Fish purchasing guide

Below is a quick reference guide to the seasonality; maturity; minimum landing size and best choices for those wild capture fish MCS rate either 1,2 or 3. Red gives a guide as to when the fish usually spawn, avoiding eating fish caught during their spawning time helps to ensure future sustainability of the species, this only applies to fresh wild-caught fish however. Fish that are caught and frozen at sea can take weeks to reach the fish counter. Green months are outside the spawning times and show which months are best to enjoy your favourite fish dish.

To find further information about any of the fish listed here and other fish rated 4 or 5 that are not included go back to the SEARCH tab. To access our Fish to Eat and Fish to Avoid lists go to the LISTS tab. Click on the fish name to find out specific information about that species. Spawning times can vary for individual stocks and species, area and oceanographic conditions eg sea temperature and latitude. The table below is a summary of UK fish stocks.

Buy fish in the green months. Avoid buying fish in the red months.

hold mouse over (i) for specific information on certain species

  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Alaska or walleye pollock.                        
Bib or pouting                        
Black sea bream or porgy       eastern english channel eastern english channel              
Brown trout                        
Chilean seabass                        
Clam , American hardshell                        
Clam, carpet or venus shell                        
Clam, razor                        
Clam, warty venus                        
Cockle                        
Cod, Atlantic                        
Cod,Pacific Spawning occurs from late fall to early spring in Puget Sound (Garrison & Miller 1982). Stocks further north in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea spawn in winter through spring Spawning occurs from late fall to early spring in Puget Sound (Garrison & Miller 1982). Stocks further north in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea spawn in winter through spring Spawning occurs from late fall to early spring in Puget Sound (Garrison & Miller 1982). Stocks further north in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea spawn in winter through spring Spawning occurs from late fall to early spring in Puget Sound (Garrison & Miller 1982). Stocks further north in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea spawn in winter through spring             Spawning occurs from late fall to early spring in Puget Sound (Garrison & Miller 1982). Stocks further north in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea spawn in winter through spring Spawning occurs from late fall to early spring in Puget Sound (Garrison & Miller 1982). Stocks further north in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea spawn in winter through spring
Coley or Saithe                        
Crab, brown or edible       Crabs mate in spring and summer. Females carry eggs fro 6-9 months. Larvae released in late spring/early summer. Crabs mate in spring and summer. Females carry eggs fro 6-9 months. Larvae released in late spring/early summer. Crabs mate in spring and summer. Females carry eggs fro 6-9 months. Larvae released in late spring/early summer.            
Crab, spider       Females egg bearing April to June; eggs hatch July to November Females egg bearing April to June; eggs hatch July to November Females egg bearing April to June; eggs hatch July to November            
Cuttlefish       Females die after laying their eggs Females die after laying their eggs Females die after laying their eggs Females die after laying their eggs Females die after laying their eggs        
Dab                        
Dover sole                        
Dublin Bay prawn or langoustine     In the autumn females produce eggs which remain attached to their tails for 9 months. Hatching occurs in the spring In the autumn females produce eggs which remain attached to their tails for 9 months. Hatching occurs in the spring In the autumn females produce eggs which remain attached to their tails for 9 months. Hatching occurs in the spring              
Flounder                        
Grey gurnard                        
Haddock                        
Cape hake               Reproductive peak Reproductive peak      
Halibut, Greenland                        
Halibut, Pacific                        
Herring or sild At least one population in UK waters spawns in any one month of the year At least one population in UK waters spawns in any one month of the year At least one population in UK waters spawns in any one month of the year At least one population in UK waters spawns in any one month of the year At least one population in UK waters spawns in any one month of the year At least one population in UK waters spawns in any one month of the year At least one population in UK waters spawns in any one month of the year At least one population in UK waters spawns in any one month of the year At least one population in UK waters spawns in any one month of the year At least one population in UK waters spawns in any one month of the year At least one population in UK waters spawns in any one month of the year At least one population in UK waters spawns in any one month of the year
Hoki                        
King mackerel                        
Lemon sole                        
Lobster             Mate in late summer. Females can store the sperm packet over the winter so eggs are not fertilised and laid down until the following summer. Mate in late summer. Females can store the sperm packet over the winter so eggs are not fertilised and laid down until the following summer. Mate in late summer. Females can store the sperm packet over the winter so eggs are not fertilised and laid down until the following summer.      
Lythe or pollack                        
Mackerel                        
Megrim                        
Mussel                        
Octopus Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch
Octopus, lesser Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch Females die after eggs hatch
Pilchard (adult) or sardine                        
Pacific pilchard                        
Plaice                        
Northern or cold-water prawn                        
Red gurnard                        
Red mullet                        
Salmon. Pacific (pink and red or sockeye)             pink pink pink pink red red
Scallop, King                        
Scallop,Queen                        
Bass or seabass                        
Shrimp, brown No information. Please assist us.                      
Sprat                        
Tuna, skipjack Year round spawning Year round spawning Year round spawning Year round spawning Year round spawning Year round spawning Year round spawning Year round spawning Year round spawning Year round spawning Year round spawning Year round spawning
Tuna, yellowfin No information. Please assist us.                      
Whelk                        
Whiting                        
Winkle No information. Please assist us.                      
Witch or Torbay sole                        

Fish Name Sea area Length/age at maturity EU or other Minimum Landing Size Best  Choice, Ask For -Fishing Method etc.
Alaska or walleye pollock North Pacific 30-34 cm/3-4 yrs   38-42cm (eastern Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska) In Alaskan waters fishery managed by US North Pacific Fisheries Management Council MSC labelled only
Bib or Pouting Central Eastern Atlantic 20 cms/1 year None Line-caught
Black sea bream or porgy North East Atlantic 20 cms/2-3 years 23 cms (Cornwall Sea Fisheries) Cornish line-caught
Brown trout North East Atlantic 15-20 cms/2-4 years information required Rod&line-caught fish from managed fisheries
Chilean seabass South Georgia (FAO 48) Females 90-100 cms/10 years; males slightly shorter and younger information required MSC labelled only
Clam, American hardshell North East & West Atlantic 50 mms information required Hand gathered
Clam, carpet or venus shell North East Atlantic 10 mms 38 mms (except Skagerrak & Kattegat) Hand gathered
Clam, razor North East Atlantic 3 years 100 mms Hand gathered
Clam, warty venus North East Atlantic unknown 40 mms Hand gathered
Cockle North East Atlantic 15-20 mm/18 months Varies with area e.g. Solway Firth 30 mm MSC labelled or hand-raked cockles from sustainably harvested fisheries
Cod, Atlantic North East Atlantic 50 cms/4-5 years in North Sea/60-70 cms 35cms (30 cm in Skagerrak/Kattegat) Line-caught if available from sustainable stocks*. Ensure fish caught by long-line is 'seabird-friendly'
Cod, Pacific       Pacific In British Columbia waters, 50% of the male Pacific cod have been reported to be sexually mature at 41-53 cm, and 50% of the females have been reported to be mature at 47-56 cm. Corresponds to age of approx. 2-3 information required MSC labelled longline-caught
Cod, Greenland North West Atlantic information required information required No information on biomass
Coley or saithe North East Atlantic 50 cms 35 cm (30 cm in Skagerrak/Kattegat) Line-caught if available from sustainable stocks*
Comon dolphinfish or mahi mahi Pacific 4/5 months information required Handline caught from small, targeted artisanal fisheries
Crab, brown or edible North East Atlantic 120mm/7-10 yrs 14-11.5 cms depending on area of capture Pot-caught
Crab, spider North East Atlantic 85 mms males; 70 mms females 120 mms (max.shell width) Pot-caught
Cuttlefish North East Atlantic 20-22 cms/3-6 weeks. Maximum age 18 months. information required Trap-caught from Brittany where measures have been adopted to protect eggs.
Dab North East Atlantic 10-20cms/2-3yrs(males);20-25cms/3-5yrs(females) 15 cm (Cornwall Sea Fisheries District) Line-caught. Also by-caught in trawl nets.
Dover Sole North East Atlantic 25-35 cms/3-5yrs 24 cms MSC labelled from Hastings
Dublin Bay prawn or langoustine North East Atlantic  29-46 mm/4-5 years in males; 21-34 mm/3-4 years in females 20-25 (40 mm Skagerrak/Kattegat) mm total carapace (body) length depending on area of capture. Pot or creel-caught. MSC labelled langoustine available from Loch Torridon. Not available in UK.
Flounder North East Atlantic 20-25cms/2-3yrs(males); 25-30cms/3-4yrs(females) 25 cms (Cornwall Sea Fisheries District) Trap and fixed net. Also by-caught in trawl nets.
Grey gurnard North East Atlantic 18cms/3yrs(males); 24cms/4yrs(females None By-caught in trawl nets
Haddock North East Atlantic 30-40cms/3-4yrs (North Sea);40-70cms/6-10yrs(Norway) 30 cm (27 cm in Skaggerak/Kattegat) Line-caught fish from sustainable stocks*. Ensure fish caught by long-line is 'seabird-friendly'
Cape hake South East Atlantic information required information required MSC labelled only
Halibut, Greenland North East Atlantic 55-65cms/7-8yrs(males); 65-80cms/9-11yrs(females) information required Line-caught fish from sustainable stocks*. Ensure fish caught by long-line is 'seabird-friendly'
Halibut, Pacific North Pacific information required information required Line-caught MSC labelled (when available). Ensure fish caught by long-line is 'seabird-friendly'
Herring or sild North East Atlantic 30cms/3-9yrs(latest in the North) 20 cm (18 cm in Skagerrak/Kattegat) North Sea or MSC labelled

Hoki

 Pacific Males appear to mature at 60-65 cm at 4-5 years, while females mature at 65-70 cm   information required MSC labelled demersal trawl-caught
King mackerel Western Atlantic information required/2-4 60 cms  
Lemon sole North East Atlantic 20-30cms/3-6yrs 25 cms(Cornwall Sea Fisheries District) Trawl not beam-trawl caught
Lobster North East Atlantic 16-17cms(males)/22-23cms(females)/ 5-7yrs (applies to Skaggerrak) 87 mm (78 mm in Skagerrak/Kattegat) carapace length Pot-caught. Avoid eating berried or egg-bearing females.
Lythe or pollack North East Atlantic 50 cms 30 cms Line-caught
Mackerel North East Atlantic 3yrs 20 cms (30cms in North Sea) Line-caught MSC labelled or drift-net caught MSC labelled from Hastings fishery
Megrim North East Atlantic Off Ireland female megrim mature at 2-4 years of age (~ 26 cm). Males mature younger (2 years) and at a smaller size (~I7 cm) 20 cm (25 cm in Skagerrak/Kattegat) Otter-trawled from sustainable stocks*
Mussel North East & West Atlantic 1-2 years 50 mm Wash, England Wild hand-gathered or farmed
Octopus, common North East Atlantic 3-4 yrs 750 gms By-caught in trawl fisheries or in pots
Octopus, lesser North East Atlantic 3-4 yrs None By-caught in trawl fisheries or in pots
Pilchard (adult) or sardine North East Atlantic information required 11 cms Caught as pilchards in SW England using traditional drift nets
Pacific pilchard Pacific 1 yr information required  
Plaice North East Atlantic 30-34 cms 27 cms Otter-trawled from sustainable stocks*
Northern or cold-water prawn North East Atlantic 3 yrs None Trawls fitted with sorting grids only
Red gurnard North East Atlantic 20 cms None By-caught in trawl fisheries
Red mullet North East Atlantic 24 cms 15 cms (Cornwall Sea Fisheries District) By-caught in trawl fisheries
Salmon, Pacific (pink and red or sockeye) Pacific 2 yrs information required MSC labelled only
Scallop, King North East Atlantic 2-3 yrs 100 mms/110 mms in northern Irish Sea Dive-caught
Scallop, Queen North East Atlantic information required 40 mms Dive-or trap caught
Bass or seabass North East Atlantic 35/40 cms 36 cm in EU waters (37.5 cm in some coastal areas of England and Wales) Line-caught and tagged from SW England
Shrimp, brown North East Atlantic information required information required Caught in trawls fitted with veil nets and separators
Sprat North East Atlantic 13-14 cms/2 yrs None North Sea
Tuna, skipjack Eastern Pacific 40 cms information required 'Dolphin-friendly' line or troll-caught
Tuna, yellowfin Western & Central Pacific information required information required 'Dolphin-friendly' line or troll-caught
Whelk North East Atlantic 5-7 years 45 mm Pot-caught
Whiting North East Atlantic 25-30 cms 27 cm (23 cm in Skaggerak/Kattegat) Demersal trawl-caught from the English Channel
Winkle North East Atlantic 20 mm Varies Hand-gathered
Witch or Torbay sole North East Atlantic 25 cms/3-4 yrs 28 cms (Cornwall Sea Fisheries District) By-caught in Cornish demersal trawl fisheries.
Fish Name Sea area or farmed Length/age at maturity EU or other Minimum Landing Size Best  Choice, Ask For -Fishing Method etc.
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