg) per 3-ounce portion than salmon, tuna or any other food. Pacific sardines are quick to reproduce and have recovered from overfishing as well as a natural collapse that occurred in the 1940s.
5. Rainbow Trout (Farmed)
Although lake trout is high in contaminants, most of the trout on the market are farmed rainbows. In the US, rainbow trout are primarily farmed in freshwater ponds or “raceways”, where they’re better protected from contaminants. They are also fed a fish meal diet that has been optimized to conserve resources.
6. Freshwater Coho salmon (farmed in tank systems from the US)
The only salmon farmed in freshwater is the coho. Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch still lists all other farmed salmon as “avoidable“ for several reasons. Many farms have crowded pens, where salmon can easily be infected by parasites and treated with antibiotics. They also spread diseases to wild fish. It can also take up to three pounds of wild salmon to produce one pound. Coho are raised in freshwater pens that are closed and, therefore, require less feed. This reduces the environmental impact. One 3-ounce serving contains 1,025mg of omega-3s.
6 Fish You Should Avoid
Several environmental groups have called for the removal of many fish from the menu. These six large fish are popular, but they are depleted and, in some cases, have higher levels of PCBs and mercury. Environmental Defense Fund has posted health warnings on these fish.
1. Bluefin Tuna
The World Wildlife Fund listed the bluefin tuna as one of the 10 threatened species for 2010, alongside the giant panda and tigers. Bluefin tuna continues to be highly valued, even though environmental groups advocate for its protection. The fish can fetch up to $177,000 per fish. Bluefin tuna has high levels of PCBs and mercury, so EDF does not recommend eating it.
2. Chilean Sea Bass, also known as Patagonian Toothfish
Chilean seabass, a slow-growing fish prized for buttery meat and fished in Antarctic waters to near extinction, is a fish that grows slowly but is in high demand. Trawlers, longlines, and other methods of catching them have also damaged ocean floors and entangled albatrosses and other seabirds. Currently, only one fishery is MSC certified. EDF issued a warning about the consumption of Chilean seabass due to its high mercury content: Adults are advised not to consume more than two meals a month, and children aged 12 and under should only eat one meal a month.
3. Grouper
EDF issued a warning about the consumption of these giant fish due to high mercury levels. The grouper can live up to 40 years old, but they only reproduce for a short time. This makes them vulnerable to overfishing.
4. Monkfish
The fish is similar to a catfish, with its whiskers, and it lives at the bottom of the ocean. However, its light, fresh flavour has made it a favourite among gourmets. After being depleted, the fish is now recovering, but trawlers are also threatening its habitat.
5. Orange Roughy
Like grouper, this fish lives a long time but reproduces slowly, making it vulnerable to overfishing. Seafood Watch says, “Orange roughy can live for 100 years or longer- so that fillet you have in your freezer could be from a fish as old as your grandmother!“ This means the fish has high mercury levels, which caused EDF to issue an advisory.
6. Salmon (farmed salmon)
The majority of farmed salmon, including all salmon labelled as “Atlantic Salmon”, are raised in open-net pens that are tightly packed and often plagued with parasites or diseases which threaten wild salmon swimming by reaching their ancestral spawning water. Farmed salmon are fed fish meal and antibiotics in order to fight diseases. The PCB levels are high enough that EDF has issued a health warning. Seafood Watch recently awarded the Best Choice designation to freshwater-farmed Coho Salmon. Pressure from consumers may lead more farms to adopt improved practices.
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