Surrounded by seas, Britain has always valued fish in the national diet. In 2021, the UK’s fishing fleet landed a total of 570,000 tonnes of fish from British waters – the key areas being the North Sea, the Channel and the North East Atlantic such as the Celtic and Irish Seas.
Yet while the Government has claimed that post-Brexit there’s an opportunity for the UK to lead the world in balancing healthy fish stocks with a thriving fishing industry, research by the conservation organisation Oceana suggests things are far from positive.
In its report Taking Stock: the State of UK fish populations 2023, it found that of the top 10 stocks landed in greatest volumes by UK vessels, five are being overfished or their population is critically low. These include North East Atlantic mackerel, North East Atlantic blue whiting, North Sea anglerfish (monkfish), North Sea cod and Eastern English Channel king scallops.
Stocks that are of a healthy size and can support a sustainable fishery include North Sea herring, haddock, whiting, saithe and nephrops (langoustines). The Marine Conservation Society puts this information into a useful Good Fish Guide
For popular white fish, it recommends North Sea and west of Scotland haddock. Northern Irish Sea herrings are a sustainable ‘oily’ fish, and North Sea plaice are also given the green light. Among shellfish, cockles from Poole Harbour and the Thames Estuary are harvested sustainably while langoustines are also a responsible option. By far the best shellfish choice is farmed mussels, where a sustainable system has been adopted across much of Europe. If you must have cod, the Guide recommends fish caught in Icelandic waters.
Despite this information, finding the best options when shopping isn’t obvious. The Marine Stewardship Council certifies some sustainable fisheries with a ‘blue tick’ on labels, packaging and tins.
But by far the best thing we can do for our fish populations is to have the courage to ask where the fish are from and how they are sourced – at fishmongers and supermarket fish counters. Informed consumer demand could drive UK fishing to be more sustainable.
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