Buy What's Local And In Season

Eating seafood caught near where you live means minimizing your carbon footprint and supporting local fishermen. Go for fillets that look shiny and are springy to the touch.

Look for the Eco-Label

Whether at a small fish market or a national chain supermarket, seafood stamped by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is guaranteed to have come from a sustainable fishery.

Ask How It Got There

If you don't see the MSC label, inquire about the suppliers your fishmonger uses. If the fish was farmed, that doesn't necessarily mean it's bad. Domestically farmed fish is typically safe (salmon being an exception), in part because wastewater and pollution standards are more strict here than they are in some other countries. Open nets are a red flag: Disease and waste can pass through them and to wild species and the environment.

Learn More

Download the Monterey Bay Aquarium's free Seafood Watch app and you'll be armed to make smart decisions anywhere. montereybayaquarium.org

"My one piece of advice: Meet your fishmonger," says Barton Seaver, shown here at New York City's Sea Breeze Fish Market. "The conversation will become more transparent once you're on a first-name basis."