Nearly two years ago we stopped serving Mahi Mahi. This was not because it wasn’t popular, delicious, or affordable. It was still all those things. Instead we chose to stop serving Mahi Mahi because our research, in partnership with the internationally recognized Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch^® program, discovered that a huge majority of Mahi Mahi was caught with harmful and unsustainable fishing. Upsetting not just the fish themselves, but the larger ocean ecosystems as well.

Instead of avoiding the problem, we decided to be a part of the solution. We identified Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) in Costa Rica and Peru that are committed to decreasing harmful bycatch* and reaching MSC certification. We sent team members to Central and South America to actively engage and have committed to support the FIP efforts as long as they continue to make meaningful progress towards their goals.

We are happy to say we can now serve our Mahi Mahi with a clear conscience. Because at California Fish Grill, we’re proud of the fish we serve, and equally proud of the fish we won’t.

*Bycatch is the unwanted fish and other marine creatures caught during commercial fishing for a different species.