Eat Fish Wisely

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Fish is an excellent source of protein and omega oils. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), 20% of animal protein in the human diet comes the oceans1. Unfortunately, the fish in our oceans are being over-harvested and are contaminated with mercury.
NPS.gov 
In order to help consumers make better decisions about the fish they eat, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sorted the most popular types of fish into three categories: Best Choices, Good Choices, and Fish to Avoid2. Good news: 90% of fish eaten in the USA fall under the Best Choices category3.
Best Choice - Commonly eaten fish include: canned light tuna, tilapia, shrimp, salmon, cod, catfish, and Pollock4.
Fish to Avoid – King mackerel, Marlin, Orange roughy, Shark, Swordfish, Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico), and Bigeye Tuna5.
The complete list of fish is found here.
For women of child-bearing age (16-49), pregnant women, and children, the FDA recommends eating 2-3 servings per week (adult serving size: 8-12 ounces) of fish from the Best Choices category, which are lower-mercury fish or 1 serving per week of fish from the Good Choices category6.
Conservation
Our oceans are suffering from pollution, oil spills, acidification, and over-harvesting of seafood.
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing is an international problem. As a consumer, we are responsible for knowing where the seafood we eat originates. Was it harvested from the ocean or was it farmed? Did the fishing company following UN Food and Agriculture Organization guidelines while harvesting the seafood? As a consumer, it’s hard to know the answer to these questions. Fortunately, the Monterey Bay Aquarium developed Seafood Watch http://www.seafoodwatch.org/ to help consumers make better decisions about their seafood consumption.  
As consumers, we can help reduce ocean pollution and acidification by reducing our carbon footprint through conscious decisions about how we use our natural resources.
Questions about natural resource conservation? Email Amy Bradley, MNR
References:
1 NOAA. n.d. Ocean & coasts education resources. http://www.noaa.gov/resource-collections/ocean-coasts-education-resources  
2, 3, 6. FDA and EPA issue final fish consumption advice. 2017.  https://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm537362.htm  
4, 5 Food and Drug Administration. 2017. Advice about eating fish. https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/UCM536321.pdf

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