The habitat impact of catching monkfish is "acceptable, " says Laurel Bryant, director of external affairs at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service, which counts and regulates how much fish is caught in the U.S. and maintains its own extensive seafood-buying guide called FishWatch.

WSJ: Guidelines for Eating Sustainable Seafood

The Coral Reef Alliance, based in San Francisco, lists several things people can do to help protect coral reefs: choosing sustainably-harvested seafood and not buying coral jewellery are a few.

BBC: Travellers�� impact on coral reefs

Underscoring the industry's potential, Singapore's government-owned investment company Temasek said in June it was buying a 10% stake of publicly traded Minh Phu Seafood Corp. of Vietnam.

FORBES: Swimming in Prosperity