Three conservation groups will release their guides to sustainable sushi next week in an effort to inspire sushi consumers to take ocean and species health into consideration when deciding what to eat. “Every sushi restaurant serves some sustainable items. We’ve created the tools so people can find those good choices — and enjoy them!” said Seafood Watch’s Sheila Bowman. “If you care about the future of the oceans, you’ll want to use the pocket guides and avoid red-listed sushi.” Blue Ocean Institute, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium have already released general sustainable seafood guides, but the sushi-only guidance targets a specific demographic — sushi-lovers who often “leave their sustainability conscience at the door when they walk into a sushi restaurant.” The guides include both English and Japanese names to help with identification. According to the guides, top sustainable sushi eats include U.S.-farmed abalone (awabi), albacore tuna from North America (shiro maguro), and farmed Arctic char (iwana). Poor sushi choices include bluefin tuna (toro), monkfish (ankoh), red snapper (tai), and freshwater eel (unagi).
