Nick Mead, Eden Caterers

Eden Caterers have been creating stylish, scrumptious and now sustainable food for over 15 years. On joining up to the Sustainable Fish City campaign, Director Nick Mead took time out to tell us why his business is taking action on this issue.

Why do you think sustainable fish is important?

Fish stocks are running dangerously low - so low that some fish species are close to becoming extinct. Sourcing and buying fish from sustainable stocks is the way we help oceans to recover.

What inspired you to take action on sustainable fish?

Eden’s whole underlying ethos is “Sustainability”. The Sustainable Fish City project is just another in a long line we are helping to tackle.

And what have you done as a result?

Two seasons ago we introduced mackerel on to our main “Express” menu for a direct replacement of one of our salmon lines. This season we have deliberately taken smoked salmon from our set menus. These account for around 70% of our sales, and we replaced it with more pole-and-line caught skipjack tuna. As a result we’ve seen our volumes of smoked salmon purchased drop from 100kg per month to 20kg!

What would you say to a concerned citizen interested in supporting sustainable fish?

Could you imagine a life without fish? Everybody can help make a change.

What would you say to a caterer who is interested in serving sustainable fish?

Buying sustainably is easily done, has little impact on your costs, and most importantly would make a huge difference to solving the problem.

What would you say to someone in a similar business to yours, to inspire them to supply sustainable fish?

Could you imagine a life without fish?

What would you say to a business that hasn't yet tackled the issue of sustainable fish?

Why not? Could your business survive without being able to offer fish?

Find out more about Eden Caterers at: http://www.eden-caters.co.uk/

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  Allegra McEvedy MBE, chef, writer and presenter
  "To stand by and do nothing, say nothing as we slowly drain the oceans of their livestock is to make one complicit, and that's just not a position with which I was comfortable."

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  Caroline Bennett, Moshi Moshi
  "I am determined to do something about the way we fished the seas. We know the problems, we don’t even need any additional information to know how to fix them: we just have to get on and do it. No excuses."

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  Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Fish Fight
  “I have been travelling around the UK meeting fishermen, marine conservationists, politicians, supermarkets bosses, and of course fish-eating members of the public. It has changed the way I think about fish.”

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  Raymond Blanc OBE, Chef Patron, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
  “Good ethics should be part of everyday business. Many restaurants and caterers in this are helping to protect our precious marine resources. They should get rightful recognition and inspire others to do the same.”

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  Rosie Boycott, London Food Board
  "Taking a sustainable approach to fish is critical to the food security of our city. It is shocking to think that within our lifetimes, we could lose some of our favourite species from the seas forever."

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  Silla Bjerrum, Feng Sushi
  "Ensuring the future supply of fish is very important. Eating fish can be a component of a healthy lifestyle. Future generations rely on us to pass on healthy seas and maintain biodiversity."

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  Tim Hughes, Caprice Holdings
  "It’s our duty to impart our knowledge to a wider audience, so everybody realises how important it is to cherish our fish stocks. I will continue to champion lesser-known species in plentiful and sustainable supply."