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What fish are not overfished? No fish species is universally guaranteed to be not overfished: the answer applies to a defined stock, meaning a species in a particular geographic area under a particular fishery, not to every product sold under its common name. Check the species, origin, fishing or farming method, and current assessment.
The practical answer is to choose a specific fishery or product with a current favorable stock assessment, a Seafood Watch Best Choice or Certified recommendation, or credible MSC certification. As the Marine Stewardship Council says, “there is no such thing as sustainable species, only sustainable stocks.”
Key takeaways
- Not overfished applies to a defined stock, not automatically to every fish sold under the same species name.
- According to NOAA Fisheries’ 2024 stock-status report, 221 of 263 U.S. stocks with known overfished status were not overfished at the end of 2024.
- According to NOAA Fisheries (2024), 349 of 372 U.S. stocks with known overfishing status were not subject to overfishing at the end of 2024.
- A useful seafood check requires the species, geographic origin, and fishing or farming method.
- Seafood Watch provides consumer recommendations, while the MSC blue fish label identifies a specific certified wild-capture product and its traceable fishery.
- Population status, bycatch, habitat effects, aquaculture practices, certification, mercury, price, and availability are separate considerations.
What is the difference between overfished and overfishing?
Overfished describes the size of a fish stock; overfishing describes the rate at which people are catching it. A stock can have a population that is currently too low while its fishing rate is controlled, or it can face excessive fishing pressure before its population falls below the overfished threshold.
NOAA Fisheries defines overfished as: “A stock having a population size that is too low and that jeopardizes the stock’s ability to produce its MSY.” NOAA’s stock-status report uses MSY, or maximum sustainable yield, as part of this federal assessment framework.
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| Status | What it tells you | What it does not tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Overfished | The defined stock’s population is below the level needed to produce maximum sustainable yield. | It does not describe every stock with the same common name or every environmental effect of the fishery. |
| Subject to overfishing | The current harvest rate is too high for the stock’s management reference point. | It does not necessarily mean the stock has already fallen below the overfished population threshold. |
| Neither status | The assessed stock is not currently classified as overfished or subject to overfishing under the applicable reference points. | It does not automatically prove low bycatch, low habitat impact, good traceability, or low mercury. |
| Unknown status | The available assessment does not establish a current determination for that stock. | Unknown should not be treated as proof that the fishery is safe or sustainable. |
How many U.S. fish stocks are not overfished?
According to NOAA Fisheries (2024), 221 of 263 U.S. stocks with known overfished status were not overfished at the end of 2024. The same report says 349 of 372 stocks with known overfishing status were not subject to overfishing. These are stock-level results, not a list of universally safe fish species.
According to NOAA Fisheries (2024), 23 U.S. stocks were subject to overfishing and 42 U.S. stocks were overfished at the end of 2024. The denominators matter: the figures cover stocks with known status, and a retail label such as tuna, salmon, or cod can represent several different stocks, fishing areas, and methods.
Use NOAA when the question concerns a U.S.-managed stock. NOAA’s Status of Stocks information provides the official federal determinations based on stock assessments, abundance, fishing intensity, and reference points. NOAA’s result for one defined stock is not necessarily the result for every product sold under the same common name.
What is the global picture for overfishing?
The worldwide answer depends on whether the measure counts assessed stocks or counts the volume of seafood landed. According to the FAO’s 2026 global aquatic-food summary, 62.4% of assessed global stocks were considered biologically sustainable in the cited comparison, down from 64.5%, while 72.6% of landings came from sustainably fished stocks.
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Why is there no universal list of fish that are not overfished?
The Marine Stewardship Council puts the central issue plainly: “there is no such thing as sustainable species, only sustainable stocks.” A common name can conceal multiple species, stocks, oceans, countries, gear types, and production systems. MSC’s guidance on sustainable species therefore directs attention to the particular fishery rather than the species name alone.
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Seafood Watch gives shoppers the same practical test: identify the species, origin, and fishing or farming method before checking a recommendation. A product described only as salmon, tuna, shrimp, or cod may not contain enough information to match it to a current assessment.
- Species: Find the exact species if the package, menu, or fish counter provides it. Salmon, tuna, cod, and snapper are broad commercial names that may cover more than one species or stock.
- Origin: Look for the country, ocean region, body of water, or named fishery. The same species can have different assessments in different places.
- Method: Determine whether the seafood is wild-caught or farmed and, when available, identify the gear or farming system. Gear affects bycatch and habitat, while aquaculture requires a different evaluation from a wild fishery.
Which fish and seafood can be reasonable choices?
No item in the table below is a species-wide guarantee. These categories have some certified or favorable options, but the recommendation belongs to the particular stock, fishery, farm, origin, and product that can be verified.
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| Seafood category | What the available guidance supports | What to verify before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Sardines | Some sardine fisheries appear among MSC-certified sustainable fisheries. | Confirm the labeled product, fishery, origin, and certification rather than relying on sardines as a species name. |
| Salmon | Some salmon fisheries are certified or favorably rated, while other salmon fisheries and farming systems have different environmental profiles. | Check wild or farmed production, origin, current recommendation, and any certification. |
| Cod and halibut | MSC identifies certified fisheries involving cod and halibut. | Match the product to the certified fishery and supply chain; do not assume every cod or halibut fishery qualifies. |
| Oysters and other shellfish | MSC identifies oysters among species with certified fisheries, and Seafood Watch evaluates aquaculture and wild fisheries separately. | Check whether the oysters are farmed or wild and which current standard or recommendation covers them. |
| Shrimp and squid | MSC lists shrimp and squid among species with certified fisheries. | Verify location, production or capture method, bycatch concerns, and the individual product’s certification or rating. |
| Tuna | Some tuna products carry MSC certification, but tuna is not automatically sustainable by species name. | Check the tuna stock, origin, gear, current recommendation, and whether the specific package carries the MSC label. |
Common retail categories such as Alaska pollock, farmed tilapia, and farmed catfish should also not be presented as universally safe without checking the current stock or farm rating. Official assessments and consumer recommendations can change, and a familiar product category may include multiple fisheries or production systems.
Which seafood guide should you use?
The best tool depends on the decision you are making. NOAA answers a U.S. federal stock-status question; Seafood Watch translates species, origin, and method into consumer recommendations; MSC certification helps identify a specific certified wild-caught product and traceable fishery.
| Tool or label | Best question it answers | What it evaluates or shows | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOAA Fisheries | Is this defined U.S.-managed stock overfished or subject to overfishing? | Stock assessments, abundance, fishing intensity, and management reference points. | It is authoritative for the defined stock, not automatically for every retail product with the same common name and not a complete ecosystem-impact rating. |
| Seafood Watch | What should I choose at a grocery store or restaurant? | Species, place of origin, fishing method, farming method, and environmental risk under the program’s methodology. | A recommendation is tied to the particular combination of species, origin, and method; it is not a permanent species label. |
| Seafood Watch: Best Choice | Which option should I buy first? | Green-rated seafood with low environmental risk under Seafood Watch’s methodology. | Confirm that the product’s species, origin, and method match the listed recommendation. |
| Seafood Watch: Good Alternative | What can I buy when a Best Choice is unavailable? | A choice with some remaining environmental issue or uncertainty. | It is not equivalent to the program’s Best Choice recommendation. |
| Seafood Watch: Avoid | Which current recommendations say to pass? | Seafood for which the program identifies high environmental risk under its methodology. | The recommendation still applies to the specific species, origin, and method, not necessarily every fish with that common name. |
| MSC blue fish label | Does this specific wild-caught product come from a certified fishery? | Independent assessment against the MSC Fisheries Standard, including healthy stocks, environmental impact, management, and traceability. | Inspect the individual package or menu item. Not every product sold by a listed brand is necessarily MSC certified. |
Start with the Seafood Watch guide when you are deciding what to order or buy. The program’s consumer guidance is especially useful because it tells shoppers to gather the species, origin, and fishing or farming method before checking the recommendation.
How can you tell if seafood is sustainable at the grocery store?
Use this sequence instead of choosing from a permanent list of supposedly safe species.
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- Read beyond the common name. Write down the exact species, not just fish, tuna, snapper, or shrimp.
- Find the origin. Record the country, ocean, region, or named fishery. Ask the fish counter for the source if the package does not provide it.
- Identify wild or farmed production. For wild seafood, look for the gear type when available. For farmed seafood, look for the farming origin or system and use an aquaculture-specific recommendation.
- Check Seafood Watch. Match all three details to the current recommendation. Best Choice is the first option, Good Alternative is a fallback, and Avoid means the current recommendation is to pass.
- Look for the MSC blue fish label. The MSC label is useful evidence for a specific labeled product, but the label must be checked on the package or menu item rather than inferred from a brand or species name.
- Use NOAA for U.S. stock status. If the seafood comes from a U.S.-managed fishery, compare the defined stock with NOAA’s current overfished and overfishing determinations.
- Choose the better-documented option. If the species, origin, or method cannot be established well enough to check, choose a product with clearer information or ask the seller for those details.
What should you compare when two seafood choices are available?
Compare more than whether a stock is labeled overfished. A seafood choice can have favorable population status and still raise concerns about bycatch or habitat, while a farmed product may be assessed under a different standard from a wild fishery.
| Comparison point | Question to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Stock biomass | Is the defined stock’s population above the relevant reference point? | Biomass helps indicate whether the stock is overfished, but it does not describe every ecosystem effect. |
| Fishing mortality | Is the current harvest rate below the level associated with overfishing? | A stock can have acceptable current abundance while excessive fishing pressure threatens its future status. |
| Geographic origin | Which country, ocean region, body of water, or named fishery produced it? | Origin can change the stock assessment, management rules, gear, and recommendation. |
| Gear and bycatch | How was the wild fish caught, and what other animals or habitats can the gear affect? | Stock status alone does not capture bycatch or gear-specific environmental impacts. |
| Habitat effects | Does the capture method affect seafloor or other sensitive habitat? | A favorable stock assessment does not automatically mean low habitat impact. |
| Wild versus farmed | Is the product evaluated as a wild fishery or as an aquaculture operation? | Wild fisheries and farms use different evidence, standards, and environmental questions. |
| Certification and traceability | Can the package or menu item be connected to an independent certification and a documented supply chain? | Traceability helps prevent a broad brand or species claim from being mistaken for certification of the individual product. |
| Human health | Are mercury or other health considerations relevant to this seafood and this diner? | Health advice is separate from sustainability. A green environmental rating is not a mercury or nutrition clearance. |
| Practicality | What are the price, seasonality, and local availability? | A realistic choice must be both environmentally defensible and available at a price the shopper can accept. |
Is farmed fish better than wild-caught fish?
Neither farmed nor wild-caught fish is automatically the more sustainable choice; the answer depends on the exact species, place, method, management, and environmental impacts. Seafood Watch evaluates aquaculture and wild fisheries separately, so a farmed fish should not be judged by a wild stock-status label alone.
For wild-caught seafood, examine stock biomass, fishing mortality, gear, bycatch, habitat, origin, and management. For farmed seafood, examine the farming system, species, location, environmental controls, and applicable recommendation or certification. Comparing a farmed product with a wild product requires matching those different standards rather than assuming that one production label settles the question.
Is salmon sustainable?
Some salmon fisheries are certified or favorably rated, but salmon is not universally sustainable by species name. Check whether the product is wild or farmed, identify its origin, and match the product to a current Seafood Watch recommendation or credible certification.
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Tuna cannot be classified accurately from the word tuna alone. Some tuna products carry MSC certification, but the relevant answer depends on the tuna species, stock, origin, gear, management, and the specific product’s current recommendation.
For tuna, especially, do not treat a familiar label or a brand name as proof of a favorable stock status. Look for enough information to identify the fishery and check the MSC blue fish label guidance or the current Seafood Watch recommendation.
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What seafood should you avoid?
There is no permanent worldwide avoid list that substitutes for a current fishery-level check. If Seafood Watch assigns the specific combination of species, origin, and method an Avoid recommendation, pass on that product when a better-documented alternative is available.
You should also be cautious when a seller cannot identify the species, origin, or fishing or farming method. Unclear documentation prevents a reliable comparison. Choosing a current Best Choice, Good Alternative, Certified product, or another well-documented favorable option is more defensible than relying on a species reputation.
Does a sustainable seafood label answer health questions?
No. Sustainability labels and stock assessments address environmental or fishery-management questions, while mercury and other human-health considerations require separate advice. A product can have favorable environmental documentation without being the preferred choice for every diner, age group, or health circumstance.
Price, seasonality, and availability also belong in the decision. The most useful choice is the one whose environmental claims can be checked and whose health, cost, and supply fit the person buying it.
Resources for choosing and understanding seafood
For a practical cookbook that combines sustainable-seafood buying guidance with recipes, consider The Blue Food Cookbook: Delicious Seafood Recipes for a Sustainable Future. It is an optional cooking resource, not evidence that any particular fishery, farm, or product is sustainable; verify the seafood choice separately with NOAA, Seafood Watch, or MSC.
Readers who want broader context on fisheries, aquaculture, aquatic food systems, and sustainability can also look for Hope in the Water. Streaming availability was not verified here, so check the services available in your country before planning to watch it.
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The most sustainable choice is not a universally approved species; it is a specific, currently documented product from a favorable stock, fishery, or farm. Give priority to a current Seafood Watch Best Choice or Certified recommendation, or to a product carrying the MSC blue fish label when its species, origin, method, and supply chain match the claim.
If those details are missing, do not guess from the common name. Ask the seller for the species, origin, and fishing or farming method, then choose the better-documented alternative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is salmon sustainable?
Some salmon fisheries are certified or favorably rated, but salmon is not universally sustainable. Check whether the salmon is wild or farmed, identify its origin, and match the product to a current Seafood Watch recommendation or certification.
Is tuna overfished?
Tuna cannot be classified accurately from the word tuna alone. Some tuna products carry MSC certification, but the answer depends on the species, stock, origin, gear, management, and specific product.
Is farmed fish better than wild-caught fish?
Neither farmed nor wild-caught fish is automatically more sustainable. Wild fisheries and aquaculture are evaluated using different evidence, so compare the exact species, origin, method, environmental impacts, and current recommendation.
What seafood should I avoid?
Use the current Seafood Watch recommendation for the exact species, origin, and fishing or farming method. If Seafood Watch lists that combination as Avoid, or if the seller cannot provide enough information to check it, choose a better-documented alternative.
Does the MSC blue fish label prove that every fish of that species is sustainable?
The MSC blue fish label indicates that the specific labeled wild-caught seafood comes from a fishery independently assessed against the MSC Fisheries Standard, including requirements for healthy stocks, environmental impact, management, and traceability. The label does not apply automatically to every product sold by a brand or to every fish of the same species.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: No fish species is guaranteed to be not overfished everywhere. Choose by defined stock or farm, origin, and method; then verify the current assessment with NOAA, Seafood Watch, or the specific product’s MSC blue fish label.
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