Seafood Alert: Popular Fish Stocks Face Decline

European hake, once recommended as a sustainable alternative to cod, is now flagged with declining stocks and increased fishing pressure in the North Sea, Celtic Seas, and Bay of Biscay. The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has consequently downgraded its rating for hake in these areas from green to amber.

Coley, another whitefish substitute for cod, has been rated red due to population decline and the absence of a recovery plan, particularly for fish caught around the UK. North-east Arctic coley has also seen downgrades across multiple fishing methods because its stock has diminished while fishing pressure remains excessive. However, coley from Icelandic waters and Cornish hake retain their green ratings.

Haddock from Icelandic waters has also moved from green to amber due to fishing pressure exceeding sustainable levels and catches surpassing scientific advice. Despite these concerns, haddock caught in the North Sea, Skagerrak, and Scottish waters, a primary source for UK consumers, remains a good choice with a green rating.

The MCS advises consumers to diversify their seafood selections, avoiding species under threat. They emphasize that a fish's sustainability can change, and choosing based on the latest scientific advice from guides like the MCS's Good Fish Guide is crucial. They also call for improved UK government management to recover and protect national fisheries, many of which are in decline.

Positive developments include upgrades for some North Sea herring stocks and a new green rating for Atlantic bluefin tuna in UK waters. For white fish, Alaska pollock from the Gulf of Alaska or Bering Sea, and monkfish from the North Sea, Rockall, or west of Scotland are recommended. Consumers should, however, avoid seabass from west of Scotland and west of Ireland due to poor stock levels.

Several other seafood items remain well-rated, including European lobster from Jersey, Shetland MSC-certified brown crab, UK farmed blue mussels, and UK Recirculating Aquaculture System-farmed king prawns. The resurgence of tuna in UK seas is partly attributed to better fisheries management implemented over two decades ago, demonstrating the positive impact of such measures.