A topic floating around in the news today is sustainability. Sustainability striking the balance between taking enough of something to meet needs now, while leaving plenty for the future is an increasingly important consideration for many families. As a result, it is becoming increasingly expected for registered dietitians to understand the sustainability of foods they recommend.

I cant pretend to know all there is to know about seafood sustainability. Each individual fishery has a different sustainability story. And the statuses of fish stocks are in constant flux. Thats exactly why those best and worst or green and red wallet cards out there make me uneasy. They are oversimplified. And worse, sustainability ratings often end up turning into stand-alone nutrition advice. I hate to sound like a broken record, but nutrition advice needs to come from doctors and dietitians.

As an RD who clings to science, my go-to source for the latest and most accurate sustainability facts is the seafood science team of experts over at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). I love their easy-to-use website, FishWatch. Its like an (abridged and interesting) encyclopedia of fish and shellfish. Click on any fish to learn about its sustainability status, habitat, role in the ecosystem, and nutrition facts. NOAA does a great job of sharing up-to-date, science-based facts without telling people what to eat.