Sustainable Fishing

Over the past 30 years demand for Fish and Shell fish in the UK has more than doubled, awareness of the health benefits of a diet high in fish, alongside an increase in restaurant eating and the fact that people are becoming more adventurous in their own kitchens have all contributed to this rise.  So how do we continue to eat the fish we love whilst protecting the once plentiful stocks from dying out?

While there is no doubt that some species in our coastal waters are in danger there are still a number of stocks that remain healthy.

Shop Responsibly

The best thing we can do to help the fish stocks recover and the environment is to shop responsibly. This means avoiding fish caught by deep sea factory ships; most of these fish are captured in nets up to a mile wide, ships that by the aid of global positioning systems and sonar can identify whole shoals of fish and scoop up the lot, no fish are left behind to breed and replenish the stocks, these fish are then pumped into the immense holds until the hold is full. It is inevitable that in this process rare and endangered fish are scooped alongside the intended catch, these fish then take days to reach shore and are up to a week old by the time they reach the fishmonger or supermarket shelf.

Buy Seasonal Fish

What we should be buying is seasonal inshore fish, caught by small day boats where a variety of fish are caught and sold on the same day the movements of these day boats are restricted by the weather, their catch is varied according to the season and they specifically target the fish that is best to eat at that time of year.  Besides the variety of their catch and the fact that they do not literally hoover up the sea beds, buying fish from these sources supports local small businesses and seaside communities, these local day boats use local fishermen and deck hands, boat builders and mechanics ensuring employment in these areas does not die out. A good fishmonger will be able to tell you where and even by who their fish was caught.

Try Something New!

As a nation we should try to be a little more adventurous when choosing our fish, ask for advice on how to cook your fish and instead of always going for Cod or Haddock try some Pollock, Coley, Ling or Whiting, they are members of the cod family and have sweet white flesh. Try a flat fish for a change; Plaice, Flounder, Dabs, Sole and Turbot are all delicious served as whole fish on the bone or filleted. Or a Pelagic (Sprats, Mackerel, Herring and Sardines ) are all great sources of Omega 3 and will help keep your heart healthy as well as tasting great.