Seafood Choices

From <a href="http://www.oceansalive.org/" target="new">Oceans Alive</a>, a project of the Environmental Defense Network</span>: What’s good and bad for you, and for the environment.

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Seafood: What’s good and bad for you, and for the environment.
FISH GOOD FOR YOU?

color key: green, yellow, peach, orange, red
Best Worst
ECO-FRIENDLY?

checkmarkcross
Yes No
HEALTH ADVISORIES
Abalone (U.S. farmed)   yes insufficient data
Anchovies   yes  
Arctic Char (U.S. and Canadian farmed)   yes insufficient data
Bass, Striped (farmed)   yes  
Bass, Striped (wild)     PCBs, mercury, and pesticides
Bluefish     PCBs, mercury, and pesticides
Blue Marlin   no Mercury
Catfish (U.S. farmed)   yes  
Caviar, Paddlefish and Sturgeon (U.S. farmed)   yes insufficient data
Caviar, Sturgeon (wild)   no insufficient data
Clams   yes insufficient data
Cod, Atlantic   no Mercury
Crab, Blue     PCBs and mercury
Crab, Dungeoness   yes Mercury
Crab, snow and stone   yes  
Crawfish (U.S.)   yes  
Croaker, Atlantic     PCBs
Croaker, White     PCBs
Eel, American     PCBs, mercury, and pesticides
Flounder, Blackback     PCBs
Flounder, Summer     PCBs
Grouper   no Mercury
Halibut   no Mercury
Herring, Atlantic Sea   yes  
Lingcod     Mercury
Lobster, American/Maine     Mercury
Mackerel, Atlantic   yes  
Mackerel, King   Mercury
Mackerel, Spanish     Mercury
Mahi Mahi   yes Mercury
Marlin, Striped   no Mercury
Marlin, White   no Mercury
Monkfish   no Mercury
Mussels, Blue (farmed)   yes PCBs
Mussels, Blue (wild)     PCBs
Mussels, New Zealand Green   yes insufficient data
Opah/Moonfish     Mercury
Orange Roughy   no Mercury
Oysters, Eastern (farmed)   yes PCBs
Oyster, Eastern (wild)     PCBs
Oysters, European   yes insufficient data
Oysters, Pacific   yes  
Pompano, Florida     Mercury
Rockfish (Pacific: rock cod/boccacio)   no Mercury
Sablefish/Black Cod (from Alaska)   yes  
Salmon, Atlantic (farmed or wild)   no PCBs, dioxins, and pesticides
Salmon, Alaska (wild)   yes  
Sardines   yes  
Scallops (farmed bay)   yes  
Seabass, Black     Mercury
Seabass, Chilean   no Mercury
Shark   no Mercury
Shrimp (Northern from Newfoundland, U.S. farmed)   yes insufficient data
Shrimp/Prawns (imported)   no insufficient data
Snapper, Red   no Mercury
Snapper, Mutton   no Mercury
Snapper, Yellowtail   no Mercury
Sole, English     PCBs
Spot Prawns   yes insufficient data
Spotted Seatrout     PCBs and mercury
Sturgeon, Atlantic   no Mercury
Sturgeon (farmed)   yes insufficient data
Swordfish   no Mercury
Tilapia (U.S.)   yes  
Tilefish   no Mercury
Tuna, Albacore     Mercury
Tuna, Bluefin   no Mercury
Tuna, Skipjack     Mercury
Wahoo     Mercury
Weakfish     PCBs
Winter Skate   no Mercury
Source: Oceans Alive, a project of the Environmental Defense Network

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