The Popular White Fish You Might Want To Avoid Buying - Tasting Table

"More than 70% of the fish Americans eat is imported, and studies show that a shocking one-third of it is mislabeled somewhere along the supply chain, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The fillet on your tray might have traveled oceans, changed hands, and switched names multiple times before landing on the ice at your grocery store. Tilapia is the biblical "St. Peter's fish" of the Sea of Galilee,"

"Tilapia often hides behind that name, a faceless filet with a mild flavor, marketed as universally palatable at a low price point, making it one of the most consumed fish in the United States. On the surface, it seems harmless, just an inert everyman's protein that could have come from anywhere, grown on a tree, or assembled in a factory, for all we know. And that is exactly the problem."

"Consumers don't shoulder all the blame for getting the fishing line tangled; generations of trade policy and lax regulation have made it nearly impossible to know what's safe, sustainable, or ethical without research, which can feel overwhelming, tedious, and confusing. But once you understand how different production systems operate, you realize there is a choice to make at the fish counter."

Tilapia is frequently sold as anonymous "white fish" and ranks among the most consumed fish in the United States. The seafood supply chain is highly globalized: over 70% of consumed fish is imported and roughly one-third is mislabeled, obscuring origin and production methods. Much imported tilapia, particularly from China, is raised in densely stocked outdoor ponds with pollution and contamination risks. Weak regulation and complex trade policies make assessing safety, sustainability, and ethics difficult without research. Consumers can reduce risks by identifying country of origin, choosing certified or better-managed farms, and preferring domestic or recirculating aquaculture systems.

Read at Tasting Table