Many seas are at the limit of their resilience when it comes to fishing. How do you recognize sustainable fish – for example for the menu on Good Friday?

According to the Lower Saxony consumer advice center, three criteria determine how sustainable fish is: origin, type and fishing method. Fish from local farms, such as trout or carp, have a good climate balance. It does not have to be transported far or stored for a long time, which saves greenhouse gases.

Regionality is not an indicator of sustainability

But it’s not quite that simple: “Even local species can be overfished and bred or caught using methods that are harmful to the environment,” says Constanze Rubach from the consumer advice center in Lower Saxony.

For this reason, cod from the Baltic Sea, for example, is not the most sustainable choice. However, if it comes from the waters around Spitsbergen, the Barents Sea or the Norwegian Sea, things are different.

Incidentally, information on the origin is mandatory for fish and fish products – with one exception: processed products such as fish salad or canned fish do not have to be labelled.

When buying fish, pay attention to the seal

“In addition to indications of origin, it helps to use the seal as a guide,” says Rubach. She advises to always go for fish with a seal. However, the evaluation criteria behind the seals vary greatly.

If you want to be sure when it comes to sustainability when buying fish, it is best to look for an eco-label. This can be the Naturland or the EU organic seal. The latter covers products from aquaculture farms.

Watch the video below to learn why over 700 films are banned on Good Friday!