12 Brands That Offer Sustainable Canned Tuna

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Tuna is one of my absolute favorite canned meats to stock up on. It's an easy-to-find and budget-friendly protein that's rich in omega-3 fatty acids. But what about the hype surrounding its controversial fishing practices? From harming dolphins and overfishing to damaging the environment, many of us are concerned about how this fish gets from sea to shelf. The good news is that many brands practice sustainable harvesting practices, and that list is growing.

Making food choices that support the planet impacts more than just your health. Without action, there may not be any tuna left for posterity. Aquatic animals play a crucial role in global food security, and intake is expected to increase by 15% as of 2030. It's important to know which brands are the best for preserving this cherished resource. Whether you look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Blue Fish label (the gold star for sustainability initiatives) or a Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program's "low environmental risk" rating, it's easy to feel good about your seafood and where it comes from. So, let's get hooked on these 12 brands that offer sustainable canned tuna.

There's no denying the growing consciousness surrounding sustainability, and change is possible when brands like American Tuna jump on the bandwagon. Some companies got a bad rap for their problematic industrial harvesting techniques, like purse seining and longline fishing. These archaic techniques threaten marine biodiversity through by-catching unintended species, but not American Tuna. This company is different and there's no bait and switch here. Its fisheries use traditional pole-catching methods exclusively to prevent entangling marine life, like dolphins and sea turtles.

But the happy tidings don't stop there. Not only is American Tuna sustainably caught, but its lineup of canned products are also delicious. You can shop for flavor-infused versions like no salt, sea salt, garlic, smoke with olive oil, and jalapeño. This 2022 MSC award winner's premium quality offerings come from only wild-caught fish, and it's better for you than farm-raised because it's higher in nutrients and lower in mercury. You can swoop up a six-pack of sushi-grade American Tuna in a 6-ounce can on Amazon.

Blue Harbor's seafood products are also MSC-certified sustainable — and traceable — to help ensure healthy fish stocks for future generations. To minimize the impacts of industrial fishing, the brand utilizes the highest harvesting standards to help preserve this diverse ecosystem. Its sources use well-managed longline catch methods that ensure commercial fishers target only healthy fish populations. The company hand-selects its cuts of wild albacore tuna and packs it in American Samoa, as close to the source as possible.

Maybe that's why Blue Harbor's canned albacore is also off the hook good. It's firm, meaty, touts a clean, mild taste, and is packed with just a splash of water and a touch of sea salt. These simple ingredients deliver a fresh taste that compliments all your favorite tuna-based recipes. Don't worry. You can also opt for the salt-free can if you're watching your sodium intake. Pick up a few cans of Blue Harbor's tuna at most grocers, like Walmart, Safeway, and Albertsons.

If you shop for tuna as much as I do, you've definitely seen stacks of Bumble Bee on the shelves. This brand is a huge contender in the marketplace and consistently makes the list for top-ranked tuna brands that find their way into our pantries every day — and for good reason. Just take a quick peek at the label. Each 5-ounce can of the brand's solid white tuna in water delivers 29 grams of protein and 300 milligrams of omega-3's. One Walmart reviewer said it was "by far the best albacore [they've] come across." Wow, that's some kudos!

This US-based seafood company puts its money where its mouth is when it comes to recognizing its environmental responsibilities, too. What do I mean by that? Well, Bumble Bee has the most Blue Fish labeled products of any tuna brand sold in the U.S. This practice makes a big impact on the future of renewable aquatic food sources. Since 2021, the company has increased its seafood supply sustainability commitment by 20%, with a 100% goal by end of year 2025.

Cento Tuna has been around for more than 60 years. With that kind of longevity, you know they're doing things right. This MSC-certified brand is wild caught, never farmed, and dolphin safe. Plus, the company harvests, cleans, and fillets its tuna according to strict U.S. FDA Good Manufacturing Practices. This laser-sharp focus on quality sanitation control measures helps ensure what's packed in that can is free of toxins and cross contamination.

Thanks to the company's Back to My Boat program, the country where the fish are filleted now appears on the bottom of every can. That way you can trace this product back to its source: a sustainable fishery staffed by piscators that respect the ocean and its inhabitants. Simply enter the code into the form on Cento Tuna's website, and voila. Maybe that's why I'm hooked on this brand's tuna fish in olive oil. It has no additives or preservatives, and it makes an excellent foundation for the ultimate comfort food: tuna noodle casserole.

Chicken of the Sea is another widely popular brand you can find at pretty much every grocery store. When Van Camp Seafood founded this cannery more than a century ago, fisherfolk called albacore tuna "chicken of the sea" and the idiom eventually stuck as the brand's official name. Fast forward a few decades and tada: The company developed the SeaChange plan. This program earned the brand a top ranking in the elite 1% of the world's most sustainable food companies. In fact, Chicken of the Sea has held the top spot on Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the last 11 years (and counting).

This is one tuna brand that has shown a consistent dedication to preserving the health of marine life. As an industry pioneer, Chicken of the Sea's big wigs initiated dolphin safe fishing policies 35 years ago and those innovative conservation efforts grew from there. The corporation was a founding member of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation in 2009 and has released a public annual environmental stewardship report every year since 2011.

As we take a deep dive into sustainable canned tuna, we can't forget about a few store-brands, like Good & Gather. This private label product demonstrates Target's commitment to sourcing tuna from fisheries that are MSC certified with supply chain traceability and/or a Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program green or yellow rating. This publicly held company also expects its fisheries to engage in improvement practices outlined by FisheryProgress.org (or similar organization) that advance the industry's eco-friendly initiatives.

Good & Gather's tuna in a can is completely shelf stable and comes in several options, either in a 2.6 or 5 ounce product, like albacore in extra virgin olive oil and skipjack chunk light tuna in water. You can also opt for the super convenient, on-the-go 2.6-ounce single serve pouch (I have one in my purse right now), and you can even get yours seasoned. Choose from lemon pepper or the sweet and spicy version for some extra tang. Both products have 4+ star ratings from Target customers, so go ahead and grab them both.

With food insecurity on the rise across the globe, it's nice to see that budget-friendly options like Walmart's Great Value brand is following in the name brand's sustainability footsteps. This discount department store started its journey to environmental stewardship in 2006 with a goal to reach 100% by 2025. The corporate giant smashed its milestone to purchase only tuna sourced  from MSC certified harvesters (or fisheries working towards this goal) five years early. Congratulations on making a global difference, Walmart!

Every fishery that supplies the retail giant with tuna under its Great Value brand must meet MSC Fisheries Standard's three core principles: to ensure there are enough fish unharvested to produce more fish, to minimize environmental impact to marine ecosystems, and to provide efficient and adaptive fishery management that is legally compliant. Now that's putting your foot down on unsustainable tuna harvesting practices — and that's not all. Walmart also demands accountability from its suppliers through the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership's revolutionary Seafood Metrics System.

The Mind Fish name just sounds like it would be a mindful company, and it is. This brand's mission is, in part, to "research, source, and promote social and environmental sustainability" through their humane pole and line harvesting techniques. This method largely prevents bycatch and helps restore healthy marine ecosystems. These practices are definitely something you should look for when buying canned tuna. Mind Fish was also the first company to introduce Fair Trade Certified canned tuna in the U.S. This designation shows the California-based company's dedication to upholding rigorous standards. Fair Trade Certified ensures that its 600-plus Maldives-based fishermen and more than 500 cannery workers have a safe place to work while earning a fair wage.

Mind Fish is the brand of wild caught tuna your recipes are missing. If you like the idea of 100% pole and line harvested fish, pick up a few 5-ounce cans of its Maldives skipjack tuna in spring water for a drool worthy tuna salad sandwich. Or, if you prefer, the company offers a "European-style conserva" in olive oil that's ideal for a tuna-infused pasta dish.

If you're curious about more than whether or not your canned tuna is sustainable, consider shopping Pole & Line. This brand of tuna is harvested individually with pole and line methods, of course. Afterall, it's all right there in the company's name. But what really stands out is this company's packaging. It includes a Fishery ID sticker, complete with the captain's signature who skippered the ship. That means that all Pole & Line tuna products are completely traceable back to the American or Maldivian fishing vessel that caught it.

If you want premium tasting tuna on your plate while still protecting the ocean's delicate food sources, I highly recommend Pole & Line. It's MSC certified and third-party audited, so you know you're supporting eco-friendly initiatives with every bite. Pick from its mild-tasting albacore options in olive oil or no salt or you can opt for the skipjack variety – a fishier-tasting canned tuna – with or without salt. Either way you'll experience this sustainable canned tuna brand's mouthwatering taste and quality.

If you're on the lookout for a quality sustainable tuna that's traceable from ocean-to-can (and who isn't?), check out Raincoast Trading. This small, multi-generational fishing company out of Canada touts a stellar commitment to quality over profits — and they aren't taking any shortcuts over there. This company only uses canned tuna sources that adhere to responsible harvesting methods with a focus on minimizing factors like bycatch and overfishing. On the bottom of every can you'll find more than just a best-before date. The production code tells you where the fish was caught, the boat's name, trip dates, and who captained the vessel. Yes — there's the transparency we always wanted.

Raincoast Trading's solid white albacore tuna without salt has loads of five star reviews on Amazon, too. One happy customer said they noticed the aroma right away. There's nothing fishy or oily wafting out of this brand's canned tuna. You'll also love Raincoast Trading's texture. This tuna brand is more steak-like than traditional, flaky brands. I can't argue with a ringing endorsement like that.

Sea Tales sells tuna with a wonderfully sustainable story. This company works solely with fishing communities who have made a dedicated commitment to respecting the ocean and its inhabitants. One of the things I really like about Sea Tales is that this wholesaler buys its tuna from mostly small-scale artisanal fisheries. The little guys, like Bije and his crew in Indonesia, fish the Celebes Sea using bamboo poles and line to sustainably harvest the region's skipjack tuna. This group of unique and traditional fisheries take good care of the marine ecosystems where they earn a living.

All of Sea Tales' products are sustainable and traceable, including canned albacore in water or olive oil, as well as its water-packed skipjack. I love that with this brand, you can enjoy some of the best quality tuna on the planet and know you purchased it from an environmentally friendly brand. You can find Sea Tales' products at loads of grocery outlets, from Walmart and Whole Foods Market, or have it delivered to your doorstep by ordering a few cans of 5 oz Albacore Tuna from Amazon.

StarKist is a common household name for tuna lovers, and its take on environmental consciousness is one of the best. In fact, this cannery was a founding member of the conservation-focused International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. The organization's mission is to take advantage of initiatives rooted in real science to improve responsible tuna harvesting practices across the globe. As part of this commitment, StarKist set down a pretty lofty goal: source 100% of its tuna from MSC-certified fisheries by the end of 2026. I've got my fingers crossed for its success.

The company is also committed to following the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission's Scientific Committee recommendations to reduce yellowfin catches to support rebuilding efforts of this popular tuna stock. StarKist was even the first cannery to adopt a dolphin-safe policy back in 1990. The company officially proclaimed that it wouldn't buy any tuna that was caught with indiscriminate fishing methods, like gill or drift nets, while also requiring its sources to comply with the specific labeling requirements of the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act.