When considering what fish to add to your diet and which should be avoided, there are a number of considerations. Among those - which fish are unhealthy (because of farming, environmental pollutants, or other factors), which fish bring us the greatest benefits per calorie, and, lastly, the consumption of which species poses the greatest threat to our natural ecosystems.

Each year, Food and Water Watch compiles a “Dirty Dozen” list of fish to avoid. Fish are added to this list for a variety of reasons which include:

-       Fish on the list contain mercury or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which may pose serious health risks

-       The fish are typically imported from nations with poor health, environmental or safety standards

-       Wild stocks of the species are poorly managed, or are caught using methods that can damage the local habitat or other wildlife, or species where natural stocks are becoming depleted

-       Species where fewer than 2 percent of imported volume to the United States are tested for contaminants

While the list can vary from year to year, these species of fish regularly come up as contenders on the “Dirty Dozen” list, and should be avoided:

Atlantic Cod

Love your fish and chips? Unfortunately, this dish, which is almost always made with cod, is contributing to serious depletion of a species of marine life that is absolutely vital to the economic health of New England fishermen. This species has been so overfished that it is now just one step away from being listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. The silver lining, though, is that Pacific cod is still plentiful, and regularly is chosen by Food and Water Watch as a “best fish” choice.