Reports show that the world's fisheries are in danger of collapse. In a 2006 study, researchers predicted our oceans could run out of seafood in less than 50 years.

But the same study found that sustainable management

can restore marine populations. You can help just by

choosing sustainable seafood.

"The species of fish, how it's raised and how it's caught make a difference," says Mark Plunkett, conservation curator at the Seattle Aquarium. For example, in the U.S. it's better to catch Alaskan salmon, but it's better to farm tilapia. Targeted fishing practices like trolling and harpooning minimize disturbance, while destructive techniques like gillnetting can destroy habitat and kill endangered sea turtles and other bycatch.

Sound complicated? That's why the Aquarium offers a wallet-sized purchasing guide to sustainable seafood. The easy guide, developed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, tells you which fish to avoid, which fish to eat and what to ask when you're not sure. Make dining even easier by sticking with the Seattle Aquarium's partner restaurants, which have committed to serving sustainable choices. 

The guide also notes which seafood to limit due to mercury or other contaminants. "We as consumers need to consider both the health of our bodies when we buy these seafood products, and also the health of the oceans," Plunkett says.

Download the sustainable seafood guide here, or learn more about Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch on their website. Visit the Seattle Aquarium site to learn more about its many conservation programs.