Fish Facts

1. Fishing has wiped out 90% of large fish, including swordfish, cod, marlin, and sharks.

2.       40% of Chilean Sea Bass is caught illegally

3.       These fish species are overfished:  red snapper, skate, halibut, monkfish, and bluefish tuna.

4.       ¾ of shrimp come from Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and China.  In these countries, the shrimp are given antibiotics and pesticides.

5.       Avoid long-lived predator fish (sharks, swordfish, Chilean sea bass, tuna) which tend to have the highest levels of mercury

6.       If the fish has lived a long life, it is full of mercury.   

Avoid these:  shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish.

7.       If the fish has lived a short life, it is lower in mercury.  Enjoy these:   canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.

8.       Albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna.

9.       Shrimp lovers put your senses to the test. 

10.   If the shrimp tastes soapy or very salty, it may have been treated with sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP).  STPP prevents drying and is poisonous to our nerves.

11.   If the shrimp tastes grainy, it may have been treated with caustic borax.  Caustic borax is used to prevent discoloration.

12.   If the flesh looks yellow, then the shrimp started to go bad before it was frozen

13.   If the shrimp smells like ammonia, it already has started to rot.

14.   If fish smells, it’s not fresh. 

15.   If the shrimp smells like seawater, it’s safe!

16.   From other countries, avoid farmed shrimp, tuna, salmon, and other fish that are fattened with other fish, they tend to have higher levels of dioxins and other pollutants.

17.   Favor tilapia, carp, catfish, and other species that are fed vegetables, rather than animal protein.

18.   In North America and Europe, opt for domestically farmed seafood.  Standards on additives, water quality, and environmental impact tend to be higher.

19.   Look for Marine Stewardship Council logo (MSC-certified seal).

20.   Look for the color-coded rating system for fish.  The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch developed a system to label seafood:  green Best Choice, yellow Good Alternative and red Avoid.    See chart on the next page.

21.   It’s best to buy fish that are labeled "wild fish" or “wild caught”.