The 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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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
