12 Underrated Types Of Fish You Should Try At Least Once

By now, the vast majority of people are aware that fish stocks, like many aspects of the natural environment, have been exploited to an unsustainable degree. According to National Geographic, more than a third of fish stocks are experiencing overfishing, creating a pressure on fish populations that is exacerbated by climate change and vice versa (via Greenpeace).

Not all fish are deemed equal, and the most popular fish in the dining room are frequently those most exploited in our oceans. The BBC reports that 80% of the seafood eaten in the U.K. comes from five species. In the United States, 62% comes via just four species. This means that some species, including various types of tuna, are suffering immense challenges posed by chronic overfishing (via Greenpeace).

One way to reduce pressure on these species — while not denying yourself the epicurean pleasures of seafood — is to eat lesser-known, underrated species. As environmental scientist Jessica Gephart explains, it's not like we are limited in our choice: "The category of seafood is really diverse. It includes around 2,500 different species produced by farming and capture fisheries." With this in mind, we have collated a list of 12 underrated but still delicious fish for you to enjoy in the place of more popular species. As with buying any fish, be sure to check the origins and catching method when purchasing to ensure the sustainability of the stocks and fisheries.

While white fish have become popular for their distinct lack of flavor (per Dr. Axe), red mullet bucks the trend and is a very flavorful fish (via Great British Chefs). That makes it a much more interesting centerpiece than more celebrated white fish, like cod. This is one of the main reasons that Hung Huynh, executive chef of Catch and "Top Chef" winner, enjoys cooking with red mullet: "I love this fish because it's so sweet and delicate. It tastes like crustacean. It's a small fish that packs in tons of flavor. You need a very precise and delicate hand to cook this fish, as it overcooks and changes flavors depending on the heat." (via Thrillist).

Because it has the more popular, white flesh, red mullet does not have the stigma often heaped upon oily fish. However, cooking it correctly can pose a challenge. The red mullet is prone to overcooking which results in a dry, disappointing end result. When done properly, however, red mullet is flavorsome and fatty without the distinct oily and overly fishy taste present in other species. This makes it a great option for trying a new, underrated species of fish without having to step too far out of your comfort zone.

Porgy, otherwise known as scup, is an inexpensive, relatively small fish that remains a sustainable option for fish caught on America's coastline, as per The New York Times. Startlingly, one of the main reasons attributed to the fish's underrated status is simply the name it is known by. However, once you look past this, you're in for a tasty treat, as Todd Mitgang, executive chef at Crave Fishbar highlights: "Porgy gets a bad rap for a lot of reasons: it's used as bait for bigger fish, and its name doesn't sound particularly classy. Porgy? Scup? I totally understand why this fish gets overlooked, but this needs to end. Porgy is sustainable, and it is fished off of our local coasts. It is sweet, mild, has edible skin that gets nice and crispy, and right now it is more affordable than other varieties that are similar in flavor like red snapper." (via Thrillist).

As explained by Crave Fishbar, porgy can be prepared in a variety of ways, including being roasted whole, fileted and fried, or even transformed into ceviche. As such, it stands as one of the most sustainable and versatile fish available in America right now. And if those aren't great reasons to try this underrated fish, we don't know what will convince you.

Anchovies are perhaps the most versatile fish in this article, thanks in part to their small size. Anchovies can be used to make flavorful sauces such as pasta puttanesca, while the rich, salty, and umami flavor you get from anchovies also makes them a staple in store-bought sauces like Worcestershire sauce, as per MasterClass. As such, anchovies are a fish that are heavily utilized by foodies and professional chefs alike, with many publications lauding the fish and the unique role it plays in the kitchen (via Woman's World).

The small size of anchovies also makes them a healthy choice, as award-winning chef and restaurateur Seamus Mullen pointed out: "Not only are anchovies a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, because they're so small, they're lower in mercury than bigger fish." (via Well + Good). Furthermore, thanks to the fish being at the bottom of the food chain and the methods used to catch them, anchovies are seen as a relatively sustainable source of seafood when compared to fish at the top of the food chain. This is a fact highlighted by Andy Sharpless, CEO of Oceana: "We can feed tens of millions more people if we simply eat anchovies and other forage fish directly rather than in (the) form of a farmed salmon or other animals raised on fish meal and fish oil." (via The Japan Times).

Smelt are another small, thin species of oily fish which many consumers turn their nose up at or remain totally ignorant of. This is a shame, as the seven-to-nine-inch fish is known for both its clean flavor and texture, as per The Globe and Mail. As with many small fish featured in this article, smelt are very versatile. A fact that chef, Eric Lee is keen to point out: "The thing is, smelt is awesome ... mild little fish served dredged and fried with pickled beets or tahini cream: It's hard to beat that. The roe is beautiful and so small and fantastic on sushi, and in other countries they eat the fish with the roe still inside, which seems to me like the best surprise a chef can give you. Smelt fries with Old Bay aioli should be the natural choice at every crab shack from Maine to San Diego." (via Thrillist).

Seafood Source reports that there are nine distinct species of smelt that can be found across North America. Unfortunately, a number of these smelt species have suffered serious population decline in recent years. These include smelt found in places such as California (via The Guardian) and Michigan, as per Michigan Radio. Consequently, it is vital that you check the sustainability of the stock you are purchasing your smelt from, lest you contribute to the pressuring of an already dwindling stock.

While the rampant overfishing of cod has been well documented (via Conservation Law Foundation), this shouldn't prevent you from consuming lingcod, due to the simple fact that the fish, despite its name, is not a cod but a greenling. That being said, lingcod have been overfished in the past, most notably during the late 19th century. Yet populations off the West Coast of America are now deemed both stable and sustainable, as reported by Oceana. In fact, Monterey Bay Aquarium highlights that the use of trawling to catch lingcod is the only thing that limits the fish's sustainability status: This being for the simple fact that trawling can cause catastrophic damage to habitats. As such, consumers seeking the most sustainable option should take care to source lingcod that is caught by alternative means.

In the kitchen, lingcod ticks a lot of the boxes consumers are looking for in a fish. It has a classic, flaky texture, the robustness of which makes it suitable for several popular cooking methods, including pan frying. Furthermore, the fish's mild taste means it has a broad appeal, as per The Seattle Times. In short, lingcod is a sustainable substitute for many of America's favorite fishes, and as such should be used in an attempt to protect species, such as cod, from further overfishing.

It is quite a rare thing when eating fish can benefit, instead of damage, local marine ecosystems. But when it comes to copi — another name for carp — this is exactly the case. As an invasive species, copi is having a number of damaging impacts on the United States' rivers and waterways, as per Smithsonian Magazine. This is largely attributable to the fact that copi are thriving, with huge populations outcompeting native species. One sustainable way of reducing the population? Eating copi instead of other, less abundant fish.

When it comes to cooking, copi can be cooked in lots of different ways, a notion explained by corporate executive chef for the Pioneer Tavern Group in Chicago, Brian Jupiter: "Copi is more savory than tilapia, cleaner tasting than catfish and firmer than cod. It's the perfect canvas for creativity — pan fried, steamed, broiled, baked, roasted, or grilled. Copi can be ground for burgers, fish cakes, dumplings and tacos." However, one significant barrier to consumption has been the negative associations American's draw from the term carp. This has inspired numerous organizations to refer to carp in culinary settings as copi (via York Dispatch).

Renaming is an approach that has worked well with various other types of seafood, including calamari (per The New York Times). Many are now hoping that copi has similar success, as an increased market for the fish would not only reduce pressures on other overfished species, but also improve the state of the nation's rivers.