The easiest way to ensure you’re buying seafood that’s raised conscientiously is to buy local, says an aquaculture expert for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“It’s a pretty safe bet that stuff grown in Hawaii is grown sustainably. Aquaculture is highly regulated here, and the feds have seafood standards as well,” said Alan Everson, NOAA aquaculture coordinator for the Pacific Island region. “In terms of farm-raised versus wild, there’s no discernable difference in the quality of Hawaii fish.”

Everson says the only offshore agriculture taking place in Hawaii is kampachi farming by Blue Ocean Mariculture in Kona. He says the farm is well monitored for environmental impact, and the fish is top quality.

Mari’s Garden in Mililani is raising tilapia and catfish via an aquaponic system that is completely sustainable. The product is also “well known for its excellent quality,” Everson said.

In contrast, there’s no way to assess the quality of tilapia imported from China — and if you’re purchasing tilapia that hasn’t been labeled as local, it’s probably from China, Everson says.

“We have no idea what these fish are being fed. We have no idea what contaminants are in them,” he said.

Shrimp is another high-quality product raised successfully in Hawaii, and there’s a lot of potential for a shellfish industry to begin, now that the state has come up with long-awaited certification standards.

“If you want to grow shellfish, the state is eager to help,” Everson said.

“It’s a great time for seafood in Hawaii.”