Ordering fish at a restaurant sounds like a healthy, delicious choice. Maybe you're craving a perfectly grilled salmon fillet, a plate of fish and chips, or a beautiful piece of seared tuna.
But here's something many seafood lovers don't realize: the type of fish you order, where it comes from, and how it was caught or farmed can make a real difference.
Some fish contain higher levels of mercury than others. Certain species face sustainability concerns, while some seafood products raise questions about farming practices, traceability, or how accurately the fish is labeled.
And no, this doesn't mean you need to give up seafood!
Fish can be an excellent source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and other important nutrients. The goal is simply to make more informed choices when you're scanning a restaurant menu.
So, before you order your next seafood dinner, here are 10 fish worth thinking twice about—and what you can choose instead.
1. Tilapia From Unverified Sources
Tilapia is one of the most popular fish served in restaurants, and it's easy to understand why. It has a mild flavor, a firm texture, and a price that often makes it an attractive alternative to more expensive seafood.
But tilapia has developed a questionable reputation, partly because it's frequently described as a bottom-feeding fish.
Here's the important distinction: being a bottom-feeding fish doesn't automatically make tilapia unhealthy or unsafe to eat.
Tilapia is farmed in many countries, and its quality depends on factors such as water conditions, feed, farm management, and food-safety controls. Responsible aquaculture can produce perfectly acceptable fish.
The bigger concern is knowing where your tilapia comes from and whether it's produced under appropriate standards.
Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch guide recommends choosing tilapia from certain sources and looking for recognized certifications, while advising consumers to avoid some less sustainable options, including tilapia from China in its U.S.-focused guide. Recommendations can change as farming practices and assessments change. (Seafood Watch)
What to Order Instead
If tilapia is on the menu, ask whether the restaurant knows its source. U.S.-farmed catfish, responsibly sourced trout, or well-managed Pacific cod may be alternatives worth considering.
You don't have to avoid tilapia simply because it's farmed. The source and production practices matter far more than the label alone.
2. Atlantic Cod From Poorly Managed Fisheries
Few dishes are as comforting as classic fish and chips. That flaky white fish inside a crisp, golden coating is hard to resist!
Atlantic cod has long been a favorite for this kind of meal, but some fisheries have experienced serious declines because of historical overfishing and other pressures.
That doesn't mean every Atlantic cod fishery is currently unsustainable. Management, fishing methods, and population conditions vary by location.
The challenge for restaurant customers is that menus often list only "cod," leaving out the details needed to judge its environmental impact.
Why the Source Matters
Pacific cod from Alaska is frequently identified as a preferred sustainable option by Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program. Some Atlantic cod sources can also be reasonable choices, depending on the fishery and harvesting method. (Seafood Watch's popular seafood guide)
If you're concerned about sustainability, ask whether the restaurant serves Pacific cod, whether its seafood is certified, or whether it can identify the fishery.
What to Order Instead
Look for Pacific cod from Alaska or another clearly identified, responsibly managed source. Certified haddock may also be an option, depending on where it was caught.
The lesson isn't that Atlantic cod should always be avoided. It's that the name of the fish alone doesn't tell you the whole story.
3. Farmed Atlantic Salmon Without Clear Sourcing
Salmon is often considered a nutritional superstar, and for good reason. It provides high-quality protein and beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.
But not all salmon comes from the same environment or production system.
Wild salmon lives in natural waterways and the ocean, while farmed Atlantic salmon is raised in aquaculture systems. These different environments can affect the fish's diet, nutritional composition, environmental footprint, and production methods.
One common misconception is that farmed salmon is artificially colored to make it pink.
The reality is more nuanced.
Salmon gets its characteristic pink or orange color from carotenoid pigments, including astaxanthin, which occur naturally in its food. Farmed salmon may receive these pigments through formulated feed, while wild salmon obtains them through its natural diet.
That doesn't automatically make farmed salmon unsafe or nutritionally inferior.
Both farmed and wild salmon can be nutritious choices, and their nutrient profiles vary with diet and other factors.
What About Environmental Concerns?
Some salmon farming operations raise concerns involving waste, parasites, escapes, disease management, or the sourcing of feed. The seriousness of these concerns varies by location and production method.
Seafood Watch recommends looking for specific sources and certifications rather than treating all farmed Atlantic salmon as identical. Its guidance identifies some farmed salmon sources as better choices than others. (Seafood Watch)
What to Order Instead
Wild salmon from well-managed fisheries can be an excellent option. Responsibly farmed salmon can be, too.
If the restaurant offers information about the farm, region, or certification, use it. Don't assume that "wild" always means sustainable or that "farmed" automatically means inferior.
4. Bluefin Tuna
Bluefin tuna is prized for its rich flavor, buttery texture, and melt-in-your-mouth quality. In sushi restaurants, certain cuts can be especially expensive and highly sought after.
Unfortunately, bluefin tuna also raises significant conservation concerns.
Different bluefin species and fisheries have different population histories and management conditions, so it's inaccurate to describe every bluefin tuna population as equally endangered.
Nevertheless, some bluefin sources carry substantial environmental risks.
For example, Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch rates Atlantic bluefin tuna farmed in Mediterranean marine net pens as an option to avoid because the production system relies on vulnerable wild stocks and has other environmental concerns. (Seafood Watch's Atlantic bluefin recommendation)
Why You May Want to Skip It
When a fish is highly valued and demand is strong, fishing pressure can create additional challenges for conservation and management.
If the menu simply says "bluefin tuna" without explaining the species, origin, or sourcing method, you may not have enough information to make an informed sustainability choice.
What to Order Instead
Consider albacore tuna caught using recommended methods, or another tuna species from a well-managed fishery.
For sushi, ask the restaurant what species it serves and where the fish comes from. A responsible restaurant should be willing to provide whatever sourcing information it has available.
5. Orange Roughy
