Cod still off the menu, says Marine Conservation Society
The charity is still urging people not to eat cod, despite huge efforts to improve stocks in the North Sea. What kind of fish do you plump for at the chippie?
Save the species
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has not changed its advice on eating North Sea cod in the latest version of its sustainable fish guide, declaring that cod caught in the North Sea should remain strictly off the menu. The ruling comes despite an encouraging rise in stocks over the past year, thanks to programmes such as the Conservation Credits Scheme, which rewards fishermen who adopt conservation measures with additional days at sea.
But the efforts have only put cod numbers slightly above ‘safe levels’ for the species, and the MCS is keenly encouraging people to choose a more sustainable fish option for the time being.
If you need some inspiration, the MCS’s ‘Fish to Eat’ list will help you pick an alternative, such as haddock from Iceland or herring from the Irish Sea. If nothing but cod will do for your tea, the advice is only buy it if it’s come from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified fisheries in the northeast Arctic, Iceland or Eastern Baltic.
Switch to scallops?
Trawled and gillnet-caught sea bass are both rated ‘5’ on the MCS Fish to Avoid list – the highest 'don't eat' rating possible – while sea bass caught by handline is now rated as a fish to only eat ‘occasionally’. But you can find guilt-free sea bass, farmed in land-based tanks here in the UK, on the list, with a ‘1’ rating – the most sustainable.
For those who like scallops, six King scallop fisheries appear in FishOnline for the first time, with those from the MSC-certified SSMO fishery in Shetland the best choice. Monkfish, however, remains a fish to only eat ‘occasionally’ because stocks are still declining.
The MCS say it’s vital that the public, chefs, retailers and fish buyers keep referring to the FishOnline website, the Pocket Good Fish Guide, or the app version on iPhone or Android to ensure that they have the most up-to-date sustainable seafood advice.
Do you still eat cod?
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