Fish for thought

Consumer confusion

What’s the consumer to do? On the one hand, the government recommends that we eat plenty of fish on a regular basis. On the other, we’re being told that certain species of fish - cod and bluefin tuna, most notably - are on the brink of extinction because of overfishing. Confused? You’re not alone.

How much fish should we eat?

Fish is good for us. So good that independent food safety watchdog the Food Standards Agency recommends that we eat a lot more of it. According to the FSA, we should eat at least two portions of fish (fresh, frozen or canned) a week, at least one of which should be an oily fish. ‘Oily’ fish include mackerel, salmon, pilchards, herring, trout, sardines and fresh (but not canned) tuna. Both white fish - such as cod, haddock, monkfish, etc - and oily fish are excellent sources of protein, vitamins and minerals, but oily fish is particularly nutritious. The British Nutrition Foundation’s Sarah Schenker explains: “White fish is mostly water and protein. Oily fish is completely different. It has a higher fat content - higher than some meats - but a much different fat than that found in meat."

Oily fish’s ‘secret weapon’ is a fatty acid called omega-3. Some studies suggest that omega-3 can help prevent heart disease, improve IQ, improve immune function, may help improve symptoms of arthritis, and can help with certain skin problems. Other studies suggest that omega-3 can help dyslexia sufferers, lower re-offending rates of young offenders and help alleviate depression, although it should be said that there's little concensus among scientists on the 'benefits' of omega-3. The fish with the most omega-3 is mackerel, which has the highest fat content of any oily fish, with up to 30g of fat per 100g, of which omega-3 comprises five per cent.

However, oily fish has its negative aspects, too. Compared to other species, oily fish tend to be higher up in the food chain, which means that contaminants such as mercury, dioxins and PCBs in the marine ecosystem can build up their flesh. For this reason, the FSA in June 2004 recommended upper limits for consumption of oily fish. The FSA recommends that “girls and women who might have a baby one day, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, can eat up to two portions of oily fish a week. Other women, men and boys, can eat up to four portions of oily fish a week.” In addition, marlin, shark and swordfish are not recommended for consumption by boys or girls under 16 or by pregnant women or women who may become pregnant in future.

Fish species at risk

These caveats aside, the advice from nutritionists and the FSA comes over loud and clear: eat more fish. The trouble is, the world’s oceans are being seriously overfished, leaving some species in danger of extinction. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations reports that of the world’s commercially important marine fish stocks just three per cent are underexploited, 52 per cent are fully fished, 17 per cent are overexploited and eight per cent are depleted or slowly recovering from depletion. The plight of cod and haddock has been well documented in the UK press, leaving many consumers wary of eating these species, lest they contribute to the fish’s demise.

Charles Clover is environment editor of London's Daily Telegraph and author of a book about the dangers of overfishing called ‘End of the Line: How Overfishing is Changing the World and What We Eat’. The book has been made into a documentary film, released on World Ocean Day, 8 June 2009. He writes, “I’m here to say that we should eat less fish - or at least eat fish that is less wastefully caught.” Clover is a critic of modern intensive fishing methods, pulling no punches when he calls fishing fleets “the biggest and most indiscriminate killers on the planet”. Not all consumers know that by-catch, that is, fish caught in nets when fishermen are trying to catch other species, is very high. Some 7.3 million tonnes of fish are thrown back into sea unused - dead - each year by fishermen, a practice that EU fisheries ministers are attempting to reduce, following pressure from environmental groups.

Clover's film has grabbed headlines in the UK by highlighting the plight of the bluefin tuna which, despite environmentalists' warnings of rapidly declining stocks, continues to be served at restaurants - particularly Japanese restaurants - the world over.

What can consumers do?

The good news is that consumers can make a difference - and that doesn’t mean you’ll have to stop eating fish. The WWF advises fish fans to vary the fish they eat by eating lesser known fish species, such as saithe and pollack, instead of choosing the ususal cod and haddock. Buy your fish from reputable fish mongers and be prepared to keep asking questions such as: “Is this fish responsibly fished and from a sustainable source?”

If you want to know which fish are ‘safe’ to eat and which to avoid, the website of the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is an excellent, up-to-date resource. If you’re buying fish from a supermarket, look out for the blue MSC logo that guarantees that the fish comes from a sustainable source. It isn’t too late to save threatened fish stocks yet. As Charles Clover says, “We do have a chance of solving this one.”

Ten fish conservation tips from WWF

• Buy a variety of fish to take the pressure off a select few
• Avoid eating fish sold as ‘baby fish’
• Buy locally caught fish
• Try to find out how your fish was caught by asking retailers to supply information
• Support local management initiatives that you’re aware of
• Avoid more vulnerable species (see the MCS list online) at least until more stringent management measures are put in place
• If you are buying farmed fish, opt for those which have been farmed in open sea conditions. Avoid fish that rely on large supplies of wild-caught fish as feed (again, ask your supplier)
• Try to include herring, in order to prevent it from being converted into nothing more than animal feed
• Keep asking questions of retailers. Consumer concerns eventually translate into supplier action
• Keep up to date on the latest information - and make your voice heard

Updated May 2009