The seafood you order at a restaurant may come with hidden consequences that go far beyond your plate. Some popular fish contain high levels of mercury, while others are linked to overfishing, harmful farming practices, antibiotics, and damage to marine habitats. Yet restaurant menus rarely reveal these problems, leaving customers unaware of how their choices affect the oceans.

Certain seafood options are worth avoiding, including bluefin tuna, swordfish, orange roughy, and Chilean sea bass, which face concerns involving mercury levels or overfishing. Imported shrimp, farmed Atlantic salmon, tilapia, and Vietnamese catfish can also raise environmental concerns because of intensive farming, antibiotic use, and the destruction of natural habitats such as mangrove forests.

Making better choices doesn’t mean giving up seafood altogether. Selecting wild Alaskan salmon instead of farmed Atlantic salmon, Pacific cod instead of Atlantic cod, and U.S.-caught wild shrimp instead of products simply labeled as imported can help support more responsible fishing practices. These small changes can make a difference when more consumers begin paying attention to where their food comes from.

Mussels, sardines, anchovies, and responsibly farmed trout are also alternatives worth considering because they generally have lower environmental impacts. As the article explains, “every time you lift your fork, someone, somewhere, is forced to listen.” Choosing seafood carefully may seem like a small action, but repeated decisions can influence restaurants, suppliers, and the fishing industry.