Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch

Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch

http://www.seafoodwatch.org/

About

The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program helps consumers and businesses choose seafood that’s fished or farmed in ways that protect sea life and habitats, now and for future generations. Their recommendations indicate which seafood items are “Best Choices” or “Good Alternatives,” and which ones you should “Avoid.”

They raise public awareness about sustainable seafood issues through their consumer guides, website, mobile apps and outreach efforts. Since 1999, they’ve distributed over 56 million consumer guides and their smartphone app has been downloaded over 1.5 million times. They also encourage restaurants, distributors and seafood purveyors to purchase from sustainable sources. They have over 200 partners across North America, including two of the largest food service companies in the U.S.

The Seafood Watch standards consist of guiding principles, science-based criteria and a robust scoring methodology. The organization regularly updates them with the help of fisheries and aquaculture experts to ensure they incorporate the latest science and understanding of sustainability. They play a critical role in helping the Seafood Watch create an assessment of a fishery or aquaculture operation, which in turn shapes their seafood recommendations.