Sustainable Seafood: What It Is and Why It Matters

The oceans are home to about 2/3 of the world’s fish, which means that if we want to eat seafood and protect our oceans, it’s important that we understand what “sustainable seafood” is.

Sustainable seafood is fish that has been caught or raised in ways that don’t harm other marine animals or ecosystems. Sustainable options can be found at your local supermarket and restaurant, and they taste great!

Why Is Sustainable Seafood Important?

The global population is growing at an alarming rate. The UN estimates that by 2050, over nine billion people will live on this planet. With so many mouths to feed, we need to figure out how we’re going to provide them all in a way that’s sustainable for the environment and our planet as a whole.

Sustainable seafood is an important part of the solution. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), fish make up nearly 20% of the protein consumed worldwide—and it’s not just in food: almost 60% of the world depends on fish or shellfish as their primary source of income and livelihoods. at

That’s why ensuring sustainable seafood practices are implemented around the world is so essential—because it can help ensure we don’t run out of resources while allowing us all access to fair prices for these vital products today!

What Does It Mean for a Fish to Be Sustainable?

Sustainable seafood is caught in a way that does not harm the environment or other species. To qualify as sustainable, a fishery must be well managed and have a healthy population of the fish being harvested.

Sustainable seafood is good for the ocean and good for people, allowing us to enjoy this essential food source while maintaining healthy oceans and wild fish populations.

The Best Way to Ensure You’re Eating Sustainable Seafood

When you’re at the grocery store or ordering in a restaurant, it can be difficult to tell what type of seafood you are eating. The best way to ensure that your seafood is sustainable—and thus good for the ocean and its inhabitants—is to ask your waiter or seafood supplier about the seafood you’re consuming.

Another way that consumers can reduce their impact on fisheries around the world is by purchasing bluefin tuna labeled as “sustainably caught.” This means they were caught using methods that don’t negatively affect other marine life or damage coral reefs or different underwater ecosystems.

Finally, ensuring your choices are sustainable is by buying from markets and restaurants that sell locally sourced goods as well as products made with traditional techniques and ingredients like artisanal cheeses, fresh produce grown without pesticides in local gardens, etcetera!

The truth is, the ocean is in serious trouble. The vast majority of seafood we eat today comes from unsustainable fisheries that are destroying our oceans and putting our environment at risk.

But there are a number of ways to make sure you’re eating fish that’s both safe for your health and good for the planet—including choosing organic, sustainably-sourced wild-caught seafood when possible.