Seafood Watch 2020: Making Sustainable Seafood Choices
What’s for dinner tonight? Monterey Bay Aquarium’s pioneering seafood Best Choice program continues to widen its net and impact on our plates.
Fresh Takes 2020
Local and Sustainable Seafood Watch Choices from California Waters
As for local seafood, here are many of the most local species we catch or farm in California. Some of them are less recognized but all are available in your area. It would make a great shopping list for any chef who wants to use sustainable seafood that’s also local. The more we ask for these products, the more they’ll be available.
Below is the list of LOCAL and SUSTAINABLE Seafood Watch Choices from California waters.
Abalone
(Haliotis spp.)
Fishing Region: Worldwide
Fishing Method: Indoor flow-through tank
Green - Farmed
Amberjack, Yellowtail
(Seriolalalandi)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Drift gillnets
Yellow - Wild
Amberjack, Yellowtail
(Seriolalalandi)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Set gillnets
Yellow - Wild
Amberjack, Yellowtail
(Seriolalalandi)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Handlines and hand-operated pole-and-lines
Yellow - Wild
Amberjack, Yellowtail
(Seriolalalandi)
Fishing Region: Mexico - Eastern Central Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Trolling lines
Yellow - Wild
Clams, Pacific Littleneck
(Protothacastaminea)
Fishing Region: Worldwide
Fishing Method: Bottom culture
Green - Farmed
Crab, Dungeness
(Metacarcinus magister)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Pacific
Fishing Method: Ocean Pots
Yellow - Wild
Crab, Red Rock
(Cancer productus)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Traps (unspecified)
Yellow - Wild
Crab, Rock
(Cancer anthonyi)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Traps (unspecified)
Yellow - Wild
Crab, Stone
(Cancer antennarius)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Traps (unspecified)
Yellow - Wild
Dolphinfish
(Coryphaenahippurus)
Fishing Region: U.S. - Hawaii, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (Including vessels landing in California)
Fishing Method: Longline (deep-set)
Yellow - Wild
Flounder, California
(Paralichthyscalifornicus)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (Central Stock)
Fishing Method: Trolling lines
Green - Wild
Herring, Pacific
(Clupeapallasii)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Set gillnets
Green - Wild
Lobster, California Spiny
(Panulirus interruptus)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Traps (unspecified)
Yellow - Wild
Mussels, California
(Mytiluscalifornianus)
Fishing Region: Worldwide
Fishing Method: Bottom culture
Green - Farmed
Opah
(Lamprisguttatus)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Drift gillnets
Yellow - Wild
Oysters
(Crassostreavirginica)
Fishing Region: Worldwide
Fishing Method: Off-bottom culture
Green - Farmed
Rockfish, Chilipepper
(Sebastes goodei)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (California Groundfish Collective)
Fishing Method: Bottom trawls
Green - Wild
Rockfish, Longspine Thornyhead
(Sebastolobusaltivelis)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (California Groundfish Collective, soft substrate)
Fishing Method: Bottom trawls
Green - Wild
Sablefish
(Anoplopoma fimbria)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (California Groundfish Collective)
Fishing Method: Set longlines
Green - Wild
Sanddab, Pacific
(Citharichthyssordidus)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (California Groundfish Collective)
Fishing Method: Bottom trawls
Green - Wild
Sardine, Pacific
(Sardinopssagax)
Fishing Region: MSC Certified, Marine Stewardship Council Certified Fisheries (Sonora, Gulf of California)
Fishing Method: Purse seines
Wild - Marine Stewardship Council Certified
Sea Urchin, Red
(Strongylocentrotusfranciscanus)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Diving
Yellow - Wild
Seabass, White
(Atractoscionnobilis)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Handlines and hand-operated pole-and-lines
Yellow - Wild
Seaweed
(Porphyra spp. or Pyropia spp., Saccharina japonica, Undaria pinnatifida, Gracilaria spp., Saccharina latissima, Laminaria digitata, Alaria esculenta, Sargassum fusiforme, Eiseniabicyclis, Monostroma spp. and Ulva spp., Eucheuma denticulatum, Kappaphycus striatum, Kappaphycus alvarezii)
Fishing Region: Worldwide
Fishing Method: Outdoor flow-through tank
Green - Farmed
Shrimp, Coonstriped
(Pandalushypsinotus)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Northeast Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Pots
Yellow - Wild
Shrimp, Spot
(Pandalusplatyceros)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Northeast Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Pots
Yellow - Wild
Skate, California
(Raja inornata)
Fishing Region: U.S. - West Coast, Pacific Ocean (IFQ trawl)
Fishing Method: Bottom trawls
Yellow - Wild
Sole, Dover
(Microstomuspacificus)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (California Groundfish Collective, soft substrate)
Fishing Method: Bottom trawls
Green - Wild
Sole, English
(Parophrysvetulus)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (California Groundfish Collective)
Fishing Method: Bottom trawls
Green - Wild
Sole, Petrale
(Eopsettajordani)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (California Groundfish Collective)
Fishing Method: Bottom trawls
Green - Wild
Squid, California Market
(Loligoopalescens)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Purse seines
Green - Wild
Swordfish
(Xiphias gladius)
Fishing Region: U.S. - California, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean
Fishing Method: Drift gillnets
Yellow - Wild
Tuna, Albacore
(Thunnusalalunga)
Fishing Region: U.S. - Hawaii, Eastern Central Pacific, (including vessels landing in California)
Fishing Method: Longline (deep-set)
Yellow - Wild
Tuna, Skipjack
(Katsuwonuspelamis)
Fishing Region: U.S. - Hawaii, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (including vessels landing in California)
Fishing Method: Longline (deep-set)
Yellow - Wild
Tuna, Yellowfin
(Thunnusalbacares)
Fishing Region: U.S. - Hawaii, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (including vessels landing in California)
Fishing Method: Longline (deep-set)
Yellow - Wild
Wahoo
(Acanthocybiumsolandri)
Fishing Region: U.S. - Hawaii, Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (including vessels landing in California)
Fishing Method: Longline (deep-set)
Yellow - Wild
There are many businesses who follow our guidelines, only a few of which complete the official partnership process. You can find the list of those official partners on our website. (If you sort the list by state, California begins on page 3).
Seafood Watch 2020: Making Sustainable Seafood Choices
What’s for dinner tonight? Monterey Bay Aquarium’s pioneering seafood Best Choice program continues to widen its net...
Local Seafood Choices That Make a Difference : Q & A with Sheila Bowman
Sheila Bowman from Seafood Watch at Monterey Bay Aquarium, discusses how local seafood choices make a difference.
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Local Seafood Choices That Make a Difference : Q & A with Sheila Bowman
Sheila Bowman from Seafood Watch at Monterey Bay Aquarium, discusses how local seafood choices make a difference.