Sustainability
Monterey Bay Seafood Watch
Best choices
Best Choices are abundant, well-managed and caught or farmed in environmentally friendly ways.
- Oysters (farmed)
- Catfish (farmed)
- Clams (farmed)
- Croaker*
- Mackerel: Spanish*
- Trout: Rainbow (US farmed)
- Striped Bass (farmed & wild)*
Good Alternative
Good Alternatives are an option, but there are concerns with how they’re caught or farmed—or with the health of their habitat due to other human impacts.
- Blue Crab*
- Bluefish
- Oysters (wild)
- Clams (wild)
- Flounder: Summer *
- Herring
- Lobster: American/Maine
Maryland Species not listed:
Wild-caught Eel, Perch (only info is from the Great Lakes)
Blue Ocean Institute
Species is relatively abundant, and fishing/farming methods cause little damage to habitat and other wildlife.
- Clam-Soft shell
- Herring
- Mackerel, Spanish*
- Oyster, Eastern
- Spotted Sea-trout
- Striped Bass*
Species has medium to high levels of abundance, or fishing/farming methods cause some damage to the environment.
- Bluefish
- Catfish-US
- Clam-Hard
- Flounder-Summer*
- Lobster, American
Some problems exist with this species’ status or catch/farming methods, or information is insufficient for evaluating.
- Blue Crab*
- Weakfish*
Species abundance is generally low, or fishing/farming methods typically have large environmental impact.
- Eel-American
- Tautog
Maryland Species not listed:
- Croaker
- Perch
*Limit consumption due to concerns about mercury or other contaminants.