Fish & Tips

Your guide to choosing fish which are from a plentiful and well-managed supply

Here are our top ten! We’ve investigated and rated the Uk’s top ten UK favourite seafoods, and combined the list with information from the Marine Conservation Society and the Marine Stewardship Council.
TIP: Instead of eating these old favourites, why not try something new like line caught seabream, dab, pollack or mahi mahi.

1.Salmon

Over the last twenty years the fish stocks of salmon in the Atlantic have halved, and Atlantic farmed salmon is often subject to intensive practices.
TIP: Choose organically farmed salmon, or wild salmon from the Pacific (check those air miles).

2. Cod

Stocks in some areas are very low, bycatch is a problem, as is capture of immature fish.
TIP: Try line caught from Icelandic sustainable fisheries (but they are still whaling!)

3. Haddock

AVOID eating haddock from overfished stocks (North-East Artic, Faroes and Irish Sea).

4. Prawns

Two species of prawns are popular in the Uk.: native northern cold water prawns and tropical tiger prawns.
TIP: Try finding trap caught native prawns. The tiger prawn fishery is very environmentally damaging.

5. Mackerel

The north sea is empty, there stocks in the mid Atlantic.
TIP: Choose handline-caught mackerel from southwest England certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.

6. Trout

Widely farmed and they eat alot of fishmeal (a damaging fishery in itself). Native brown trout are threatened by non-indigenous rainbow trout.
TIP: Buy organic where you can.

7. Plaice

A long-lived species and subject to high fishing pressure.
TIP: Try line caught plaice, over 30cm in size.

8. Herring

Stocks in the North Sea are currently within safe biological limits. Purse seines and pelagic trawl fisheries can result in cetacean by-catch.
TIP: Choose a Marine Stewardship Council fishery (eg Black Water).

9. Skate

AVOID these fish because they are long lived and slow growing.

10. Tuna

Is the most popular tinned fish in UK. Four out of the six species are overfished. Avoid scarcer species, such as bluefin in sushi.
TIP: Choose line caught that are ‘dolphin friendly’, but may catch seabirds.

Eco-labelling

The Marine Stewardship Council endorses well managed fisheries. Look for this logo.

Farmed fish

Not all fish farms are badly managed. However conditions in badly managed farms have been likened to that of battery chickens. Look out for the RSPCA freedom foods certification.

Supermarkets

Friends of the Earth surveyed the state of supermarket seafood in October 2005. Asda, Morrisons, Iceland and Tesco scored poorly, whilst M&S and Waitrose came top.

Local fishmongers

They will always know where their fish has come from.

Tips to keep in mind...

Consumer purchasing choices apply pressure to the policies of fisheries and fish sellers. Check out the tips for the top ten fish consumed in the UK

Other tips include:

Buy fish from someone you trust - ask questions!
Support local sustainable fisheries
Try and eat line caught fish from small sustainable fisheries.
Support the establishment of marine reserves.

References and links

Photo of Shoal of Mackerel courtesy of Laszlo Muzlai