You may already be familiar with some ways to eat sustainably — like choosing a plant-rich diet and following Seafood Watch recommendations. Another step is to join the “locavore” movement, choosing food that was produced as close to home as possible. You can do that by shopping at farmers' markets, subscribing to a community-supported agriculture service or growing your own fruits and vegetables. 

Local seafood can be a bit harder to find, but a growing movement is working to change that. People around the United States, even in inland areas, are subscribing to community-supported fisheries (CSFs), which allow people to buy shares of fresh, locally sourced seafood that’s delivered on a regular schedule. CSFs help ensure that fishermen receive a fair price for their catch and that consumers know exactly what they’re eating and who caught it.

You can also ask which seafood is local — or at least caught off the nearest coast — at your favorite fish markets, grocery stores and restaurants. If you live in a coastal area, you might be able to buy directly from fishers who sell fresh catch from their boats. Call your local harbor district or search the Local Catch Network to get connected. And make sure that the fish you purchase is recommended by Seafood Watch.

Seafood Watch recommendations use a color-coded system to show you which seafood items are green Best Choices or yellow Good Alternatives, and which ones you should Avoid (red). If you live in the United States, buying seafood locally — or produced anywhere in the U.S. — gives you more green and yellow seafood choices. That’s because the U.S. has strong, science-based fishery management laws that ensure our nation’s fisheries and fish farms are operated responsibly.

Supporting Monterey Bay's fishing families

In the Aquarium’s own blue backyard, the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust is working to connect people with local fishing families and their harvest. 

The Trust’s Local Catch Guide highlights businesses — including fish markets, grocery stores, community-supported fisheries and restaurants — that are currently open and providing sustainable seafood from the Monterey Bay fishing community. 

Their Meet Your Fishermen series introduces the people who bring fresh, local, sustainable seafood to the dinner table. They include the commercial fishermen and women of Monterey, Moss Landing and Santa Cruz, as well as other folks critical to the local seafood supply chain.

You can also try simple seafood recipes from local chefs, fishermen and home cooks, featuring Monterey Bay seafood.

The benefits of ocean-friendly seafood

Buying locally produced seafood can help shrink your carbon footprint and build connections with the people who produce your food. It creates transparency along the seafood supply chain—helping you understand where your seafood comes from and how it was caught or farmed. It supports fishing families, strengthens local economies and helps build healthy regional food systems. 

If you can’t find green- or yellow-rated seafood produced in your region, you can still support the global movement toward sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. Search seafood products on our Seafood Watch website before you buy, and use these shopping tips to make choices for a healthy ocean.