Seafood Watch - Seafood Guide

Blueline Tilefish

© Duane Raver
SEAFOODRATINGMARKET NAMESWHERE CAUGHTHOW CAUGHT
Blueline Tilefish Avoid: Avoid these products for now. These fish come from sources that are overfished or fished or farmed in ways that harm the environment. Grey Tilefish, Paleta U.S. Gulf of Mexico, U.S. South Atlantic Wild-caught
Golden Tilefish Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Rainbow Tilefish, Golden Snapper, Colorful Tilefish U.S. Mid-Atlantic Wild-caught
Golden Tilefish Avoid: Avoid these products for now. These fish come from sources that are overfished or fished or farmed in ways that harm the environment. Rainbow Tilefish, Golden Snapper, Colorful Tilefish U.S. Gulf of Mexico, U.S. South Atlantic Wild-caught


Blueline Tilefish

Blueline tilefish populations in the South Atlantic and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico are ranked "Avoid."

Consumer Note

Most tilefish found in the marketplace is golden tilefish.

Health Alert

Environmental Defense Fund has issued a health advisory for tilefish due to high levels of mercury.

Summary

Blueline tilefish are long-lived, slow-growing deep water species. Tilefish have a limited range and do not migrate, making it easy for fishermen to catch large numbers at one time. This characteristic, combined with the fact that tilefish are slow to mature, makes them vulnerable to fishing pressure.

The status of tilefish populations varies by region. In the Mid-Atlantic, golden tilefish have begun to recover from overfishing. In the South Atlantic, overfishing continues and is a high conservation concern. The South Atlantic blueline tilefish population is considered to be overfished and little information is available for either species for the Gulf of Mexico.


Recipe Alternatives
Pacific halibut and Alaska pollock are your "Best Choices."

Scientific Reports About Our Ratings
Seafood Watch Card Print a pocket-size Seafood Watch guide to take with you.
Mobile phone users log on to mobile.seafoodwatch.org.

iPhone® and iPod touch® users, you can get the most up-to-date Seafood Watch recommendations on your iPhone or iPod touch.

How fish are caught or farmed makes a difference. Fishing boat