Good Fish Guide

Octopus, Common

Octopus vulgaris

Little information is available on the stock status of octopus as they are not subject to stock assessment or quota controls by ICES or the European Commission. The general biological characteristics of octopus - short life span, … Read more relatively high fecundity and fast growth rates lend themselves to sustainable fishing, but the fundamental data and management requirements are not in place to ensure this. Further, as a bycatch product from trawling, the production method is a less sustainable option. Choose octopus caught by less damaging capture methods, e.g. pot caught, and avoid beam trawl bycatch octopus. A minimum landing weight of 750g is specified for common octopus, but no minimum landing size is specified for the lesser octopus in European waters. Avoid eating baby octopus which are sometimes offered for sale, as they will not have had a chance to reproduce. Females die after their eggs are hatched, so those appearing for retail sale are either male, or females that have not yet reproduced. Given their biological characteristics and high market value, there is some potential for aquaculture production, although local sustainable fishery management may be more economic. Examples from Japan include the deliberate placement of shelters to enhance stock recruitment.

Octopus, Lesser

Eledone cirrhosa

Little information is available on stock status as the species is not subject to stock assessment or quota controls. No minimum landing size is specified for the lesser octopus in European waters (a minimum landing weight of 750g is … Read more specified for common octopus). Avoid eating baby octopus which are sometimes offered for sale, as they will have had no chance to breed. Females die after their eggs are hatched, so fished individuals are male, or females that have not yet reproduced.

Oyster, Native, oysters (Caught at sea)

Ostrea edulis

Throughout European waters, including much of Britain, the native oyster is depleted in the wild. Areas once noted for their large natural beds are now being used for oyster farming or cultivation including non-native species, such as the … Read more Pacific oyster, which are currently more widely cultivated than the native oyster. Oyster beds are generally privately owned and managed. Shellfish farming is an extensive, low-impact method of mariculture and high quality water standards are required for cultivation of shellfish for human consumption. Dredging can cause disruption to the seabed and has a higher associated bycatch than manual harvesting techniques, but are less suited to deeper water for practical reasons. Some growers may hand-gather their stock by diving or by net to enhance quality. Wild stocks are depleted and although management of the fisheries is good, the native oyster is still vulnerable to exploitation. Choose cultivated oysters from environmentally responsible farms where possible.

Oyster, Native, oysters (Farmed)

Ostrea edulis

Throughout European waters including much of Britain the native oyster is depleted in the wild. Areas once noted for their large natural beds are now being used for oyster farming or cultivation including non-native species, such as the … Read more Pacific oyster, which are currently more widely cultivated than the native oyster. Oyster beds are generally privately owned and managed. Shellfish farming is an extensive, low-impact method of mariculture and high quality water standards are required for cultivation of shellfish for human consumption. Dredging can cause disruption to the seabed and has a higher associated bycatch than manual harvesting techniques, but are less suited to deeper water for practical reasons. Some growers may hand-gather their stock by diving or by net to enhance quality. Wild stocks are depleted and although management of the fisheries is good, the native oyster is still vulnerable to exploitation.

Oyster, Pacific, oysters

Crassostrea gigas

Throughout European waters including much of Britain the native oyster is depleted in the wild. Areas once noted for their large natural beds are now being used for oyster farming or cultivation including non-native species, such as the … Read more Pacific oyster, which are currently more widely cultivated than the native oyster. Oyster beds are generally privately owned and managed. Shellfish farming is a low-impact method of aquaculture and high quality water standards are required for cultivation of shellfish for human consumption. Dredging can cause disruption to the seabed and has a higher associated bycatch than manual harvesting techniques, but are less suited to deeper water for practical reasons. Some growers may hand-gather their stock by diving or by net to enhance quality. Wild stocks of Native Oyster are depleted and although management of the fisheries is good, the native oyster is still vulnerable to exploitation.

Oyster, Pacific, oysters (Caught at sea)

Magallana gigas

Oyster, Pacific, oysters (Farmed)

Magallana gigas

Plaice

Pleuronectes platessa

Plaice is a popular fish for consumption and is subject to high fishing pressure. The state of plaice stocks around the UK vary. Currently the best choices for plaice are fish caught in the North Sea or Eastern Channel where the stocks are … Read more assessed as healthy and fishing is at a sustainable level. However, as with all plaice fisheries, there is significant discarding of plaice and other species. To increase the sustainability of the plaice you eat, ask for plaice taken in trawls using measures to improve the selectivity of the net to reduce discarding, and fitted with Benthic Release Panels to reduce impact on bottom dwelling species. Avoid eating immature plaice, below 30 cm, and plaice caught during their breeding season January to March. Give plaice caught in electric-pulse trawl fisheries a complete miss. Alternatives to plaice are lemon sole, dab, flounder and megrim.

Pollack or Lythe

Pollachius pollachius

There is insufficient information available to evaluate stock biomass and fishing mortality for pollack. The best choice to make, in terms of selectivity, is handline-caught pollack from the southwest. For more information on line caught … Read more pollack from these waters see www.linecaught.org.uk. Avoid eating immature fish (below 50cm) and during its breeding season, January to April.

Pollock, Alaska, Walleye

Theragra chalcogramma

If you like cod or haddock, you'll like Alaska pollock. It's a white fish, mild in flavour and low in fat. Makes great fishcakes, is best steamed and is the fish used in McDonald's Filet-O-Fish! A member of the cod family, it's found … Read more throughout the North Pacific. Matures at around 3 years old and lives on average until 15. Can grow to about 90 cms and is called walleye pollock because of its large distinctive eyes!

Pollock in US fisheries are generally at healthy levels. They are managed through a suite of management measures and bycatch in the fishery is generally small. Choose Marine Stewardship Council certified pollock as they tend to employ improved monitoring in these fisheries.

Pouting or Bib

Trisopterus luscus

Popular with French cooks who flour their pouting and fry or steam it with salted butter, it can also be poached then sauted. It's best to eat within six hours of being caught as after that it loses flavour. A member of the cod family, bib … Read more or pouting only live for about 4 years and are common in British inshore waters, near Northern Europe Atlantic down to Spain and although not commercially fished is increasingly available in supermarkets.

Pouting (or Bib) is a short-lived species common in British inshore waters. It is not commercially fished and is usually only taken as bycatch. Their stock status is unknown and appropriate management of the species is needed. When buying choose mature (over 21 cm) locally caught fish. Avoid eating fresh fish (not previously frozen) caught during their spawning season (March to April).

Prawn, Endeavour, Greasy back

Metapenaeus spp

The Marine Conservation Society Fishery Team is currently updating the consumer advice for this entry

Prawn, Giant River, prawns

Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Prawns are usually sold peeled, cooked and frozen or whole. Pop them in a curry or sling them on a salad. Their tails are used in traditional prawn cocktails - cocked over the side of the glass. This large freshwater shrimp is native to … Read more the Indo-Pacific region, northern Australia and Southeast Asia. Body usually greenish to brownish grey, sometimes more bluish, darker in larger specimens. There are three male types: 'Small males' which , if conditions allow, change into bigger, 'Orange Claws' which in turn can become 'Blue Claws', whose striking second, claw-bearing legs may become twice as long as their body. Adult prawns can walk as well as swim and can climb up vertical surfaces (small waterfalls, weirs, etc.) and cross land. Farmed animals have escaped into the wild. The primary market for this species is for use in Chinese and Indian meals.

The giant river prawn is also known as the giant freshwater prawn or freshwater scampi. Freshwater prawn farming occurs in many Asian countries, the main suppliers to the UK market is Bangladesh. Freshwater prawn farming occurs in a similar way to warmwater prawn farming, however there are less environmental concerns as stocking densities and therefore organic pollution is reduced. Large extensive ponds are used, mangroves are not impacted by construction and there is no risk of salinisation of freshwater.The primary negative factor associated with the freshwater prawn sector in Bangladesh is that it is almost exclusively reliant on wild-caught post larvae; this practice leads to high levels of by-catch. Another negative aspect of the industry is that regulations are poorly enforced, since the government lacks capacity. A positive aspect of this industry is that production of freshwater prawns does not generally occur in mangrove areas and does not cause salination of the soil.

Prawn, King (whiteleg), prawns

Litopenaeus vannamei

Only buy king prawns from suppliers that can ensure their product is sourced from farms that comply with environmental standards for habitat protection and impacts of production. Organic farming standards ensures many such standards are … Read more met making organic farmed tiger prawns the best choice. Requirements for organic farms include utilisation of by-products from human consumption fisheries for feed; habitat protection and restoration, limitation on chemical usage, limited stocking densities and strict health and feeding guidelines. Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Global Aquaculture Alliance Best Aquaculture Practice (GAA BAP 2*, 3*, 4*)and GlobalGap certification ensures some of these standards are met. Look for the organic label on products or ask your supermarket if they have a buying policy for tiger prawns to ensure high production standards are in place, and environmental concerns addressed.

Prawn, Northern prawns, Northern shrimp

Pandalus borealis

Northern prawn or shrimp (the names are often used interchangeably) are cold-water crustaceans, distinct from warm water species found in tropical waters. Increase the sustainability of the fish you eat by choosing only prawns taken in … Read more fisheries using sorting grids to reduce bycatch of non-target species. The Norwegian NE Arctic cold water prawn fishery is certified as a responsibly managed fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). Several Canadian northern prawn fisheries are also certified to the MSC standard. Look out for the Blue tick logo on the packaging.