Seafood from Wild Fisheries

The sustainability and environmental impacts of commercial fishing operations depend on a number of factors such as how the fish was caught (gear-type), the “health” of the species or stock being fished, as well as how effectively the fishery is being managed. While evaluating the wild-caught seafood that we sell, the New England Aquarium’s specialists thoroughly investigate these and other factors to determine the most environmentally responsible source of a particular wild-caught seafood selection.

Populations of fish, crabs, lobsters and other marine animals that inhabit a specific geographic area are referred to as stocks. Stocks that are abundant and whose populations are not decreasing because of overfishing are most likely to be healthy and sustainable into the future. Many times good stock health is the result of effective fishery management practices, which includes things such as setting limits on fishing, performing thorough scientific research, as well as gathering detailed information on what and how much is being caught.

Commercial fishing not only impacts the fish that are targeted, but also fish and other sea creatures that are caught accidentally, which is known as bycatch. Commercial fishing operations employ many types of fishing gear and techniques to capture the seafood we eat. All fishing gears have some impact on the marine environment, but how much impact depends heavily on which type of gear is used, how the gear is deployed, as well as the inclusion of any special modifications designed to reduce habitat impacts or bycatch. For example, the use of trawls, which are large nets that are towed behind a vessel, is common in many commercial fisheries. Trawls that are dragged on the ocean floor can cause damage to sensitive ocean bottom habitats, which are important areas to many species as well as young fish. However, trawls that are pulled through the water above the ocean floor generally have minimal adverse effects on these bottom habitats. All these and more factors are considered when evaluating the sustainability and eco-friendliness of a particular fishery.

Promoting sustainability of our wild-caught seafood resources is becoming more and more important as the global demand for seafood continues to rise. By working with the team of experts at the New England Aquarium, we are striving to do our part to make certain fish populations remain healthy to ensure tasty, ocean-friendly seafood in our markets for years to come.