About
Let’s revolutionise Britain’s favourite take-away
The aim is to get mackerel on the menu in Fish and Chip shops across the UK. By offering a more sustainable alternative to the habitual favourite Cod and Chips you will be helping to save our fish.
Be part of Channel 4’s Mackerel Mission and get a pin on the Mackmap and a sticker for your local Chip Shop window.
Background
Back in October Hugh and Head Chef Tim, spent an afternoon at the River Cottage Canteen in Axminster devising a way of getting a delicious and most importantly sustainable fish into the lives of the British public.
There seemed one very obvious portal for doing this, the UK’s favourite take-away; the local chip shop. If they could convince the owners and consumers alike to swap their standard cod and chips for something more sustainable, they might just start a mini revolution!
The aim? To get mackerel on the menu in at least one fish and chip shop in every town across the UK and with over 10,000 shops in this country, they were aiming high!
Why Mackerel?
Our experience over the last few years at River Cottage is that there are few more tasty, and often under-valued fish, than the great British Mackerel. In this country we are lucky to be surrounded by the sea, and it’s true to say that we have a plentiful supply of this species – with careful management of this fishery there’s no reason why this shouldn’t continue to be the case.
In fact thousands of tonnes of this species are landed in British ports like Peterhead, every year. What’s even better to know is that mackerel is fished in a controlled and sustainable way.
The huge quantities of these shoaling, fast growing, pelagic fish available, means that the cost to the consumer is considerably less than that of bigger predatory species such as cod. Plus, it’s tasty, cheap and has great health benefits (rich in Omega 3s), a perfect choice really!
But if Mackerel’s not your thing, remember there are lots of other alternatives. Britain has a vast array of delicious fish, but for some reason we have become used to eating just a few species.
By eating a greater variety of fish, we will help to take the pressure of the more vulnerable species like cod and haddock – it will also help you to open up new culinary horizons and impress all around.
Progress so far . . .
Over the last few months, Tim has trialled mackerel in a local mobile fish and chip van and four of Weymouth’s best fish and Chip shops. After a slow start, things have been going from strength to strength.
You’ll now find hot mackerel baps on the menu of The Marlboro Restaurant, Bennett’s on the Waterfront, The Old Harbour and Fish and Fritz (all in Weymouth).
Tim also visited to the National Federation of Fish Friers Christmas ball to raise awareness of the mission and managed to chat to quite a few influential fish and chip shop industry representatives.
But that's just the beginning!
What can you do?
We'd like to fill the Mackerel map with pins across the length and breadth of the UK and to do that we need your help. Read our Get Involved page here to find out all the ways in which you be part of the Mackerel Mission.
