Which Haddock is OK to eat?
The Marine Conservation Society has down-graded the sustainability ratings of some stocks of haddock; stocks in the UK around the North Sea and the coast of Scotland have slipped off the ‘Fish to Eat’ list, and are now considered ‘OK to eat occasionally’.
Haddock is the second most popular fish eaten in the UK (after cod), found in just about all the 10,500 fish and chip shops in the UK. Many large caterers, public sector institutions and universities have committed to sourcing only verifiably sustainable fish by taking the Sustainable Fish Cities pledge, so how can fish-buyers be sure that they are sourcing Haddock sustainably?
1. The down-grading only applies to some stocks of haddock – there are other sources that are still considered ‘Fish to Eat’. It is important to check where your haddock is from. The list of sustainable sources is on the MCS Good Fish Guide
2. Look for the Marine Stewardship Council’s fish tick ecolabel. MSC certified fish can be found in all the major retailers (with Sainsbury’s offering the most choice). You can also find MSC certified fish in over 100 fish and chip shops in the UK, as well as hundreds of workplaces, universities and schools
Why the Downgrading?
Bernadette Clarke, the Good Fish Guide Manager at the Marine Conservation Society says: “These ratings changes have come about because scientific perception of the stock has changed. Compared to 2015, the stock numbers in 2016 were below the recommended level and at the point where action is now needed to increase the number of fish of breeding age.”
What else can be done?
The haddock stock in the North Sea is shared between European countries and catch levels are currently set by the EU quota system. It is absolutely vital that when the UK withdraws from the EU, the catch levels for Haddock (and other species) continue to be set at precautionary, science-based levels, or the stock is at serious risk of becoming overfished.
The haddock stock in the North Sea is shared between European countries and catch levels are currently set by the EU quota system. It is absolutely vital that when the UK withdraws from the EU, the catch levels for Haddock (and other species) continue to be set at precautionary, science-based levels, or the stock is at serious risk of becoming overfished.
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Read the Marine Conservation Society’s Press release
Published Friday 17 March 2017
Sustainable Fish: A campaign to protect precious marine environments and fishing livelihoods, and call for fish to be bought from sustainable sources. We want to show what can be done if people and organisations make a concerted effort to change their buying habits.
