You might not think of seafood as seasonal. If you go to the supermarket, many types of fish are available year-round.

But not all seafood is created equal. If you care about fresh seafood, sustainable fisheries, protecting our oceans and eating fish that is healthier for you and your family, it pays to know what fish are in season. Here are some great tips about selecting fish from the Center for Food Safety, www.centerforfoodsafety.org.

1. Choose local seafood if possible, and always choose domestic over imported.

2. Choose wild.

3. If it’s farmed, choose seafood from the U.S., especially in low- or no-output, recirculating systems.

4. Favor fish caught by hook and line, handline, troll (not to be confused with “trawl” fishing, which can be very destructive), jig or speargun.

5. Avoid fish that are high in mercury, PCBs or farmed fish that are given antibiotics.

Best Fish to Eat in Summer:

East Coast

• Mahi Mahi (troll, pole)

• Shellfish (mussels, oysters, clams) (farmed)

• Snapper (preferably Yellowtail)

• Stone Crab

• Striped Bass (aka Rock-fish) (hook & line, farmed)

• Swordfish (harpoon, troll, pole)

• Yellowfin Tuna (troll, pole)

West Coast

• Abalone (farmed)

• Albacore Tuna (troll, pole)

• Dungeness Crab

• King Salmon (Alaska) (pole, troll)

• Oregon Pink Shrimp

• Pacific Cod (hook & line, longline & trap)

• Pacific Halibut

• Rainbow Trout (farmed)

• Sablefish (aka Black Cod

or Butterfish) (Alaska

wild)

• Salmon (Alaska wild)

• Sardines (Pacific) (U.S.

wild-caught)

• Shellfish (mussels, oysters, clams) (farmed)

• Striped Bass (aka Rock-fish) (hook & line or

farmed)

• White Seabass (hook &

line)

Much of the fish available today in the United States is imported, and frequently from places where health and environmental standards are weak or non-existent. Worldwide, regulation of the fishing industry is poorly enforced, and less than 2 percent of seafood imports to the U.S. are inspected for contamination.

Shipping fish around the world has a negative impact on the climate, but it can have an even greater impact on our oceans.

With nearly 85 percent of the world’s fisheries overfished, our seafood choices are more important than ever. Decades of overfishing have driven many fish populations to levels so low that recovery is a long-term proposition.

Farm raised or wild-caught?

Aquaculture, the farming of fish and seafood, has resulted in a far-reaching variety of environmental consequences. They include the escape of farmed fish from their containment that threatens native wild fish populations, the spread of deadly diseases and parasites, and the pollution of our oceans from the inputs and outputs of fish farming.

Though presented by the industry as a “solution” to over-fishing, the overwhelming evidence is that aquaculture is not relieving any pressures on wild fisheries.

Studies also have found farmed fish to be less healthful than their wild counterparts.

Fish farms frequently use antibiotics to control disease in their crowded pens, and PCBs accumulate in farmed fish at a higher rate than wild fish. PCBs can cause significant health concerns for both humans and the environment, and are associated with increased risk of cancer, disrupting the endocrine system, and contributing to developmental and reproductive problems.

Eating seasonally

Whether it’s fruits, vegetables or fish choosing seasonal foods is a healthier choice for both our plates and our planet. Use the tips above to go fishing this summer in your grocer’s seafood department.