Seafood

Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood WatchThe vessels in the Fort Bragg Groundfish Association participate in a fishery with over 90 different species of groundfish.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program helps seafood buyers make choices for healthy oceans. Their recommendations use scientific assessments to suggest which seafood items are “Best Choices,” “Good Alternatives,” and which seafood to “Avoid.”

We are proud that our conservation and fishing methods have resulted in Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® recommending all species caught by the California Groundfish Collective as a “Best Choice” (green) or “Good Alternative” (yellow).

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Find out where to eat our fish through our partnership with Trace and Trust.

DOVER SOLE

 

Like other flatfishes, soles are perfectly suited to life on the seafloor where their special adaptations help them hide from both predator and prey. The various flatfish (soles and flounders) caught by the California Groundfish Collective are a ‘Best Choice’ because of effective management and lack of sustainability concerns.

SABLEFISH

 

Found only in the North Pacific, sablefish has a rich, buttery flesh that’s made it popular with consumers and restaurateurs. Sablefish caught by the California Groundfish Collective are a ‘Best Choice’ because of effective management and lack of sustainability concerns.

ENGLISH SOLE

 

Like other flatfishes, soles are perfectly suited to life on the seafloor where their special adaptations help them hide from both predator and prey. Although Pacific flatfish populations are not considered to be depleted, there are concerns about bycatch and habitat impacts from bottom trawling. These impacts are relatively well mitigated in California – our captains are using gear modifications and avoid all closed areas.

CHILIPEPPER ROCKFISH

 

Rockfish is often mislabeled as rock cod or Pacific snapper, though there are no true snappers on the West Coast. Adding to the confusion, “rockfish” is also a market name for striped bass. Chilipepper rockfish caught by the California Groundfish Collective are a “Best Choice” because of effective management and lack of sustainability concerns.

PACIFIC SANDDABS

 

Like other flatfishes, soles are perfectly suited to life on the seafloor where their special adaptations help them hide from both predator and prey. Sanddabs caught by the California Groundfish Collective are a ‘Best Choice’ because of effective management and lack of sustainability concerns.

THORNYHEAD

 

Rockfish is often mislabeled as rock cod or Pacific snapper, though there are no true snappers on the West Coast. Adding to the confusion, “rockfish” is also a market name for striped bass. Thornyhead rockfish caught by the California Groundfish Collective are a ‘”Best Choice” because of effective management and lack of sustainability concerns.

ARROWTOOTH FLOUNDER

 

About a dozen species of flatfish are regularly caught in the Pacific by US and Canadian fishermen. Common market names include fluke, flounder, halibut, plaice, sanddab, sole and turbot. All major sources of flounder caught off California using the Bottom Trawl method are listed as “Good Alternatives”

PETRALE SOLE

 

Petrale Sole is perfectly suited to life on the seafloor where their special adaptations help them hide from both predator and prey. The various flatfish (soles and flounders) caught by the California Groundfish Collective are a ‘Best Choice’ because of effective management and lack of sustainability concerns.

Featured Perspectives: Opinions on Our Catch

In September 2014, the Monterey Bay Aquarium recognized the hard work of the West Coast Groundfish Fishery and upgraded many of its ratings on species caught by FBGA vessels.

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In June 2014, the West Coast Groundfish Fishery became the most diverse and complex fishery in the world to achieve MSC certification. FBGA’s vessels proudly harvest these MSC-certified groundfish.

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