UK-based Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Guide uses scientific information from reputable and peer-reviewed sources to generate ratings for over 140 different species. Wild capture ratings are reviewed annually and farmed ratings are reviewed every three years, and updated ratings are released on a biannual basis. Rating updates from 2022 can be found here.
Winter 2023
Species Name | Origin | Method | Old GFG Rating | New GFG Rating |
Alaska Pollock | Bering Sea (West) | Pelagic Trawl | UNDER REVIEW | |
Albacore Tuna | Indian Ocean | Longline | ||
Pacific Ocean - North | Longline | |||
Pole & Line | ||||
Troll | ||||
Pacific Ocean - North (MSC) | Pole & Line | |||
American Lobster | USA - Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank | Pot/Trap/Creel | ||
USA - Southern New England | Pot/Trap/Creel | |||
Angel Shark | Atlantic Ocean - Northeast | Gillnet | ||
Beam Trawl | ||||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna | Atlantic Ocean (East) & Mediterranean | Fish Trap | ||
Handline | ||||
Pole & Line | ||||
Longline | ||||
Purse Seine | ||||
Ring Net | ||||
Atlantic Cod | Celtic Sea (South), English Channel (West) | Beam Trawl | ||
Bottom Trawl | ||||
Beam Trawl | ||||
Handline | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Demersal Seine Net | ||||
Faroe Plateau | Otter Trawl | |||
Jig | ||||
Longline | ||||
United Kingdom (Cornwall) | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Handline | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Black-Bellied Monkfish
|
North Sea, Rockall and West of Scotland, Kattegat and Skagerrak (FIP) | Otter Trawl | ||
Gillnet | ||||
Blonde Ray | Irish Sea, Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea (North) | Beam Trawl | ||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Irish Sea, Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea (North) (NDFA) | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Western Channel | Otter Trawl | |||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Blue Mussel | Dorset (Southern IFCA District) | Dredge | UNDER REVIEW | |
Northern Ireland (MSC) | Dredge | |||
Brown Crab | England - Celtic Sea (Cornwall) | Gillnet | UNDER REVIEW | |
Pot/Trap/Creel | UNDER REVIEW | |||
Western Channel (Cornwall) | Gillnet | UNDER REVIEW | ||
Pot/Trap/Creel | UNDER REVIEW | |||
Cape Hake | South Africa (MSC) | Otter Trawl | ||
Coley | Faroe Grounds (MSC) | Otter Trawl | ||
Common Cuttlefish | France - English Channel and Celtic Seas | Beam Trawl | ||
Otter Trawl | ||||
English Channel and Celtic Sea (Inshore) | Pot/Trap/Creel | |||
English Channel and Celtic Sea (Offshore) | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Otter Trawl | |||
Pot/Trap/Creel | ||||
Beam Trawl | ||||
Common Whelk | Isle of Man | Pot/Trap/Creel | ||
Scotland (excluding Shetland) | Pot/Trap/Creel | |||
Scotland (Shetland) | Pot/Trap/Creel | |||
Conger Eel | United Kingdom - Cornwall | Longline | ||
Pole & Line | ||||
Pot/Trap/Creel | ||||
Cuckoo Ray | West of Scotland, Celtic Sea (South), Western Channel and Bay of Biscay | Otter Trawl | ||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Dab | North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat | Beam Trawl | ||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Demersal Seine | ||||
Dover Sole | Celtic Sea (South), Southwest of Ireland | Beam Trawl | ||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Eastern Channel | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Demersal Seine | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
European Eel | Europe | RAS Closed System | ||
Atlantic Ocean - Northeast | Pot/Trap/Creel | |||
Electrical Fishing | ||||
Pole & Line | ||||
Demersal Seine | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Gillnet | |||
European Lobster | United Kingdom - Cornwall | Gillnet | ||
Pot/Trap/Creel | ||||
Gilthead Bream | European Union and Turkey | Open Net Pen - Marine | ||
European Union and Turkey (GLOBALG.A.P.) | Open Net Pen - Marine | |||
European Union and Turkey (ASC) | Open Net Pen - Marine | |||
European Union and Turkey (BAP 3-star) | Open Net Pen - Marine | |||
European Union and Turkey (BAP 4-star) | Open Net Pen - Marine | |||
Grey Mullet | United Kingdom - Cornwall | Beach Seine | ||
Gillnet | ||||
Haddock | Celtic Sea (South), Western Channel | Beam Trawl | ||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Faroe Grounds (MSC) | Longline | |||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Herring | North Sea Autumn Spawners - North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat, Eastern Channel (MSC) | Pelagic Trawl | ||
North Sea, Eastern Channel | Drift Net | |||
Pelagic Trawl | ||||
Purse Seine | ||||
Ring Net | ||||
Skagerrak and Kattegat | Purse Seine | |||
Ring Net | ||||
Pelagic Trawl | ||||
Horse Mackerel | Norwegian Sea, North Sea (North), Celtic Sea, Cantabrian Sea, English Channel (South), Bay of Biscay | Pelagic Trawl | ||
Purse Seine | ||||
Ring Net | ||||
Japanese Flying Squid | Japan Sea and Pacific Coast | Pelagic Trawl | ||
Keta Salmon | Alaska (MSC) | Gillnet | ||
Beach Seine | ||||
Purse Seine | ||||
Ring Net | ||||
Mackerel | Northeast Atlantic Ocean and Adjacent Waters | Purse Seine | ||
Ring Net | ||||
Pelagic Trawl | ||||
United Kingdom - Southwest | Handline | |||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Gillnet | |||
Purse Seine | ||||
Ring Net | ||||
Handline | ||||
Manila Clam | United Kingdom | Bottom Culture | ||
Meagre | European Union and Turkey | Open Net Pen - Marine | UNDER REVIEW | |
European Union and Turkey (ASC) | Open Net Pen - Marine | UNDER REVIEW | ||
European Union and Turkey (BAP 3-star) | Open Net Pen - Marine | UNDER REVIEW | ||
European Union and Turkey (BAP 4-star) | Open Net Pen - Marine | UNDER REVIEW | ||
European Union and Turkey (GLOBALG.A.P.) | Open Net Pen - Marine | UNDER REVIEW | ||
Megrim | Rockall | Otter Trawl | ||
Pacific Bluefin Tuna | Pacific Ocean | Purse Seine (Floating Object) | ||
Purse Seine (Unassociated) | ||||
Longline | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Troll | ||||
Pacific Cod | Aleutian Islands (MSC) | Otter Trawl | ||
Longline | ||||
Pot/Trap/Creel | ||||
Bering Sea (MSC) | Otter Trawl | |||
Longline | ||||
Pot/Trap/Creel | ||||
Bering Sea (West) and Chukotskaya, Karaginskaya & Petropavlovsko-Komandorskaya Subzones | Otter Trawl | |||
Demersal Seine | ||||
Bering Sea (West) and Chukotskaya, Karaginskaya & Petropavlovsko-Komandorskaya Subzones (MSC) | Longline | |||
Gulf of Alaska (MSC) | Otter Trawl | |||
Longline | ||||
Pot/Trap/Creel | ||||
Peruvian Anchovy | Chile - Central, South (3-4) | Purse Seine | ||
Ring Net | ||||
Chile - Central, South (5-10) | Purse Seine | |||
Ring Net | ||||
Peru - North, Central (FIP) | Purse Seine | |||
Ring Net | ||||
Peru (South), Chile (North) | Purse Seine | |||
Ring Net | ||||
Pink Salmon | Alaska (MSC) | Gillnet | ||
Beach Seine | ||||
Purse Seine | ||||
Ring Net | ||||
Plaice | Celtic Sea (South), Southwest of Ireland | Beam Trawl | ||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Porbeagle | Atlantic Ocean - Northeast | Longline | ||
Gillnet | ||||
Pelagic Trawl | ||||
Rainbow Trout | Norway, Turkey, United Kingdom (GLOBALG.A.P.) | Open Net Pen - Marine | ||
Freshwater Pond | ||||
Razor Clam | England, Northern Ireland and Wales | Diving | ||
Dredge | ||||
Electrical Fishing | ||||
England & Northern Ireland | Shore Hand-Gathering | |||
Wales | Shore Hand-Gathering | |||
Scotland | Dredge | |||
Electrical Fishing | UNDER REVIEW | |||
Shore Hand-Gathering | ||||
Diving | ||||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Diving | |||
Shore Hand-Gathering | ||||
Red Salmon | Alaska (MSC) | Gillnet | ||
Beach Seine | ||||
Purse Seine | ||||
Ring Net | ||||
Sandy Ray | Celtic Sea and West of Scotland | Otter Trawl | ||
Gillnet | ||||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Wild-Caught | |||
Sardine | Bay of Biscay | Pelagic Trawl | ||
Purse Seine | ||||
Ring Net | ||||
Cantabrian Sea and Atlantic Iberian Waters | Purse Seine | |||
Ring Net | ||||
Africa - Northwest (Central) | Pelagic Trawl | |||
Purse Seine | ||||
Africa - Northwest (Southern) | Pelagic Trawl | |||
Purse Seine | ||||
Southern Celtic Sea and English Channel | Purse Seine | |||
Ring Net | ||||
United Kingdom - Cornwall (MSC) | Purse Seine | |||
Ring Net | ||||
Scampi or Langoustine | Aran, Galway Bay and Slyne Head (FIP) | Otter Trawl | ||
Botney Cut to Silver Pit (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Celtic Sea - The Smalls (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Devil's Hole (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Farn Deeps (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Firth of Clyde and Sound of Jura (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Pot/Trap/Creel | ||||
Firth of Forth (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Fladen Ground (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Horn's Reef | Otter Trawl | |||
Ireland - Southwest and Southeast Coast (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Irish Sea - East (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Irish Sea - West (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Labadie, Jones and Cockburn (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Moray Firth (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
North Minch (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Pot/Trap/Creel | ||||
Norwegian Deep | Otter Trawl | |||
Noup (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Porcupine Bank (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Skagerrak and Kattegat | Otter Trawl | |||
Pot/Trap/Creel | ||||
South Minch (FIP) | Otter Trawl | |||
Pot/Trap/Creel | ||||
Seabass | European Union and Turkey | Open Net Pen - Marine | ||
European Union and Turkey (GLOBALG.A.P.) | Open Net Pen - Marine | |||
European Union and Turkey (ASC) | Open Net Pen - Marine | |||
European Union and Turkey (BAP 3-star) | Open Net Pen - Marine | |||
European Union and Turkey (BAP 4-star) | Open Net Pen - Marine | |||
Bay of Biscay (North and Central) | Otter Trawl | |||
Handline | ||||
Longline | ||||
Demersal Seine | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Pelagic Trawl | ||||
Bay of Biscay (South), Atlantic Iberian Waters | Otter Trawl | |||
Handline | ||||
Longline | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Pelagic Trawl | ||||
Purse Seine | ||||
Ring Net | ||||
Shagreen Ray | Celtic Sea and West of Scotland | Beam Trawl | ||
Otter Trawl | ||||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Skipjack Tuna | Atlantic Ocean - East | Pole & Line | ||
Troll | ||||
Purse Seine (Floating Object) | ||||
Purse Seine (Unassociated) | ||||
Pacific Ocean - East | Pole & Line | |||
Troll | ||||
Purse Seine (Floating Object) | ||||
Purse Seine (Unassociated) | ||||
Atlantic Ocean - West | Pole & Line | |||
Purse Seine (Floating Object) | ||||
Purse Seine (Unassociated) | ||||
Pacific Ocean - Western Central | Pole & Line | |||
Gillnet | ||||
Purse Seine (Floating Object) | ||||
Purse Seine (Unassociated) | ||||
Pacific Ocean - Western Central (MSC) | Pole & Line | |||
Purse Seine (Floating Object) | ||||
Purse Seine (Unassociated) | ||||
Smalleyed Ray | Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea (North) | Otter Trawl | ||
Gillnet | ||||
Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea (North) (NDFA) | Otter Trawl | |||
English Channel | Otter Trawl | |||
Gillnet | ||||
Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea (North) (Cornwall) | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
English Channel (Cornwall) | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Southern Bluefin Tuna | Southern Ocean | Purse Seine (Floating Object) | ||
Purse Seine (Unassociated) | ||||
Spotted Ray | Celtic Sea (South) | Otter Trawl | ||
Celtic Sea (South) (NDFA) | Otter Trawl | |||
Gillnet | ||||
West of Scotland and Southwest Ireland | Otter Trawl | UNDER REVIEW | ||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Spurdog | Northeast Atlantic and adjacent waters | Otter Trawl | ||
Gillnet | ||||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Beam Trawl | |||
Gillnet | ||||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Sturgeon | Europe and USA | Closed System RAS | ||
Atlantic Ocean - Northeast | Gillnet | |||
Swordfish | Atlantic Ocean - North | Longline | ||
Atlantic Ocean - North (MSC) | Longline | |||
Atlantic Ocean - South | Longline | |||
Pacific Ocean - Southeast | Harpoon | |||
Longline | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Thornback Ray | Irish Sea, Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea (North) | Beam Trawl | ||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Irish Sea, Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea (North) (NDFA) | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Western Channel | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Irish Sea, Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea (North) - Cornwall | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Western Channel - Cornwall | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
Tope | Atlantic Ocean - Northeast | Otter Trawl | ||
Longline | ||||
Gillnet | ||||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Longline | |||
Gillnet | ||||
Turbot | Spain (GLOBALG.A.P.) | Flowthrough Tanks | UNDER REVIEW | |
Undulate Ray | Celtic Sea and West of Scotland | Beam Trawl | ||
Otter Trawl | ||||
English Channel | Beam Trawl | UNDER REVIEW | ||
White Monkfish | North Sea, Rockall and West of Scotland, Kattegat and Skagerrak (FIP) | Otter Trawl | ||
Gillnet | ||||
Whiting | Celtic Sea (South), Western Channel | Otter Trawl | ||
Demersal Seine | ||||
United Kingdom - Cornwall | Beam Trawl | |||
Otter Trawl | ||||
Yellowfin Tuna | Pacific Ocean - East | Longline | ||
Purse Seine (Floating Object) | ||||
Purse Seine (Unassociated) | ||||
Purse Seine (Dolphin) | ||||
Indian Ocean (FIP) | Longline | |||
Purse Seine (Floating Object) | ||||
Purse Seine (Unassociated) |