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What to keep in mind while shopping for tuna.
There are five distinct tuna species that are typically consumed as food: skipjack, albacore, yellowfin, bigeye, and bluefin tuna. Throw in a slew of fishing methods, each with their own environmental impacts, and choosing sustainable tuna can become downright daunting.
Here are the basics.
- Prioritize sustainable fishing methods. When buying canned tuna, look for labels that explicitly state “pole-caught,” “pole-and-line,” “troll-caught,” “FAD-free,” “free school,” or “school-caught.”
- Try something other than bluefin and bigeye tuna. Bluefin tuna is severely overfished globally, so it is best to choose something else. Many sustainability guides also recommend avoiding bigeye tuna because of the high likelihood that the fish comes from unsustainable fisheries.
- Pay attention to origin. For skipjack, albacore, and yellowfin tuna, stocks are often overfished in the Indian Ocean, so steer clear of fish imported from that region.
- Stick to trusted retailers and brands. Your best bet may be to find retailers and brands that you trust and that have strong sustainable-seafood policies. Brands like American Tuna, Fishing Vessel St. Jude, Ocean Naturals, Safe Catch, Wild Planet, and Whole Foods 365 sell sustainable options. If buying fresh at the seafood counter or at a restaurant, be sure to ask about their sourcing.
- Beware of misleading terms on labels. Vague terms like “dolphin-safe” do not guarantee that the tuna is sustainable, and “line-caught” can refer to harmful longlines.
Take a deep-dive with the full story. Learn more about What’s So Bad About Tuna.
