Seafood Watch Upgrades 21 Species Of Groundfish As Good Choice

A group with wide influence among consumers, restaurants and retailers has just given the thumbs-up to dozens of species of groundfish that were once in dire shape.

Seafood Watch, a California-based sustainability program, said Tuesday that nearly 40 species of rockfish, sole, cod and other fish on the West Coast are now ranked as a "Best Choice" or "Good Alternative" to eat. The rankings include an upgraded sustainability status for 21 species that were previously listed as "Avoid."

The new rankings underscore a dramatic turnaround in groundfish stocks, which were declared a federal disaster in 2000. More than 50 percent of the groundfish caught on the West Coast, excluding whiting, are landed in Oregon.

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