| Fish for the future |
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| Written by Woman's World, 2008 | |
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You can help protect our remaining stocks of threatened fish such as cod and haddock by trying others that aren't on the 'at risk' list.With Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall extolling the virtues of battered pollock and chips in River Cottage's Gone Fishing and fellow foodie Thomasina Miers cooking up her pollock stew on Saturday Kitchen, it's no wonder sales of this fish (it resembles cod) have increased - in fact, by an amazing 171 per cent, according to Seafish, the organisation that supports the seafood industry. It shows the message that we should be turning to sustainable fish stocks is getting through. Sainsburys and Tesco stock pollock, and Waitrose have added line-caught Cornish pollock to their white fish range. Waitrose says: "It is important to us and our customers that we offer a wide range of responsibly sourced seafood. All our fish is fully sustainable and 'line-caught' means that the impact of fishing - both on the marine environment and on other marine animals - is greatly reduced." Along with the supermarkets, suppliers and some restaurants are also doing their bit to source their fish responsibly - we've reproduced recipes from several of them here. Well-known chef Raymond Blanc is backing an information campaign to discourage the use of threatened fish: "Protecting the diversity of fish in our seas is at least as important as looking after our plants and land animals. Those of us who are passionate about cooking and serving seafood will be equally passionate about using only sustainable species, as the fish we cook and eat now will determine what we are able to use and consume in the future," he says. It is up to us as consumers to choose wisely from the wide variety of fish and seafood that is not endangered, says Seafish: "Shoppers only have to make a very minor change to make a real difference to fish stocks." Bistro Fish Stew - View recipe Loch Fyne: from oysters to restaurants"Every oyster we harvest, every salmon we prepare and every fish that leaves our shops and kitchens is cultivated, farmed or fished in accordance with our strict environmental and quality guidelines.We take advice from respected marine bodies... Where species are not plentiful we will find alternatives and we will not source fish caught by methods deemed to be harmful to the marine ecosystem such as deep-sea trawlers, beam trawlers or industrial long-liners." Loch Fyne, known for their 44 seafood restaurants, began in a small way with the idea of farming oysters in the loch's clear waters. The lesser-known fish that Loch Fyne restaurants have featured on their menus are all sustainable and abundant in the seas around Britain. In particular, they recommend pollock; red gurnard, a striking-looking fish with firm flesh, similar to red mullet but with a more subtle taste; and whiting, which can be baked, fried or steamed with aromatic herbs - a versatile fish that also makes an excellent alternative to battered cod or haddock in fish and chips. As part of their 10th birthday celebrations they have created sustainable fish dishes, two of which appear below. Red Gurnard with Tomatoes and Olives - View recipe Whiting with a Garlic Crust Served with Dill Mayonnaise - View recipe Serves 4 Fish4Ever: positive choices"We make positive choices about the fish we pack, choosing methods with virtually no by-catch and avoiding industrial or long-distance fleets fishing in foreign waters.We look for better-managed parts of the sea, such as the Azores, with its wide network of marine parks, its ban on bottom trawling and famed whale- and dolphin-watching waters. We support local options, preferring fishing boats and packers that are close to the fishing grounds, such as the brilliant little fleet of some 20 boats in Brittany that catch our sardines with small net sacks. This year we've launched the world's first ever 'fair fish' skipjack tuna from the Maldives, which rewards an excellent locally based pole-and-line fishing method where the skipjack is landed practically straight into the canning factory." Fish4Ever say they are the only range of tinned fish in the UK to promote explicit sustainability criteria, linking sustainable practices on land (by using organic land ingredients) with sustainable practices at sea. Tinned fish in your store cupboard provides a healthy, quick and easy option - and you can enjoy these recipes with a clear conscience as well. The website www.fish4ever.co.uk goes into detail. |
