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.
You searched for "cuttlefish"
Cuttlefish
Sepia officinalis
Cuttlefish (family Sepiidae) belong to a specialised group of molluscs, known as cephalopods, which also includes octopus and squid. It is one of the most commercially important cephalopod species and is also used in aquaculture. A wide
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range of cuttlefish products are found including fresh, whole, fish and block-frozen baby cuttlefish. Widely sold to Japanese, Korean, Italian and Spanish markets. Their flesh is marketed primarily for human consumption but their cuttles -or bones- are sold as sources of calcium for caged birds such as canaries. Their ink (sepia) is also prized as a colouring agent in cooking, textiles and paint.
Not enough is known about cuttlefish stocks around the UK, but they appear to be in an overfished state. With no specific management measures to protect them, it is likely they are also subject to overfishing. Trawling is of particular concern because it catches juveniles before they have had a chance to breed, further threatening the population. Trap-caught cuttlefish is a better option, especially in areas where there are measures to ensure cuttlefish eggs laid on the traps can hatch before they are hauled in (e.g. off the coast of Dorset and Hampshire).
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Capture method — Hook & line
Capture area — Central Eastern Atlantic (FAO 34)
Stock area — All Areas
Stock detail —
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Capture method — Trap
Capture area — Mediterranean (FAO 37)
Stock area — All Areas
Stock detail —
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Capture method — Hook & line
Capture area — Indian Ocean, Western (FAO 51) and Pacific, Western Central (FAO 71)
Stock area — All Areas
Stock detail —
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Capture method — Hook & line
Capture area — Eastern Indian Ocean (FAO 57)
Stock area — All Areas
Stock detail —
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Capture method — Trap
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel Inshore: UK Waters (0-6nm) (excluding Cornwall IFCA district)
Stock detail — 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
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Capture method — Trap
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel Inshore: Cornwall (0-6nm)
Stock detail — 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
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Capture method — Beam Trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel Offshore (Cornwall)
Stock detail — 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
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Capture method — Beam trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel Offshore
Stock detail — 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
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Capture method — Beam trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel Inshore: French Waters (0-3nm)
Stock detail — 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
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Capture method — Demersal otter trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel Inshore: French Waters (0-3nm)
Stock detail — 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
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Capture method — Demersal otter trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel Offshore
Stock detail — 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
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Capture method — Demersal otter trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel Offshore (Cornwall)
Stock detail — 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
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Capture method — Demersal otter trawl
Capture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)
Stock area — English Channel Inshore: Cornwall (0-6nm)
Stock detail — 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h
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Cuttlefish, Pharaoh
Sepia pharaonis
Cuttlefish (family Sepiidae) belong to a specialised group of molluscs, known as cephalopods, which also includes octopus and squid. A wide range of cuttlefish products are found including fresh,whole, fish and block-frozen baby
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Read more
cuttlefish. Their flesh is marketed primarily for human consumption but their cuttles -or bones- are sold as sources of calcium for caged birds such as canaries. Their ink (sepia) is also prized as a colouring agent in cooking, textiles and paint.
Taking cuttlefish in traps is generally a more selective fishing method and less damaging than trawl fishing. However, cuttlefish are caught in traps when they come into inshore waters to lay their eggs, and when eggs are laid on the traps they are destroyed during harvest. Given their short lifespan, low fecundity (egg production) and potential targeting during their breeding season, some form of precautionary management seems appropriate, especially if stocks are fully fished. Where available, look for cuttlefish taken in fisheries where measures have been adopted to protect cuttlefish eggs, e.g. Dorset (Poole, Christchurch) and Brittany. These measures include leaving egg encrusted cuttlefish traps in sheltered areas of the sea to allow the eggs to hatch, and providing a removable surface on the outside of the traps on which cuttlefish can lay their eggs.
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Capture method — Trap
Capture area — Western Indian Ocean (FAO 51)
Stock area — All Areas
Stock detail —
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