General

I love One for Neptune – these perfect bites of Wild Alaska Pollock and Pacific Rockfish sourced from small-scale US West Coast fisheries. All of their high-protein fish jerky snacks are gluten-free, free of preservatives (including nitrates), dairy-free, and non-GMO.

I love items like Good Fish Chips because they help save parts of the fish that might otherwise go to waste. ⁣⁣In fact, more than 25% of a fish would typically not be eaten/used for food and would end up in the trash, unless it was used for another type of product such as cosmetics, pet food, or snacks like chips. ⁣These are made from sustainably-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon from Bristol Bay.

These Barnacle Kelp Pickles featuring pickled ocean bull kelp infused with dill, spices, and brine make for a wonderful topping!

I love Barnacle’s trio of kelp salsas – Campfire Salsa, Bonfire Salsa, and Sea Verde Salsa!

Ocean’s Balance has mastered the art of creating the tastiest seaweed products (from both wild and farmed seaweed!) and making them widely available. You can even find many of their quality products conveniently available at your local Whole Foods. I really enjoy their kelp pasta sauces, especially the Arrabiata, which gives a quick dinner a much-appreciated spicy kick!

If you’re this deep into my Sea Pantry recommendations, you probably know how much I travel, which means I need a lot of healthful, on-the-go snacks on hand for when I can’t get to a full, nutritious meal. I am the Queen of Snacks—specifically Rootless’ Daily Bites, which are absolutely packed with 40+ vitamins, minerals, and unique bioactives, plus 60% of your daily Iodine recommended intake. They also come in exceptionally delectable flavors, like Cacao Crunch, Toasted Hazelnut, and Orange Pistachio, and a convenient carrying tin.  

If the classic nutrition bar is more your speed for snacking, then I highly recommend the Cranberry Almond & Kelp Bars by SeaMade. The company is committed to sustainability and increasing people’s access to seaweed—and donates a percentage of its profits to ocean conservation.

Finding sustainable canned anchovies or paste is very hard. You will need to really dig in to find them. European anchovies caught in the Adriatic Sea are a “Good Alternative” because a management plan is now in place for this fishery. The rest of Europe and the world are red listed because the management of the fishery is poor.

Look for Wild Planet’s anchovy fillets in olive oil, Don Bocarte’s anchovies from Spain, and Ortiz’s anchovies from Spain.

Bart van Olphen, author of “The Tinned Fish Cookbook” and co-founder of Sea Tales, created this line of tinned and fresh “seafood with a story” that is traceable, sustainable, certified by MSC or ASC, and 100% delicious. ⁣⁣Bart has fished, cooked, and lived with fishing communities all over the world so he’s seen firsthand the impact we have on our oceans and is committed to make it easy to find sustainable seafood options.

Sustainability: Sustainable squid is very difficult. At present, California market squid caught in California with purse seines is a “Best Choice” or Green from Seafood Watch. It is the only one that I feel comfortable buying!

Jose Gourmet offers calamari in ragout from Portugal.

Shellfish aquaculture is highly sustainable because the environmental impacts are minimal. I look for ones that are locally-sourced if I can and am careful when buying canned to confirm where they come from.

Bar Harbor Foods (which has been operating in Downeast, Maine since 1917) offers MSC-certified clams that I really love. With their cans, you can have a yummy clam that supports heritage fishers on the East Coast, while supporting ocean health – clams actually help filter the ocean of impurities.⁣

Conservas de Cambados’ Premium Razor Clams in Brine

Cockles farmed worldwide with off-bottom cultures are a “Best Choice” or Green from Seafood Watch. Cockle aquaculture is considered a highly sustainable practice because the environmental impacts are minimal.

Ramon Peña Cockles in Brine 25/30

The geoduck clam is native to the West Coast, but the largest concentrations are in Washington and British Columbia. In fact, wild geoducks constitute the largest mass of any single species of marine animals in Puget Sound and is farmed in these regions. Pacific geoduck clams farmed on the seafloor in Washington and British Columbia, Canada, are a “Good Alternative.” I love using these wild, delicious members of the clam family in everything from pastas to dips.

Wildfish Cannery Smoked Geoduck

The American lobster has been an important source of heritage shellfish that is significant on so many levels. Lobster caught in the U.S. Gulf of Maine, the U.S. Georges Bank, and Canada is a “Good Alternative.” Entanglement of whales, including the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, remains a serious concern and is something we have to be aware of.

Canned from Scout Cannery or smoked and placed in the refrigerator.

Farmed mussels generally considered a “Best Choice” from Seafood Watch. Mussel aquaculture is considered a highly sustainable practice because the overall environmental impacts of farming plankton-filtering species are minimal and the filterer nature of these important shellfish is so contributive. Know where they come from, enjoy them, and eat them in abundance!

Scout Cannery also offers delicious smoked mussels, which are the perfect addition for antipasti, soups, and avocado toast. 

Patagonia Provisions also offers Savory Sofrito Mussels.

Look for wild salmon that is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council or Aquaculture Stewardship Council – the tins/cans will have a label. If it isn’t marked on the can, I recommend looking it up on the company’s website! 

Wildfish Cannery Smoked King Salmon

Farmed scallops are basically sustainable, landing in the “Yellow-Green” range overall.  Antibiotics and feeds are not used in scallop farming, there’s no effluence, and chemical use and ecosystem impacts are minimal. As with all tinned seafood, know your source and look into where the scallops come from and how impacted they are.

Ramon Pena offers Small Scallops in Sauce *Silver Line*

Sea bass is widely available worldwide and varied in its sustainability.  Sea bass is a “Best Choice” when farmed in indoor recirculating tanks with wastewater treatment and a “Good Alternative” when the wastewater isn’t treated. Other “Good Alternative” sources include black seabass caught in the U.S. Atlantic (including the U.S. Gulf of Maine, the U.S. Georges Bank, and Southern New England) and white seabass caught in California. Do not buy any tinned seafood (farmed or wild) that is unclear on the country of origin and how impacted the farm or fishery is.

IASA Branzino Grilled Sea Bass in Olive Oil

Look for the following “Best Choice” sources of tuna caught with trolling lines or handlines and hand-operated pole-and-lines: skipjack tuna (a.k.a. light tuna) caught in the East Pacific or Western and Central Pacific; albacore (a.k.a. white tuna) caught in the North Pacific, South Pacific or North Atlantic; and yellowfin tuna caught in the Western and Central Pacific. Tuna caught in the U.S. is a “Best Choice” or “Good Alternative,” except for Pacific bluefin tuna caught in California and bigeye tuna caught in the Atlantic with drifting longlines – these are both ones to avoid. Many “Good Alternative” sources of tuna are caught with trolling lines, harpoons, handlines, and hand-operated pole-and-lines, or purse seines that don’t use floating objects (non-FAD). However, there are some Indian Ocean sources caught with these gears on the “Avoid” list. The MSC rating should be on the can, along with logos from Dolphin Safe and Fair Trade certified.

Blue Harbor offers wild tuna from the South Pacific and pink salmon from Alaska that are sustainably-caught by fisheries that are Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified. It’s so refreshing to have a company provide this key info on traceability and help educate seafood lovers on the topic! And of course, their fish is delicious – I love that they have a Tuna with Lemon and Dill & a Tuna with Jalapeño option. 

Ocean Naturals’ Albacore Tuna is caught in the North Pacific by U.S flagged Pole & Troll vessels, ONE fish at a time. This fishing method is VERY selective, with nearly zero catch of any non-target or sensitive species, limiting their environmental footprint. Their Yellowfin Tuna is caught by U.S. flagged Purse Seine vessels in the Western & Central Pacific. All of their canned fish is gear type and species-specific, meaning you always know exactly what tuna species you are eating, where it was harvested and how it was caught. And this canned fish is SO good – no additives, preservatives or functional broth stand in the way of this tasty tuna. I’m especially loving the albacore with jalapeño & piquillo peppers.

Bart van Olphen, author of “The Tinned Fish Cookbook” and co-founder of Sea Tales, created this line of tinned and fresh “seafood with a story” that is traceable, sustainable, certified by MSC or ASC, and 100% delicious. ⁣⁣Bart has fished, cooked, and lived with fishing communities all over the world so he’s seen firsthand the impact we have on our oceans and is committed to make it easy to find sustainable seafood options.

Look for dolphin-free, MSC-certified, Fair Trade tuna. I like La Brujula’s white tuna belly from Spain, Santa Catarina’s Tuna Fillets with Chili Peppers or Basil or Oregano, Ortiz’s tuna from Spain, and Ramon Pena’s Yellowfin Tuna In Olive Oil (Silver Line)..

Seeing high-end conservas were lacking in the U.S. market, they decided to change that by making ethically sourced, premium, and delicious tinned seafood a staple in every cupboard. And bless them, because I am absolutely in love with their product. They carry everything from salmon, to trout, to albacore tuna, and if you haven’t tried their collab with Fly by Jing, you are seriously missing out.

Co-founder Chef Charlotte Langley got the idea for SCOUT when she discovered an antique home-canning machine. Inspired by the North American “lost art” of preserving the seasonal catches of local fishers in towns across the continent, SCOUT is now bringing responsibly sourced seafood from those same towns to a new generation. The company cans tuna, salmon, lobster, mussels, and trout, and they’ve even introduced a new product called Seafood Snacks, which combines their wild yellowfin tuna with fun crunchy toppers and is a great on-the-go snack or meal!

Sourcing its fish responsibly off the coast of Spain, Patagonia has a whole line of tinned fish available through its PROVISIONS sub brand. I personally adore the unique Savory Sofrito Mussels, which I scoop directly onto crusty, warm bread when I need a quick protein pick-me-up.

Chef, author, and my friend, Bart Van Olphen started the tinned seafood company, Sea Tales to work exclusively with small fishing communities around the world sourcing their high-quality, MSC & ASC-certified fish. All of their fish is fully traceable from the water to your plate. For salads, I especially love their anchovies sourced off the Argentinian coast in small open skiffs!