Why Sustainable Seafood Matters

How informed choices at the table can help protect our oceans.

More people than ever care about the environmental impacts of their daily choices, including the food we eat. Seafood is one of the most environmentally complex foods we eat. Many consumers know that overfishing and other destructive fishing practices threaten ocean ecosystems, yet struggle to translate that awareness into everyday decisions. In Why Sustainable Seafood Matters, marine conservation biologist David Shiffman cuts through misinformation, greenwashing, and oversimplified labels to help readers make informed, ethical choices about what ends up on their plates.

Should you trust color-coded labels at the grocery store? Is ordering tuna or lobster always a bad choice? And how much difference can individual consumers really make? Shiffman answers these questions with clarity, nuance, and science-based insight. Guiding readers through major seafood sustainability tools such as Seafood Watch and the Marine Stewardship Council, the book explains how to interpret ratings, government data, and restaurant menus without requiring a background in marine science. Along the way, Shiffman explores the real environmental harms associated with harmful fishing practices—bycatch, habitat destruction, stock collapse—while also highlighting how effective fisheries management and consumer demand have helped once-overfished populations recover.

Why Sustainable Seafood Matters empowers seafood lovers to engage thoughtfully rather than give up entirely. By showing where progress has already been made, Shiffman makes a persuasive case that informed choices—repeated daily, by millions of people—can play a meaningful role in protecting ocean ecosystems for generations to come.