The Monteray Bay Aquarium in California have downloadable guides recommending which seafood to buy or to avoid depending on sustainability. The idea is to help consumers and businesses alike to become advocates for ocean friendly seafood.
They are available online as a download, as a printable pocket guide and for the iPhone and iPod. You can select the area of the country that you like to get region specific guidance or a national version. The best choices are ones that are in abundant supply and the fishing is well managed and good for the environment, the good is OK, but the avoid is best to pass up on. Due to the fact that the seafood is farmed and caught in a way that is harmful to the environment.
In the national guide the choices are:
National Best Choices:
- Arctic Char (farmed)
- Barramundi (US farmed)
- Catfish (US farmed)
- Clams (farmed)
- Cobia (US farmed)
- Cod: Pacific (Alaska longline)+
- Crab: Dungeness, Stone
- Halibut: Pacific+
- Lobster: Spiny (US)
- Mussels (farmed)
- Oysters (farmed)
- Pollock (Alaska wild)+
- Salmon (Alaska wild)+
- Scallops: Bay (farmed)
- Striped Bass (farmed or wild*)
- Tilapia (US farmed)
- Trout: Rainbow (farmed)
- Tuna: Albacore (troll/pole, US+
- or British Columbia)
- Tuna: Skipjack (troll/pole)