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I find it hard to remember which fish are OK to eat and which ones I should skip, so I’ve avoided eating fish or any kind of seafood for several months now. The more I read about overfishing, polluted waterways and the effects of invasive species, the harder it is for me to believe that any fish can be harvested sustainably.

But I defer to experts such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Oceans Alive. Organizations such as these have lists of which fish are safe to eat, both from a sustainability point of view and from a health point of view (some fish contain high levels of mercury). And here’s some good news: a major Canadian grocer is deferring to the MSC too.

Loblaw, Canada’s largest grocer, with over 1,000 stores across Canada, is phasing out species at risk. According to their facebook page, “Loblaw is committed to sourcing all seafood including all canned, frozen, fresh, wild and aquaculture seafood from sustainable sources by the end of 2013. For us, sustainable seafood means that a species is fished using techniques that will ensure its health and availability for generations to come.”

To convey to shoppers that some fish species really are in trouble, Loblaw is taking an interesting tactic. They’re leaving the trays for threatened fish in place, but they’ll be empty, aside from cards stating, “at risk.” Stores will also carry educational literature, and of course Loblaw will promote its MSC-certified fish products.

Will this make a big impact? Undeniably – their media release says that Loblaw is the largest buyer and seller of fish in Canada. Let’s hope that the smaller fish in the retail sea also follow suit.

Have you changed your fish-buying habits, in stores or at restaurants?