Cod is not off the menu and Fishgate, Britain’s high-tech fish trading centre, says consumers can take heart from the “improved” and “improving” descriptions applied to sustainably harvested North East Atlantic cod fisheries in the annual scientific advice on fish stocks issued by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
Arthur Cook, chairman of the Hull-based centre, said: “A precautionary approach is still essential, but consumers are starting to believe that cod is either unavailable or unacceptable. The best scientific advice shows this is not the case.
“The UK is Europe's biggest market for cod and while our North Sea stock is still under pressure ICES notes that the prospects are much better with the total allowable catch (TAC) of 34,590 tonnes for this year increasing to 40,300 tonnes in 2010.
“However, the fish market is international, and it is noteworthy that ICES records the Barents Sea cod stocks (TAC 525,000t) as improved (2010 TAC 577,000t) and Eastern Baltic Sea (44,580t to 58,000t) as improving.”
Iceland (130,000 to 135,000) is the main supplier of fresh cod to Hull and Grimsby and Fishgate's “traceability trail” controlled environment distribution chain and computerised auction has pioneered high quality standards which have helped drive new catching and handling methods.
Whilst progress is still needed on selective fishing to avoid stock damaging “discards”, the sustainable harvesting noted by ICES is seen as the main contributor to the stock improvements.
