Sustainable seafood choices when eating sushi
Enjoy sushi with the ocean in mind
Sustainable Seafood Choices When Eating Sushi
Eating sushi more sustainably doesn't mean giving it up. It means asking where fish comes from, choosing more of the plentiful species, and eating the most pressured ones less often. In Hong Kong, WWF-Hong Kong's Seafood Guide is the simplest tool.
How to choose. Use the guide: WWF-Hong Kong's Seafood Guide — pick "Green – First Choice" or "Yellow – Second Choice", avoid "Red". Ask: about origin, species and production method. Look for: WWF-Hong Kong's Sustainable Seafood Badge at restaurants.
How the WWF guide works
The guide rates seafood by origin, category and production method — the details on packaging or menus. Users compare those details and choose accordingly. WWF-Hong Kong recommends choosing Green or Yellow and avoiding Red entirely.
What to ask at a sushi counter
Where is it from? Wild or farmed? Which species? "Tuna" or "yellowtail" can mean several species with very different sustainability ratings. See bluefin vs yellowfin.
Species to think about
Eel: Japanese eel is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and most farmed unagi starts as wild-caught juveniles. See unagi vs anago. Bluefin tuna: check the guide's current rating for the stock and method. Farmed salmon: ratings depend on the farm and certification.
Easy swaps
Eat more of the smaller, faster-growing fish when they are well rated — aji, saba, iwashi. Try vegetable sushi for part of the meal. Order seasonal fish, which is often more plentiful. See oily fish guide and vegetarian sushi.
Save the guide on your phone. Check it before ordering at a belt chain or supermarket.
Three habits: ask about origin · choose Green or Yellow · eat less of the most pressured species.
Ratings change. Stock assessments are updated. Check the latest WWF-Hong Kong guide rather than old lists.
Common questions
Is sushi sustainable?
It depends on the species and how it was caught or farmed.
What is the WWF-Hong Kong Seafood Guide?
A tool that rates seafood Green, Yellow or Red.
Where else can I look?
Compiled by our editorial team from WWF-Hong Kong's Seafood Guide, the IUCN Red List, Japanese seafood and sushi references, chain and restaurant menus, and Hong Kong food safety guidance, retrieved September 2026. Seasons vary by region and year. General information only, not medical or dietary advice.