Avoid Eating Endangered Fish
By becoming aware of which wild fish are being harvested to the brink of extinction, we can start to alter our fish eating and buying habits and cease plundering an invisible ecosystem that is in a state of serious decline and stress.
Also, becoming aware of the impact of caged fisheries on our estuaries, bays, oceans, pond systems and wetlands will help us make informed choices next time we are at the fish mongers.
How to do it now
If you are going to eat seafood, consider the information below.
Fish species least endangered
| Best Choice for Eating | Also Market As |
|---|---|
| Australian Salmon | |
| Blue Swimmer Crab | Crab, Sand Crab, Bluey, Blue Mantra Crab |
| Bream | |
| Calamari, Cuttlefish, Octopus, Squid | |
| Flathead | |
| King George Whiting | Black Whiting, South Australian Whiting, Spotted Whiting |
| Leatherjacket | Ocean Jacket, Seine Boat Jacket, Silver Flounder, Chinaman, Yellow Jacket, Triggerfish, Butterfish |
| Mullet | Blue-tail, Fan-tail, Flicker, Umping, Nano, Sand, Yellow-eye |
| Mulloway | Butterfish, King Jewfish, Kingfish, River Kingfish |
| Trevally | |
| Western Rock Lobster | Western Australian Crayfish, Western Cray |
| Whiting | Sand, Eastern School, Western School, Stout (Winter), Trumpeter, Western Trumpter, Yellowfin |
| Yellow-tail Kingfish | Kingfish, Tasmanian Yellowtail, Kingie, Yellowtail |
| Abalone | |
| Blue Mussel | Mussel |
| Crayfish | Marron, Redclaw, Yabby |
| Oysters |
Fish species that are overfished and endangered
| Avoid | Also Marketed As |
|---|---|
| Blue Warehou | Trevally, Sea Bream, Snotty Trevalla |
| Commercial Scallop (Bass Strait) | Southern Scallop |
| Deepwater Shark | Flake, Boneless Fish |
| Eastern Gemfish | Hake, King Couta, Silver Kingfish |
| Orange Roughy | Deep Sea Perch, Sea Perch |
| Oeros (black, smooth, spiky, warty) | Dory, Deep Sea Dory, Spotted Dory |
| Redfish | Nannygai, Red Snapper |
| School Shark | Flake, Tope, Boneless Fish |
| Silver Travally | White Travally |
| Southern Bluefin Tuna | Tuna |
Vunerable and heavily fished species
| Avoid | Also Marketed As |
|---|---|
| Bigeye Tuna | Tuna, Bigeye |
| Broadbill Swordfish | Swordfish |
| Sharks & Rays | Flake, Boneless Fish, Stingray Flaps |
| Yellow-fin Tuna (wider Pacific Ocean) | Tuna |
Be informed and involved - Contact and join the Australian Marine Conservation Society and get a copy of Australia's Sustainable Seafood Guide (with a foreword by Tim Winton).
OceanWatch Australia works in partnership with the Australian seafood industry, government, natural resource managers, business and the community to promote sustainable and quality seafood.
Save our Marine Life is a growing community of people and organisations working to protect the unique marine life in the south west waters of Australia.
Why this action is important
Establishing a sustainable balance in our harvesting of wild fisheries in the near future is essential to ward off the possibility of species collapse, and the ramifications this may have on our ocean, estuary and river ecosystems. To treat the ocean as a 'magic pudding' while defiling the rivers and estuaries where fish breed and spawn is irresponsible and short sighted.
© 2012 Natural Strategies Group Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer: We and our content providers ('we') have tried to make the information on this website as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information with the relevant authorities.
Page Last Updated: 25 October 2012
