Eco Fishing On The Up
Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Marine Stewardship Council and Greenpeace, the British fishing industry is about to become one of the most environmentally friendly in the world market.
The Council has so far persuaded 60% of all British fishing fleets to join their responsible fishing scheme, with a record number of fleets being awarded coveted “eco-labels” for their catches. The fact that the industry acknowledge that the practices of the yesteryear aren’t sustainable, and that eco friendly catches are good for all concerned, is a promising sign.
250,000 tonnes of fish caught next year will be carrying the blue eco friendly label, with the stamp currently only making it on to 4,580 tonnes of fish this year. The MSC have also persuaded the 2 major Scottish fleets to apply for the eco sticker, who’s North Sea catch is roughly 200,000 tonnes a year. Along with the change in attitudes from the fishing industry, welcome changes are afoot within the leading supermarkets, who retail a large proportion of the fish.
Supermarkets are now competing amongst themselves to be the ‘greenest‘ fishmongers in the UK. Having been forced into removing threatened species from their counters by Greenpeace campaigns. Asda have now promised that within 4 years ALL its fish will reach MSC requirements. Waitrose and Mark and Spencers have already banned unsustainable fish from their counters, whilst Sainsbury’s have pledged to double their ranges of eco friendly fish.
At the moment nearly all eco friendly fish sold in the UK is imported from as far afield as New Zealand and Alaska, but with these new plans in place the tide is turning. The British fishing industry seems to have grasped the concept that when the fish run out they won’t have an industry at all, and I for one am looking forward to ordering Pollack and chips in the very near future!
