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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?

The Vancouver Aquarium’s conservation program, Ocean Wise, now has over 2,000 restaurant partners who use the Ocean Wise logo on their menus alongside better fish and seafood choices. It can be hard to make a good menu choice — after all, if it’s on the menu, how can a species be threatened? But according to the Vancouver Aquarium website, about 90 per cent of large predator fish from the world’s oceans have been harvested. So much depends on the interrelationships of species within the ocean, from healthy conditions for plankton and zooplankton growth all the way up the food chain to responsible, sustainable fishing practices. I think that if we make good choices for dinner, whether at the supermarket or at the neighbourhood bistro, we can steer the food industry to better practices.

“Sustainable seafood can be defined as species that are caught or farmed in a way that ensures the long-term health and stability of that species, as well as the greater marine ecosystem,” says the Aquarium site.

Bottom trawling and dredging are two of the most harmful fishing methods, because they produce a lot of bycatch and can harm the ocean environment, including damage to coral reefs. But improvements to seafood farming techniques, including inland farms that are closed to natural waterways, are offering better fish options. Looked for farmed tilapia, sturgeon, rainbow trout and Arctic char.