Make everyday meals greener with sustainable cooking
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Sustainable Seafood: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Choose It
Seafood can be a nourishing addition to your mealtime routine. It’s rich in protein, omega-3s, and nutrients that support long-term health. The tricky part isn’t wanting to eat more of it; it’s buying it with confidence. Labels like MSC and Ocean Wise mean different things, wild-caught and farmed both have trade-offs, and the variety offered at most counters can feel unfamiliar.
Luckily, making a more ocean-friendly choice doesn’t require a marine biology degree. A bit of background knowledge goes a long way, and once you know what to look for, buying sustainable seafood becomes second nature.
Canada has some of the most productive fishing waters in the world. Keeping them that way depends on the choices made by fishers, retailers and the people buying dinner. At Fresh Prep, sourcing seafood responsibly is part of how we do business.
This guide breaks down what sustainable seafood actually means, how seafood is responsibly caught or farmed and how to spot trustworthy labels in Canada.
What is sustainable seafood?
Seafood is considered sustainable if it does not negatively impact:
- Fisheries or farms that are managed to protect long-term ocean health
- People who depend on the sea for their livelihoods
- The fishing industry’s economic viability
That might sound like a lot of boxes to tick. In practice, it comes down to a three-part test often called the three pillars of sustainability.
The environmental pillar is the foundation. It means fish populations are harvested at levels that allow them to recover and reproduce, using methods that limit damage to non-target species and ocean habitats.
This includes setting science-based catch limits and using selective fishing gear to reduce bycatch, the unintentional capture of animals that weren’t the intended target.
The social pillar addresses the people in the supply chain. Sustainable seafood is produced without forced labour or unsafe conditions.
In Canada, it increasingly means respecting Indigenous rights and integrating traditional knowledge into fishery management. The Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative, for example, has partnered with over 60 First Nations to restore salmon populations and transform harvest practices.
The economic pillar is about viability. When sustainable practices are rewarded in the market, fishing operations have a real incentive to invest in cleaner methods. Sales of seafood bearing the Marine Stewardship Council’s blue label have grown by more than 240% over the last five years in Canada, signalling that consumer demand for responsibly sourced fish is strong and growing.
Why it’s important to choose sustainable seafood
Your choices add up. Globally, fisheries support the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people, and healthy fish populations are directly tied to stable food supplies for communities worldwide.
Protecting ocean ecosystems
Overfishing happens when fish are caught faster than populations can recover. When a stock collapses, the effects ripple through the food web:
- Predators lose their food source
- Prey populations explode
- The entire ecosystem can destabilize.
Bycatch compounds the problem. Even in well-managed fisheries, a significant share of what’s caught can be non-target species, including endangered sea turtles, seabirds, and juvenile fish. Choosing seafood from fisheries that use selective gear helps reduce this collateral damage.
As of the most recent national assessment, only about 35% of Canada’s key fish stocks are in the healthy zone, while 16% are in the critical zone, meaning they’re at risk of collapse and require active rebuilding.
Buying sustainably sourced seafood reduces pressure on those struggling populations.
Supporting fishing communities
Sustainability isn’t only about fish. It’s about the people who catch them. Fair working conditions, safe vessels, and protection from exploitation are part of what “sustainable” means in practice.
When you buy seafood with a credible certification like Ocean Wise or MSC, you’re also supporting the labour standards that protect the workers behind the product.
In Canada, this also means acknowledging the cultural and economic importance of fishing to Indigenous communities. The push toward Indigenous-led, selective harvest methods is part of a broader effort to restore both fish populations and community food security.
Ensuring seafood for the future
Fish populations can recover if they’re given the chance. Canada’s Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative has already restored over 15.7 million square metres of wild salmon habitat since 2021, and has supported selective harvest methods that allow harvesters to target abundant stocks while releasing vulnerable ones unharmed.
A fully recovered northern cod fishery is projected to generate 16 times more jobs and produce five times its current value compared to today’s limited harvest. Taking pressure off depleted stocks makes the fishing industry viable for the long term.
How sustainable seafood is caught or farmed
Not all fishing methods are created equal. How seafood is harvested matters as much as where it comes from.
Line-caught and trap-caught fishing are among the most selective methods available. A troll or pole-caught tuna, for example, targets one fish at a time, which means minimal bycatch and no damage to the ocean floor. Trap-caught sablefish from BC and Alaska is another strong example of using well-managed stocks and gear that reduces unintended catch.
Bottom trawling sits at the other end of the spectrum. Heavy nets dragged across the seafloor can destroy coral reefs and sponge habitats that serve as nursery grounds for juvenile fish. These ecosystems can take decades to recover.
Aquaculture, also known as fish farming, has a complicated reputation, and it’s rooted in real concerns. Early farming practices caused genuine problems, such as sea lice, spreading disease to wild populations, and water pollution.
Modern, responsibly managed farms have changed significantly. Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) treat and reuse water in closed environments, virtually eliminating the risk of disease transmission to wild fish. Shellfish and seaweed farming are even better: filter feeders like mussels and oysters require no feed, actively clean the surrounding water, and sequester carbon.
The key is to look at the specific farm or fishery, not just the category. A well-run salmon farm is a better choice than a poorly managed wild fishery, and vice versa.
How to identify sustainable seafood
Third-party labels exist because supply chains are complex and consumers can’t realistically audit every fishery themselves. A trusted certification does that work for you.
Two programs dominate the Canadian market: the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Ocean Wise Seafood. Both are positive signals, but they work differently.
What is the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification?
MSC is a global, third-party certification program that focuses exclusively on wild-caught fisheries. To earn the blue MSC ecolabel, a fishery must pass a rigorous, multi-year scientific audit that assesses three things:
- Fish stock health.
- The fishery’s impact on the broader environment.
- The fishery’s management system’s effectiveness.
The MSC certification’s “Chain of Custody” standard is particularly strong. Every step of the supply chain is audited, so a product carrying the blue label can be traced directly back to its certified fishery. DNA testing shows the mislabelling rate for MSC products is less than 1%.
Keep in mind that MSC certification is fishery- and species-specific. A certified tuna fishery in one region doesn’t mean all tuna everywhere is MSC-certified. The label on the package tells you that the exact source has been verified.
Fresh Prep partners with the MSC to offer certified sustainable seafood on our menu. When you see the blue MSC label, you know the fish is sustainably caught, legally harvested, and fully traceable.
What is Ocean Wise?
Ocean Wise is a recommendation program based at the Vancouver Aquarium. Rather than conducting its own fishery audits, Ocean Wise evaluates existing scientific data against sustainability criteria developed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program.
Unlike MSC, Ocean Wise covers both wild-caught and farmed seafood, which gives it a broader scope. Look for the Ocean Wise symbol on menus and at retail counters. It’s a straightforward signal that the product meets a recognized sustainability standard.
Fresh Prep also carries Ocean Wise-recommended seafood, which means you have clear guidance whether you’re choosing fish from our menu or shopping for yourself.
MSC vs. Ocean Wise: what’s the difference?
The two programs complement each other rather than compete. Here’s a quick comparison:
| Feature | MSC | Ocean Wise |
|---|---|---|
| Program type | Third-party certification | Recommendation program |
| Seafood types | Wild-caught only | Wild and farmed |
| How it works | Multi-year scientific audit | Scientific review of existing data |
| Where you see it | Product labels (blue fish logo) | Menu symbols and retail case labels |
| Focus | Stock health, management, and habitat | Overfishing, pollution, and climate change |
Seeing either label is a positive signal. They’re both credible and consumer-facing, and they often overlap. Many products carry both designations; if you see one, you’re making a great choice. If you see both, even better.
By offering MSC-certified and Ocean Wise-recommended seafood, Fresh Prep is choosing suppliers that meet recognized sustainability standards and making it easier for you to do the same without extra homework.
Learn more about Fresh Prep’s sustainability commitments
Common sustainable seafood choices
If you’re not sure where to start, a few seafood options consistently earn strong sustainability ratings in Canada and are worth having on regular rotation.
- Mussels and oysters are among the most sustainable proteins on the planet. Farmed shellfish require no feed, produce no waste discharge, and actively filter the water around them. They’re also an excellent source of protein, omega-3s, and zinc.
- Arctic char farmed in Canada or Norway is another strong choice. Efficient farming systems and low pollution risk make it a reliable option for anyone looking to eat more seafood without the environmental guesswork.
- Sablefish (black cod) from BC and Alaska, caught by trap, is well-managed and a good example of what a responsible wild fishery looks like. Trap fishing reduces bycatch of non-target species considerably compared to net-based methods.
- Pacific cod from Alaska, caught by hook and line, is another consistently good choice. Strong stock management and low-impact gear make it a reliable option.
- Albacore tuna caught by troll or pole in the Pacific avoids the bycatch issues associated with longline tuna fishing, which can entangle sharks, sea turtles, and dolphins as unintended catch.
A few species are worth approaching more carefully:
- Snow crab has been recently downgraded in Canada due to stock decline concerns.
- Farmed Atlantic salmon from open-net pen operations in Canada and Norway are still rated “not recommended” by many conservation groups due to ongoing risks of sea lice and disease transmission to wild populations, though improvements are being made.
The goal isn’t perfection. Eating a variety of seafood, including lesser-known options, takes pressure off the few heavily consumed stocks and makes the overall food system more resilient.
How to choose sustainable seafood without overthinking it
The most important thing is to make a start. Every good choice counts, and you don’t need to overhaul every meal to make a difference.
Having said that, there are a few practical approaches that hold up in real life:
- Look for a label. The MSC blue fish label and the Ocean Wise symbol are the two most reliable markers in Canadian stores and restaurants. If you see either one, you can feel confident in your choice.
- Try something new. About 80% of the seafood consumed in Western markets comes from just five species: cod, haddock, salmon, tuna, and prawns. That concentration puts enormous pressure on a narrow slice of the ocean. Trying sardines, mussels, Arctic char, or sablefish takes pressure off overworked stocks and often turns up something genuinely delicious.
- Don’t fear the frozen aisle. Flash-frozen seafood is often more sustainable than fresh. Fish frozen at sea preserves peak flavour and nutrition, reduces spoilage waste, and enables sea transport rather than air freight, which has a significantly lower carbon footprint.
- Ask when in doubt. If labelling is vague, it’s fair to ask your fishmonger or grocer: “Where was this caught, and was it wild or farmed?” Any credible retailer should be able to answer.
For more ways to make your kitchen a little greener, learn how to make everyday meals greener with sustainable cooking.
Fresh Prep makes choosing sustainable seafood simple
Every piece of seafood on your plate comes from somewhere. Choosing thoughtfully, which includes looking at labels, trying new varieties, and asking questions at the counter, adds up across millions of households.
Canada’s ocean resources are recoverable. Fish stocks can be rebuilt. The fishing communities that depend on healthy waters can continue to thrive. But that depends on demand. When consumers ask for sustainable seafood, retailers source it, and fisheries have a financial reason to do the right thing.
Fresh Prep makes the choice easier by doing the sourcing work for you. Our seafood is MSC-certified or Ocean Wise-recommended, which means you can cook confidently without the homework.
Explore this week’s Fresh Prep menu to start making more sustainable choices at mealtime.
