Why?
Why is it important to eat a wider range of fish?
According to the UN, half of the world’s fish stocks are fully exploited, and another quarter overfished – meaning populations are struggling to reproduce.
In Europe, scientists consider a whopping eighty percent of stocks to be overfished – making us, shamefully, one of the worst cases worldwide. But before you decide to drop your fish fork forever, take heart that there is a surprisingly easy way for consumers to address the problems in our oceans.
We need to be a bit more savvy about the way we eat and start appreciating all the fish we catch, rather than just a small selection of it. Adventurous fish eating is healthy, cheap and deliciously easy, and that’s exactly what makes fishfight so exciting.
Reduction in stocks
The biggest factor in the reduction in fish stock numbers is the massive advance in fishing technology over the last half-century. After World War Two, our fishing vessels got much bigger and more powerful, and drastically increased their catching power. Since 1950, the amount of fish being caught worldwide has increased around five-fold.
Consumers in the UK tend towards eating a small number of familiar favourites like cod. We seem to have largely forgotten about many of the fish that have delighted and nourished us for centuries.
Paradoxically, increases in the size of trawls, nets and lines mean that alongside this narrowing of tastes, it has became harder for fishermen to discriminate between fish we want and fish we don’t. This means larger catches of non-target species. The painful irony in all this is that much of the fish we are currently throwing away as ‘trash’ is tasty, high quality and wonderfully nutritious.
What can we do?
Although we know that certain stocks are in serious trouble, the news isn’t all bad. Scientists don’t assess all species, rightfully focusing their efforts on those thought to be of concern. This means that the statistics above only tell us about some species of fish. Stocks of many others are considered healthy enough for us to eat with a clear conscience.
There are pretty clear rules that consumers can learn as to which are good and bad buys. See Channel4's Fish Inspiration guide and the Marine Conservation Society's sustainable fish guide.
Fantastic new treats
The refreshingly good news is that easing the pressure on fish stocks can be easy, healthy and fun. Eat a wider range of fish and try to steer-clear of overexploited stocks to give them a chance to recover. Given enough time, stocks will replenish and the off-limits species will be back on the menu. In the meantime, you’ll discover some truly fantastic new treats.
