Fairly Useful – Seafood Watch Review

I agree with many users that unless you can afford to shop in one of the higher-end chains, the most you’ll be able to find out from your local supermarket is the country of origin, which isn’t always enough to find the exact rating on this app. (And for those who say, “Well don’t shop there!” perhaps you could show a bit more empathy for your fellow human beings who aren’t as economically advantages as you. Sustainable eating shouldn’t be the exclusive domain of the well-off.) That said, I don’t think the app warrants all these 1-3 star ratings. It’s not the app’s fault that great variation in sustainability exist even within a single geopolitical unit. While fresh seafood may not come with all the details you need, you can still make informed decisions about some types of seafood to avoid (e.g., pretty much all bluefin tuna). It’s certainly better than nothing. Oddly enough, frozen, packaged seafood may offer more details as the industry is incentivized to label packaging with all the certifications they can qualify for. So that’s also an option, especially since a lot of seafood at the supermarket counter is previously frosted anyway (though I much prefer the flavor of truly fresh seafood).
Review by ShoGun1982 on Seafood Watch.