12 Unhealthy Fish You Should Never Eat Again

 Poisonous fish you can't eat

One fish, two fish, and fish that is harmful to you. Red fish, blue fish, or yes fish? Okay, fish? Finding fish that are both healthy and sustainable can be difficult because our oceans are so depleted of wild fish supplies and so contaminated with industrial toxins. Lists of "good fish" can alter annually as supplies recover or deplete every few years, but there are some species that you can always refuse to eat.

Food and Water Watch, a nonprofit organization, studied all the different types of fish, how they were caught, how some species were raised, the levels of hazardous contaminants like mercury or PCBs in the fish, as well as how much local fishermen depended on local fisheries for their livelihood. They came to the conclusion that there are 12 fish that we should all absolutely stay away from.

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1. Catfish imported

Reason it’s bad: In Vietnam, where the use of antibiotics that are outlawed in the US is common, almost 90% of the catfish imported into the country comes from there. The federal government doesn't properly classify the two varieties of Vietnamese catfish that are sold in the US, Swai, and Basa, as catfish, thus they aren't subject to the same inspection requirements as other imported catfish.

Eat This Rather: Director of the Fish Program at Food & Water Watch Marianne Cufone suggests sticking with domestic, farm-raised catfish. It is one of the tastiest fish you can eat because it is plentiful and responsibly farmed. Alternately, consider Asian carp, an invasive species that resemble catfish and is out competing with wild catfish and jeopardizing the environment of the Great Lakes.

2. Caviar

Reasons it’s bad: According to the Food and River Watch research, beluga, and wild-caught sturgeon are vulnerable to overfishing, but the species is also in danger from an increase in dam construction that pollutes the river they reside in. All varieties of caviar originate from fish that need a long time to reach sexual maturity, therefore population recovery takes time.

Eat This Rather: Choose caviar made from American Lake Sturgeon fish eggs or Mississippi River system caviar made from American Hackleback/Shovelnose Sturgeon.

3. Atlantic Cod

Reasons it’s bad: Because it is so essential to the survival of New England fishermen's industry, it was challenging to include this one in the "dirty dozen list," according to Cufone. However, she adds, "The National Marine Fisheries Service's repeated poor management and the low stock status made it very difficult to recommend." The International Union for Preservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species now lists the species as threatened, one step beyond endangered, as a result of the mid-1990s stock collapse and the current state of the species.

Eat This Rather: If you enjoy fish 'n' chips, which are almost usually cooked with cod, the good news is that Pacific cod stocks are still healthy and are one of Food and Water Watch's top priorities.

4. American Eel Fish

Reasons it’s bad: This fish, which is widely used in sushi dishes and is also known as a yellow or silver eel, was included on the list due to its significant PCB and mercury contamination. Overfishing and minor pollution are also harming the fisheries.

Eat This Rather: Choose squid from the Atlantic or Pacific if you enjoy the flavor of eel.

5. imported Shrimp

Reasons it’s bad: Since 90% of shrimp marketed in the U.S. is imported, imported shrimp holds the distinction of being the Dirtiest Dozen, according to Cufone, and it is difficult to avoid. Antibiotics, leftovers from chemicals used to clean pens, dirt like mouse hair, rat hair, and insect parts are just a few of the toxins that are present in imported farmed shrimp, according to Cufone. "And I didn't even bring up things like E. coli that has been found in imported shrimp," the speaker continued. It's even more crucial to purchase domestic seafood because less than 2% of ALL imported seafood (shrimp, crab, catfish, or other species) is inspected before being sold. (Need more persuading?

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Eat This Rather: Ask about domestic shrimp. The Gulf of Mexico, which depends heavily on shrimp for economic reasons, provides 70% of domestic shrimp. Another excellent option is the pink shrimp from Oregon, whose fisheries have earned certification under the exacting standards of the Marine Stewardship Council.

6. The Atlantic Flatfish

Reasons it’s bad: These fish are caught off the Atlantic coast and include flounder, sole, and halibut. Due to extensive contamination and overfishing that stretches back to the 1800s, they ended up on the list. Food and Water Watch estimates that these fish populations are only 1% of what is required for long-term fishing sustainability.

Eat This Rather: The group advises substituting Pacific halibut with other mild-flavored white-fleshed fish, like domestically raised catfish or tilapia, even though the fish appear to be thriving well.

7. Atlantic salmon, either farmed or wild-caught

Reasons it’s bad: Due to the limited fish stocks, which are caused in part by salmon farms, it is really unlawful to collect wild Atlantic salmon. Salmon farming produces a lot of pollution since the enclosures are overcrowded with thousands of fish, which encourages the rise of illnesses and parasites that call for the use of antibiotics and pesticides. The native fish populations frequently fall as a result of the fish escaping and competing with them for food.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is going forward with the approval of genetically altered salmon to be marketed to unwary seafood lovers, which will only make our salmon problems worse. Uncertainty surrounds the labeling of the salmon, which would be farmed off the coast of Panama. Currently, only fish from fish farms are sold under the "Atlantic salmon" designation.

Eat This Rather: Choose wild Alaskan salmon now and if GE salmon is formally permitted in the future.

8. King Crab imported

Reasons it’s bad: The majority of imported crab comes from Russia, where fishing harvest limitations are not strictly followed, which is the largest issue with it. The crab also has an identity dilemma, according to Cufone: "Imported king crab is often misnamed Alaskan king crab, because most people think that's the name of the crab," she adds, noting that she frequently sees labels at stores that read "Alaskan King Crab, Imported." She claims that the Alaskan king crab is a totally different species from the imported king crab and that it is fished much more ethically.

Eat This Rather: Ask whether the king crab is imported or from Alaska when you are shopping, regardless of what the label claims. It's vital to understand that king crab is imported because only around 70% of it is sold in the United States. Instead, choose domestic sources.

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9. Shark

Reasons it’s bad: According to Cufone, issues resulting from our excessive consumption of sharks occur at every level of the food chain. One of the dangers to humans is the extraordinarily high mercury content of these predatory fish. However, ocean ecosystems also suffer. According to Cufone, "the species that sharks eat, like cow nose rays and jellyfish, have increased in number with fewer sharks around." And scallops and other fish are being eaten by the rays, diminishing their food supply. Because there are fewer of those fish in the waters for us to eat, the coastal towns that depend on those fisheries are suffering economically.

Eat This Rather: Both Pacific halibut and Atlantic mackerel are suggested as shark substitutes.

10 Orange Roughy

Reasons it’s Bad: In addition to having high mercury levels, orange roughy also reproduces late in life and can take 20 to 40 years to achieve full maturity, which makes it challenging for populations to rebound from overfishing. Due to its reputation for being overfished, some major restaurant chains, like Red Lobster, won't serve orange roughy. However, it occasionally appears in grocery store freezers with the incorrect label of "sustainably harvested." Avoid any orange roughy fisheries you come across as there aren't any that the Marine Stewardship Council considers to be well-managed or certified.

Eat This Rather: Choose domestic catfish or yellow snapper to achieve the same texture as orange roughy in your recipes.

A. Bluefin Tuna in the Atlantic

Reasons it’s bad: The Atlantic bluefin tuna has the highest levels of mercury of any form of tuna, according to a recent study by The New York Times. And to top it all off, bluefin tuna are "critically endangered" according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to excessive overfishing that has brought them to the brink of extinction. Consider giving up tuna completely and switching to a nutritious, delectable alternative, such as Alaska wild-caught salmon, rather than attempting to navigate the constantly-changing suggestions for which tuna is best.

Eat This Rather: If you truly can't live without tuna, choose American or Canadian albacore tuna instead than imported albacore tuna because it is caught young and has lower mercury levels.

12. Chilean sea bass

Reasons it’s bad: Although the US Department of State claims that illegal fishing for Chilean sea bass has decreased recently, illegal fishing still accounts for the majority of the fish sold in the US. The NGO Greenpeace, however, predicts that unless people stop eating this fish, the entire species may become commercially extinct within five years due to the dire state of fish populations. The Food and Water Watch guide mentions that these fish also have significant mercury concentrations.

Eat This Rather: However, US haddock captured with hook and line will have the same texture and feel as these highly sought-after and prized fish.

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