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There’s always a catch when it comes to sustainable seafood

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Latest Marine Conservation Society seafood ratings highlight why consumers must demand more information

Seafood is a tasty and popular choice whether chosen off the menu, at the supermarket or down the chip shop, and consumers are increasingly aware of the need to buy sustainably.

But, in the absence of clear labelling, working out if you’re making the best choice for fish stocks is a real minefield says the charity that publishes the online Good Fish Guide – www.goodfishguide.com – the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).

MCS says the key to making the right seafood choices is understanding what it is, where it is from and how it is caught or farmed, and using the charity’s Good Fish Guide website, app and pocket guide is the only way to get the full story on seafood sustainability.

The latest version of the guide, published today, shows how important it is for consumers to take the time to use the tools on offer to make sustainable choices when it comes to choosing fish.

The guide uses a simple 5-step rating system to identify fish sustainability –  where 1 is a Best Choice, and 5 is a Fish to Avoid.

For instance, lobster, popular in a thermidor or served on its own with salad trimmings, may sound like a safe bet if the label says (though likely it won’t) that it was pot caught off the south west coast, but in fact this is rated 3 and an OK (yellow) choice with some room for improvement. But other lobster fisheries around Scotland, Wales and England are generally over fished with no catch limits, and there is no protection for egg-bearing females, in Wales and Scotland. This leaves animals from those fisheries rated as ones you need to consider carefully before eating (rated 4 – amber – requires improvement) as they are some way from being sustainably caught and require significant improvements to the fisheries.

Bernadette Clarke, MCS Good Fish Guide Programme Manager says: “Choosing sustainable seafood is a complex issue not helped by a lack of clear labelling on most seafood products. That lack of information means that consumers need all the help they can get. Using the Good Fish Guide will point people in the right direction and start the sustainability conversation with the fishmonger or restaurant. If consumers can start asking ‘Is that sustainable?’, seafood suppliers will need to have an answer.

Other popular seafood with updated ratings in the latest Good Fish Guide are:

Squid, now a trendy starter on many menus and available at the seafood counter and freezer sections of larger supermarkets, are also a mixed bag when it comes to consumer choice. Eleven squid fisheries have either been updated or rated for the first time in the 2018 Good Fish Guide and whilst jig caught squid – a highly selective method – from the English Channel and Scotland are 3 rated (OK), elsewhere, squid have a 5 rating due to a combination of factors including limited stock assessment and poor management – making them a Fish to Avoid.

Dover sole, often seen as a bit of treat eaten only in high end restaurants, is actually a green rated (2 Good Choice) fish for all from the western English Channel, Cornwall or Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified from the North Sea. But if the sole on your plate comes trawled from the Irish Sea, or electric-pulse trawled from the North Sea, then it shouldn’t be on your plate at all (rated 5, Red).

Haddock is a fish shop favourite and the newly rated Rockall fishery has been rated 1 for the first time by the Good Fish Guide meaning it’s a great, guilt-free ‘Best Choice’.  Haddock from the North Sea and West of Scotland have improved from 3 to 2 meaning it can again be considered a Good Choice after fishing pressure has continued to reduce  and the stocks size continues to increase.

However, if you shun fast foods assuming a fish burger may be nothing more than the scrapings off the factory floor, think again. Fast-food giant McDonalds uses Alaskan Pollock in its Filet O Fish and a quick glance at the Good Fish Guide reveals this is a ‘Best Choice’ rated 1 and is MSC certified.

MCS says it’s vital that the public, chefs, retailers and fish buyers keep referring to the Good Fish Guide website, the Pocket Good Fish Guide or the app version on iPhone or android, to ensure they have the most up-to-date sustainable seafood advice.

MCS sustainable seafood work is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Hazel Johnstone, Senior Programme Manager within the charities team at People’s Postcode Lottery, says: “With this guide, Marine Conservation Society is making it easier for people to identify where fish has come from and whether it’s sustainable. This initiative, which players of People’s Postcode Lottery have been supporting for the past few years, is helping consumers to make an informed decision before they buy seafood. The fact that the guide’s available on different platforms makes it easily accessible, which is great.”

Check out www.goodfishguide.com for more.

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Spooktacular Underwater Adventure: Oyster Diving’s First Halloween Scuba Party at Mercers Lake

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halloween

Last Thursday, Oyster Diving transformed Mercers Lake into a hauntingly unforgettable underwater realm for their inaugural Halloween Scuba Party. Approximately 20 intrepid divers plunged into the darkness, weaving through a mesmerising scene of spectral decorations, glow sticks, and eerie underwater pumpkins.

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After the thrilling night dive, participants gathered to feast on a ghoulish spread of pumpkin soup, chilli con carne, and decadent fudge brownies, perfect fuel for the frightful festivities.

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With a resounding success, Oyster Diving is excited to announce plans for this event to become an annual tradition. Next year, look forward to a fully licensed bar and live music, promising an even spookier celebration under the moonlit waters.

halloween

Join us next Halloween for an experience that promises to be a haunting delight!

Find out more about Oyster Diving at oysterdiving.com.

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Marine Life & Conservation

Shark Trust launches Oceanic 31 Shark Art Auction

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After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.

People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:

https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction

It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.

The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.

One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.

Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:

https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24

Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.

Find out more here:

https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31

 Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”

Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction


Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden

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