
Good Fish Guide
Your guide to sustainable seafood
You can play a key role in securing the future of our seas and marine wildlife by making more environmentally responsible choices when buying seafood.
Our seas face a wide range of threats - click to expand
Our seas face a wide range of threats. Climate change, pollution, habitat and biodiversity loss are all impacting our seas; plus 90% of global fish stocks are either fully or over-exploited. All these factors combined mean that urgent action is needed to restore the health of our seas. Fish farming (aquaculture) is rapidly expanding to meet increasing demand for seafood, but if this is done badly it can also damage the environment and exacerbate these other problems.
Use the Good Fish Guide to find out which fish are the most sustainable (Green rated), and which are the least sustainable (Red rated). Make the right choice and reduce your impact – every purchase matters! Find out more about our seafood work, including how we develop our seafood ratings, plus sustainable seafood recipes and more.
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Salmon, Pink, Spring , humpback
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
The five species (chinook, chum, coho, pink and sockeye) of Pacific salmon are members of a large family of fish known as salmonidae, which are abundant throughout the temperate zones of the northern and southern hemispheres. Pacific … Read more salmon are a shorter lived species and much more prolific breeders than Atlantic salmon. Pacific salmon from fisheries certified to the FAO-Based Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Certification Programme or the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Standard for responsibly managed fisheries is the most sustainable choice for consumers.

Capture method — Gillnets, beach seine
Capture area — North East Pacific (FAO 67)
Stock area — USA
Stock detail — Alaska
Certification — Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Capture method — Purse seine
Capture area — North East Pacific (FAO 67)
Stock area — USA
Stock detail — Alaska
Certification — Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Salmon, Sockeye , Red Salmon, Bluebacks, Redfish
Oncorhynchus nerka
The five species (chinook, chum, coho, pink and sockeye) of Pacific salmon are members of a large family of fish known as salmonidae, which are abundant throughout the temperate zones of the northern and southern hemispheres. Pacific … Read more salmon are a shorter lived species and much more prolific breeders than Atlantic salmon. Pacific salmon from fisheries certified to the FAO-Based Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Certification Programme or the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Standard for responsibly managed fisheries is the most sustainable choice for consumers.

Capture method — Gillnets, beach seine
Capture area — North East Pacific (FAO 67)
Stock area — USA
Stock detail — Alaska
Certification — Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Capture method — Purse seine
Capture area — North East Pacific (FAO 67)
Stock area — USA
Stock detail — Alaska
Certification — Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Sardine, European pilchard, sardines
Sardina pilchardus
Sardines or pilchards (sardine being below 15cm and pilchard above) are caught in the northeast Atlantic, central eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. 21 species are canned as sardines, but the European pilchard is the only true
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sardine. Sardines are commonly caught with purse seine nets and pelagic trawls, which are very selective when used to catch shoaling species and have no impact on the seabed. However, cetacean bycatch can occur. Sardine is a forage species providing prey to many larger fish and marine mammals, so large scale removal can have knock-on effects.
The Cornish ring-net fishery was certified as a sustainable fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in August 2010.

Capture method — Ring net
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Cornwall
Stock detail — 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
Certification — Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Capture method — Purse seine
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Southern Celtic Seas and English Channel
Stock detail — 7
Capture method — Purse seine
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Bay of Biscay
Stock detail — 8a-b, d
Certification — Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) - Suspended
Capture method — Purse seine
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Cantabrian Sea and Atlantic Iberian waters
Stock detail — 8c, 9a
Sawfish
Pristis pristis, P.pectinata, P.perotteti
Sharks and rays are found in all the worlds oceans, from the poles to the tropics to shallow water coral reefs to water over 3,000m deep. The Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is unusual as it is able to enter fresh water river systems
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where it gives birth. Sharks, skates and rays are fish, but they can be distinguished from bony fish (teleosts) by their cartilaginous skeletons. There are four main types of cartilaginous fish; sharks, skates and rays, collectively called elasmobranchs, and the rarely encountered chimaeras, a more distant relative only found in deep water. They are also distinguished from bony fish by the way they breed. Reproduction in sharks and rays is a very slow process as they have a late age of sexual maturity, produce few young and have a long gestation period. No maternal care is provided to shark pups, instead they are well-developed and ready to hunt when born in order to maximise their chance of survival. All shark eggs are fertilised internally but may develop in one of three different ways: Eggs are held within a leathery case (Oviparity), known as a mermaids purse, e.g. catshark; Embryos develop within the mother and are nourished by the egg (Oviparity) e.g. basking shark; Embryos develop within the mother and are provided with nutrients from a placenta (Viviparity) e.g. smooth-hound. World-wide sharks are being removed from our seas at an alarming rate. Sharks are slow growing, long-lived with low reproduction. Finning is perhaps the most damaging and distasteful of all shark fisheries. The process is cruel and wasteful, involving the removal and retention of fins, while the rest of the shark, is discarded, often still alive, to drown or be eaten. Finning takes place all over the world (including Europe) to feed the continual and increasing demand for sharkfin soup. Fins are consumed principally in the Far East but Europe and the USA are sizeable markets for shark fin. Fins may fetch over 30 per kilo and a single basking shark tail fin can fetch up to 5,250 in Hong Kong. Blue sharks and other oceanic species are the preferred species taken.
Sawfishes are arguably the most imperiled fishes in the world; the whole family has been classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Shark Specialist Group. Because of this, they are automatically a red-rated species.

Capture method — Gill or fixed net
Capture area — Worldwide (FAO All Areas)
Stock area — All Areas
Stock detail — All Areas
Scallop, King, scallops
Pecten maximus
Most scallops are caught by dredging, which can be very damaging to habitats. Choose dive-caught as a much better option. Work is underway to try to improve understanding of the locations and sizes of UK scallop stocks - in general, the … Read more stocks in the North Sea do not seem to be doing well. Scallop fisheries in Shetland (Marine Stewardship Council-certified), Isle of Man, Lyme Bay, and the inshore Yorkshire Coast (North Eastern IFCA district) are better managed than most. Some Fishery Improvement Projects are underway to improve management and reduce environmental impacts. Avoid eating scallops below their legal minimum landing size (100-110mm) and if eating fresh from the sea, avoid their breeding season (April to September). Farmed scallops are not yet common in the UK market, but make a great sustainable alternative to wild-caught dredged scallops.

Production country — Scotland
Production method — Suspended Rope Culture and Bottom Culture
Capture method — Dive caught
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — West of Scotland
Stock detail — 6a: Scotland (0-3nm)
Capture method — Dive caught
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel (West)
Stock detail — 7e.I: Inshore Cornwall (0-6 nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North Sea (North)
Stock detail — 4a: Shetland (0-6nm)
Certification — Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North Sea (Central)
Stock detail — 4b South: North Eastern IFCA District (0-6nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dive caught
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North Sea (North)
Stock detail — 4a: Orkney
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Irish Sea
Stock detail — 7a: Northern Ireland
Certification — FIP Stage 2. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel (West)
Stock detail — 7e.I: Inshore Cornwall (0-6 nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — West of Scotland
Stock detail — 6a: Scotland (3-12nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North Sea (North)
Stock detail — 4a: Shetland (6-12nm)
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel (West)
Stock detail — 7e.I: Inshore Cornwall (beyond 6nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — West of Scotland
Stock detail — 6a: Scotland (0-3nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Bristol Channel
Stock detail — 7f.I: Inshore Bristol Channel (beyond 6nm)
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North Sea (Central)
Stock detail — 4b South: England except NEIFCA district
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Irish Sea
Stock detail — 7a: Isle of Man (0-3nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 2. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Irish Sea
Stock detail — 7a: Isle of Man (3-12nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 2. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel (East)
Stock detail — 7d.N: Inshore North (0-6 nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel (East)
Stock detail — 7d.N: Offshore North (beyond 6 nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North Sea (North)
Stock detail — 4a: Scotland (0-3nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North Sea (North)
Stock detail — 4a: Scotland (3-12nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North Sea (Central)
Stock detail — 4b North: Scotland (0-3nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North Sea (Central)
Stock detail — 4b North: Scotland (3-12nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Irish Sea
Stock detail — 7a: Irish Sea: offshore Isle of Man (beyond 12nm)
Certification — FIP Stage 2. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Irish Sea
Stock detail — 7a: Wales (Cardigan Bay)
Certification — FIP Stage 2. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel (West)
Stock detail — 7e.L: Lyme Bay
Certification — FIP Stage 3. Click here for info on FIP
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North Sea (Central)
Stock detail — 4b: Dogger Bank
Scallop, Queen, scallops
Aequipecten opercularis
Most scallops are caught by dredging, which can be very damaging to habitats. Choose dive-caught as a much better option. Work is underway to try to improve understanding of the locations and sizes of UK scallop stocks - in general, the … Read more stocks in the North Sea do not seem to be doing well. Scallop fisheries in Shetland (Marine Stewardship Council-certified), Isle of Man, Lyme Bay, and the inshore Yorkshire Coast (North Eastern IFCA district) are better managed than most. Some Fishery Improvement Projects are underway to improve management and reduce environmental impacts. Avoid eating scallops below their legal minimum landing size (100-110mm) and if eating fresh from the sea, avoid their breeding season (April to September). Farmed scallops are not yet common in the UK market, but make a great sustainable alternative to wild-caught dredged scallops.

Production country — Scotland
Production method — Suspended Rope Culture and Bottom Culture
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Irish Sea
Stock detail — 7a: Wales (All areas)
Capture method — Sail and oar
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Cornwall
Stock detail — 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
Capture method — Demersal otter trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Irish Sea
Stock detail — 7a: Irish Sea: offshore Isle of Man (beyond 12nm)
Capture method — Dredge
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Irish Sea
Stock detail — 7a: Irish Sea: offshore Isle of Man (beyond 12nm)
Capture method — Demersal otter trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Irish Sea
Stock detail — 7a: Isle of Man (0-12nm)
Shark, Angel
Squatina squatina
Sharks and rays are found in all the worlds oceans, from the poles to the tropics to shallow water coral reefs to water over 3,000 m deep. The Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is unusual as it is able to enter fresh water river systems
…
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where it gives birth. Sharks, skates and rays are fish, but they can be distinguished from bony fish (teleosts) by their cartilaginous skeletons. There are four main types of cartilaginous fish; sharks, skates and rays, collectively called elasmobranchs, and the rarely encountered chimaeras, a more distant relative only found in deep water. They are also distinguished from bony fish by the way they breed. Reproduction in sharks and rays is a very slow process as they have a late age of sexual maturity, produce few young and have a long gestation period. No maternal care is provided to shark pups, instead they are well-developed and ready to hunt when born in order to maximise their chance of survival. All shark eggs are fertilised internally but may develop in one of three different ways: Eggs are held within a leathery case (Oviparity), known as a mermaids purse, e.g. catshark; Embryos develop within the mother and are nourished by the egg (Oviparity) e.g. basking shark; Embryos develop within the mother and are provided with nutrients from a placenta (Viviparity) e.g. smooth-hound. World-wide sharks are being removed from our seas at an alarming rate. Sharks are slow growing, long-lived with low reproduction. Finning is perhaps the most damaging and distasteful of all shark fisheries. The process is cruel and wasteful, involving the removal and retention of fins, while the rest of the shark, is discarded, often still alive, to drown or be eaten. Finning takes place all over the world (including Europe) to feed the continual and increasing demand for sharkfin soup. Fins are consumed principally in the Far East but Europe and the USA are sizeable markets for shark fin. Blue sharks and other oceanic species are the preferred species taken. British seas are home to over 30 shark species including the fastest shark in the world (the shortfin Mako) and the second largest fish in the world (the Basking shark) and we even get tropical rare visitors such as hammerheads.
Angel shark is an EU Prohibited Species and are Critically Endangered. Catches of angel shark are now rare, both in surveys and commercially. Avoid eating.

Capture method — All applicable methods
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North East Atlantic
Stock detail — All Areas
Shark, Blue
Prionace glauca

Capture method — All applicable methods
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Cornwall
Stock detail — 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
Capture method — All applicable methods
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North East Atlantic
Stock detail — All Areas
Shark, Porbeagle
Lamna nasus
Sharks and rays are found in all the worlds oceans, from the poles to the tropics to shallow water coral reefs to water over 3,000 m deep. The Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is unusual as it is able to enter fresh water river systems
…
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where it gives birth. Sharks, skates and rays are fish, but they can be distinguished from bony fish (teleosts) by their cartilaginous skeletons. There are four main types of cartilaginous fish; sharks, skates and rays, collectively called elasmobranchs, and the rarely encountered chimaeras, a more distant relative only found in deep water. They are also distinguished from bony fish by the way they breed. Reproduction in sharks and rays is a very slow process as they have a late age of sexual maturity, produce few young and have a long gestation period. No maternal care is provided to shark pups, instead they are well-developed and ready to hunt when born in order to maximise their chance of survival. All shark eggs are fertilised internally but may develop in one of three different ways: Eggs are held within a leathery case (Oviparity), known as a mermaids purse, e.g. catshark; Embryos develop within the mother and are nourished by the egg (Oviparity) e.g. basking shark; Embryos develop within the mother and are provided with nutrients from a placenta (Viviparity) e.g. smooth-hound. World-wide sharks are being removed from our seas at an alarming rate. Sharks are slow growing, long-lived with low reproduction. Finning is perhaps the most damaging and distasteful of all shark fisheries. The process is cruel and wasteful, involving the removal and retention of fins, while the rest of the shark, is discarded, often still alive, to drown or be eaten. Finning takes place all over the world (including Europe) to feed the continual and increasing demand for sharkfin soup. Fins are consumed principally in the Far East but Europe and the USA are sizeable markets for shark fin. Blue sharks and other oceanic species are the preferred species taken. British seas are home to over 30 shark species including the fastest shark in the world (the shortfin Mako) and the second largest fish in the world (the Basking shark) and we even get tropical rare visitors such as hammerheads.
Porbeagle is assessed as Critically Endangered in Northeast Atlantic by the IUCN. ICES advises that no fishing for porbeagle should be permitted, landings should not be allowed. Porbeagles are automatically scored red-rated. Avoid eating.
Capture method — Longline
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — All Areas
Stock detail — 1 to 9
Shark, Tope
Galeorhinus galeus
Sharks and rays are found in all the worlds oceans, from the poles to the tropics to shallow water coral reefs to water over 3,000 m deep. The Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is unusual as it is able to enter fresh water river systems
…
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where it gives birth. Sharks, skates and rays are fish, but they can be distinguished from bony fish (teleosts) by their cartilaginous skeletons. There are four main types of cartilaginous fish; sharks, skates and rays, collectively called elasmobranchs, and the rarely encountered chimaeras, a more distant relative only found in deep water. They are also distinguished from bony fish by the way they breed. Reproduction in sharks and rays is a very slow process as they have a late age of sexual maturity, produce few young and have a long gestation period. No maternal care is provided to shark pups, instead they are well-developed and ready to hunt when born in order to maximise their chance of survival. All shark eggs are fertilised internally but may develop in one of three different ways: Eggs are held within a leathery case (Oviparity), known as a mermaids purse, e.g. catshark; Embryos develop within the mother and are nourished by the egg (Oviparity) e.g. basking shark; Embryos develop within the mother and are provided with nutrients from a placenta (Viviparity) e.g. smooth-hound. World-wide sharks are being removed from our seas at an alarming rate. Sharks are slow growing, long-lived with low reproduction. Finning is perhaps the most damaging and distasteful of all shark fisheries. The process is cruel and wasteful, involving the removal and retention of fins, while the rest of the shark, is discarded, often still alive, to drown or be eaten. Finning takes place all over the world (including Europe) to feed the continual and increasing demand for sharkfin soup. Fins are consumed principally in the Far East but Europe and the USA are sizeable markets for shark fin. Blue sharks and other oceanic species are the preferred species taken. British seas are home to over 30 shark species including the fastest shark in the world (the shortfin Mako) and the second largest fish in the world (the Basking shark) and we even get tropical rare visitors such as hammerheads.
Tope is considered highly vulnerable to over-exploitation because they are slow-growing and long-lived with a low reproductive capacity. Tope is assessed as Vulnerable (2016) globally by IUCN and as "Data Deficient" in the Northeast Atlantic. Fishing for tope In Scottish waters, other than by rod and line or hand-line, is prohibited (applies to commercial vessels) - and no tope caught can then be landed. Likewise, there is the 45 kg/day limit in England and Wales so, although there are no quotas or TACs, there are restrictions in place for commercial vessels. Avoid eating.

Capture method — Longline
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North East Atlantic
Stock detail — All Areas
Capture method — All applicable methods
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — Cornwall
Stock detail — 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
Capture method — Gill or fixed net
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North East Atlantic
Stock detail — All Areas
Capture method — Demersal otter trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North East Atlantic
Stock detail — All Areas
Shrimp, brown or common
Crangon crangon
The common or brown shrimp, is found in mainly shallow water along the Eastern Atlantic coast as far south as Morocco, and into the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Brown shrimp is a relatively fast growing and resilient species yet plays a
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very important role in the marine ecosystem. It is primarily caught in the North Sea using shrimp trawls.
Brown shrimp is primarily caught using shrimp trawls in the North Sea with a very small fishery also occurring in the northeast Irish Sea. Most of the catch is taken in or around the Wadden Sea on the eastern side of the North Sea, which is one of Europe's most important marine conservation areas and national parks. It is important that sufficient areas of these conservation areas are protected to allow natural processes to continue with minimal disruption from fishing. Shrimp trawls are lighter than traditional beam trawls, but can still damage seafloor communities so is important that sensitive areas are protected. Bycatch of juvenile fish remains an issue in these fisheries and further work is needed to improve this, such as trialling of square mesh codends and panels. There are also very few controls in place to prevent the overexploitation of local shrimp populations. Some fleets in the North Sea have voluntarily adopted a harvest control rule which is a positive sign, but cooperation between member states accessing the fishery is needed for this to be effective.

Capture method — Beam trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — VIIa
Stock detail — Solway Firth
Capture method — Beam trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North Sea
Stock detail — IV
Skate, Common
Dipturus batis
Skate and ray species are all generally sold as 'skate', but all true Skate should be completely avoided. Whole ray are available as fresh or frozen wings and knobs (cheeks).The term 'Skates and Rays' can be a bit confusing here in
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Britain. What are traditionally known in Britain as 'rays' are, scientifically or biologically speaking, 'skates'. While the rays (which are technically skates!) sold in fishmongers throughout Britain - Spotted, Small-eyed, Cuckoo, Blonde etc. - belong to the family Rajidae, not all rays found in British waters belong to this family. Two species of Torpedo Rays (Torpedinidae); 2 species of Whiptail Stingrays (Dasyatidae); the Common Eagle Ray (Myliobatidae) ; and Giant Devil Ray (Mobulidae) are also either resident or visitors to our waters! Skates and rays generally available for consumption however do belong to the same sub-order "batoidea" and are large flat fish, dwelling close to the sea floor. Like sharks they have cartilage skeletons instead of bone. Skates tend to be large with long snouts, while rays are smaller species and have short snouts. They are both slow to grow and breed. Many are uncommon or rare. For more information on skates, rays and sharks go to: http://www.sharktrust.org.
Avoid eating. They are an EU Prohibited Species and it is prohibited to fish for, retain, or landing common skate is prohibited in EU waters. Common Skate is assessed as Critically Endangered by IUCN and is listed by OSPAR as a threatened and declining species. Because of this, they are automatically a red-rated species.

Capture method — All applicable methods
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North Sea and Skagerrak; Celtic Sea and West of Scotland
Stock detail — 6 & 7
Skate, Longnosed
Dipturus oxyrinchus
Skate and ray species are all generally sold as 'skate', but all true Skate should be completely avoided. Whole ray are available as fresh or frozen wings and knobs (cheeks).The term 'Skates and Rays' can be a bit confusing here in
…
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Britain. What are traditionally known in Britain as 'rays' are, scientifically or biologically speaking, 'skates'. While the rays (which are technically skates!) sold in fishmongers throughout Britain - Spotted, Small-eyed, Cuckoo, Blonde etc. - belong to the family Rajidae, not all rays found in British waters belong to this family. Two species of Torpedo Rays (Torpedinidae); 2 species of Whiptail Stingrays (Dasyatidae); the Common Eagle Ray (Myliobatidae) ; and Giant Devil Ray (Mobulidae) are also either resident or visitors to our waters! Skates and rays generally available for consumption however do belong to the same sub-order "batoidea" and are large flat fish, dwelling close to the sea floor. Like sharks they have cartilage skeletons instead of bone. Skates tend to be large with long snouts, while rays are smaller species and have short snouts. They are both slow to grow and breed. Many are uncommon or rare. For more information on skates, rays and sharks go to: http://www.sharktrust.org.
In general, skates and rays are vulnerable to overfishing because they grow really slowly, mature late in life and produce few young. We don't know if their populations are healthy most of the time because, until recently, catches haven't been recorded very well. When choosing skate or ray, choose a fast-growing species like Spotted Ray because their populations are at a healthier level. Avoid eating skates and rays below the size at which they can reproduce (57cm in length for spotted ray). If buying Spotted Ray, choose it from boats belonging to the North Devon Fishermen's Association (NDFA) because they employ better management to protect skates and rays.

Capture method — Demersal otter trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — All Areas
Stock detail — 1 to 10
Skate, Norwegian or Black
Dipturus nidarosiensis
Skate and ray species are all generally sold as 'skate', but all true Skate should be completely avoided. Whole ray are available as fresh or frozen wings and knobs (cheeks).The term 'Skates and Rays' can be a bit confusing here in
…
Read more
Britain. What are traditionally known in Britain as 'rays' are, scientifically or biologically speaking, 'skates'. While the rays (which are technically skates!) sold in fishmongers throughout Britain - Spotted, Small-eyed, Cuckoo, Blonde etc. - belong to the family Rajidae, not all rays found in British waters belong to this family. Two species of Torpedo Rays (Torpedinidae); 2 species of Whiptail Stingrays (Dasyatidae); the Common Eagle Ray (Myliobatidae) ; and Giant Devil Ray (Mobulidae) are also either resident or visitors to our waters! Skates and rays generally available for consumption however do belong to the same sub-order "batoidea" and are large flat fish, dwelling close to the sea floor. Like sharks they have cartilage skeletons instead of bone. Skates tend to be large with long snouts, while rays are smaller species and have short snouts. They are both slow to grow and breed. Many are uncommon or rare. For more information on skates, rays and sharks go to: http://www.sharktrust.org.
Avoid eating. Norwegian skate are an EU Prohibited Species. Because of this, they are automatically a red-rated species.

Capture method — All applicable methods
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — All Areas
Stock detail — 4, 3a, 7d
Skate, White
Rostroraja alba
Skate and ray species are all generally sold as 'skate', but all true Skate should be completely avoided. Whole ray are available as fresh or frozen wings and knobs (cheeks).The term 'Skates and Rays' can be a bit confusing here in
…
Read more
Britain. What are traditionally known in Britain as 'rays' are, scientifically or biologically speaking, 'skates'. While the rays (which are technically skates!) sold in fishmongers throughout Britain - Spotted, Small-eyed, Cuckoo, Blonde etc. - belong to the family Rajidae, not all rays found in British waters belong to this family. Two species of Torpedo Rays (Torpedinidae); 2 species of Whiptail Stingrays (Dasyatidae); the Common Eagle Ray (Myliobatidae) ; and Giant Devil Ray (Mobulidae) are also either resident or visitors to our waters! Skates and rays generally available for consumption however do belong to the same sub-order "batoidea" and are large flat fish, dwelling close to the sea floor. Like sharks they have cartilage skeletons instead of bone. Skates tend to be large with long snouts, while rays are smaller species and have short snouts. They are both slow to grow and breed. Many are uncommon or rare. For more information on skates, rays and sharks go to: http://www.sharktrust.org.
Avoid eating. White skate are an EU Prohibited Species. Because of this, they are automatically red-rated.

Capture method — All applicable methods
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — North East Atlantic
Stock detail — All Areas