The best and worst seafood for the environment

Whether you're simply looking for good, solid protein to incorporate with your me or thinking of taking our suggestion to go ice fishing this winter, remember that not all fish are created equal as Environmental Defense demonstrates. Before you head to the lake or to your kitchen, make sure you review their list of sea creatures that are the best and worst (and somewhere in between) for the environment. 

Eco-Best
Anchovies - only a small amount of the world's population of anchovies end up being consumed by humans as a food. Most are used in fish oil for animal feeds, as well as in dietary supplements and fertilizers. They reproduce quickly and in the event you worry we're cutting them short of a long, prosperous life, have no fear - they have a very short life span anyway.

Mussels - Mussels strain biological matter from water, keeping it cleaner, and most are farm-raised on ropes hung in the ocean, which causes minimal environmental damage.

Salmon, wild (Alaska) - These salmon are fairly well-managed fish stocks in the United States and are not high in the contaminants found in other varieties of the fish. Their population is a healthier one, and the methods to catch the fish are environmentally safe.

Eco-OK
Clams (wild) - Most of these clams you would purchase at in the supermarket or at a fish market are brought in from wild fisheries and farms, which typically have little environmental impact so long as hydraulic wedges (which can cause damage to the ocean) floor are not used.

Shrimp (U.S. wild) - Policies are in place to ensure that other ocean creatures are not harmed in the catching of the shrimp. Devices are required that free other fish and sea turtles from shrimp nets.

Lobster (American/Maine) - The pots used to catch lobsters are not harmful to the ocean floor, however they occasionally endanger the North American right whales, and the state of the health of lobster populations in the U.S. is relatively unknown

Eco-Worst
Chilean Sea Bass - The popularity of this fish that can be sold at high prices has inspired illegal fishing and significantly declined the species population. The lines used to catch the fish will often snag albatrosses (which are endangered), as well as other sea birds. If you make the decision to buy this fish, ensure it is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council as being farmed sustainably.

Orange Roughy - These fish have a long life span and do not age quickly and its popularity has also decreased the population. Most countries do not have regulated procedures for catching or selling the product.

Salmon (farmed/Atlantic) - The habitat of these fish often contaminate surrounding water with chemicals and other pollutants due to being packed so densely together. The fish frequently escape and breed with or spread parasites to other wild fish.

Many of the fish on the worst list also contain warnings of high mercury or PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) levels.

The above are only samplings of the lists. You can visit the Environmental Defense website to view the entire top 10 in each category to learn which fish are given the green thumbs up and which you are best to avoid. When you click on a particular type of fish, you'll also see a list of the related fish that are ranked in the three categories. The site even provides recipes and eating/buying guides for several of the "good" fish.

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