Talk to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute about sustainable fishing and you could win a £200 Waitrose voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

The team at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute want to talk to MNers about sustainable and responsible fishing.

Here’s what the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute have to say, “We are very proud of the quality and sustainability of the fish from their oceans. Sustainability and responsible fishing has been enshrined into Alaska’s law since it became the 49th state of the US. All the fish that comes from Alaskan waters are wild and natural, giving them a huge amount of flavour and taste in addition to all the health benefits, plus you can have a clear conscious when you choose Alaskan seafood safe in the knowledge that the ocean’s stocks are preserved for generations to come.”

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important? Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you? Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you? Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?

Everyone who adds their thoughts to this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £200 Waitrose voucher.

Please note your comments may be used by MN/ Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute in an email MN will be sending out as well as possibly elsewhere. Please only add a comment if you're happy for your quote to be used.

Thanks,
MNHQ

[HellonHeels]

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important?
Yes. I'm very concerned about catches being thrown back and the huge damage and waste this causes, declining fish stocks and unsustainable fishing methods.


Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?
Price is important but I make my first choice based on other matters eg recent revelations about use of slave labour on Thai prawn production, choosing 'dolphin friendly' or pole and line caught fish, concerns about environmental impact of farmed fish.

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?
Yes. See above about slave labour in fish processing as an example.

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?
I'd love it if MNers became more aware of sustainability and welfare issues; this thread I hope will help.

[ControlGeek]

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important?
Yes, very much so. I think it's something that has been hard to quantify in the eyes of the average consumer for too long. It's easy enough to mentally tot up how many cows or sheep or pigs you see in an average drive through the countryside, but it's too easy to imagine that the seas are constantly brimming with life and that it never gets depleted, simply because you cannot see what is happening with your own eyes. Also, fish are often forgotten as being a crucial part of the food chain and damage made to one species can have a disastrous effect on a whole ecological system.

Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?
Price is important, but only in terms of deciding whether I can afford to buy fish or not on that occasion. The same goes for my meat. If I can't afford ethically sourced meat or fish on that day, I'd rather do without. I do struggle to be able to identify ethically sourced fish in a supermarket though. Some don't even have their country of origin easily identifiable on the packaging, let alone the method of catching or whether the fish was farmed. Labelling has strict guidelines when it comes to meat, it's sad that fish labelling does not have to meet the same standards.

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?
It does, but possibly not as much as it should because I am not as knowledgeable as I would like to be about which countries produce their catches in a sustainable way.

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?
Pole and line caught tuna is one of the most ethical catch methods for these fish, whilst being dolphin, shark and turtle friendly. Look out for less well known species of fish such as basa and tilapia, hake and coley. They taste great, and boosts in their sales eases pressure on the more well known species. Also, be aware of the IUCN Red List of endangered species and try to avoid buying these where possible.

[GetKnitted]

I'm a hypocrite, I think its enormously important, but don't spend the extra. I blame it on DH, but its not really his fault as he doesn't believe in 'green' stuff in the first place.

[LauraChant]

We are another family who now buy haddock and chips instead of cod. However I do feel generally quite confused as to what is OK and what isn't when it comes to fish sustainability. For example I asked my local fishmonger for "any appropriate white fish that isn't endangered" for some recipe - probably a pie - and he sold me cod, saying it was fine. I love mackerel and I always thought that was an eco-friendly choice but have recently read that mackerel is also over fished (I think).

Our local fish shop (different to the one mentioned above, we moved) has recently closed, which is a shame as much of the fish there was caught locally.

[ancientbuchanan]

Sustainable, very very important. And u always think about it when I shop.

Yes. I almost never buy cod now, because if the loss of fishing stocks. Shame, because it's my favourite for fish pie. Yes, I choose my salmon carefully, and if I can have it wild and sustainable, that's the better option. Best is those with low air miles.

Is the country of origin important to you? Yes. I want the country to have good sustainability policies, good human rights, avoid killing dolphins or whales, and preferably low air miles. I'm prepared to sacrifice price or quantity to get those. I'm prepared to sacrifice my principles on air miles for Alaska as I was weaned on wild Alaskan salmon caught by my father.

Tips for mumsnetters, sustainable wild tastes so much better than farmed, and has fewer antibiotics. So buy better quality and eke it out with vegetables. You'll be healthy and wise, and fish stocks will recover.
And salmon is so versatile. Smoked, fresh, frozen. It's a standby in the freezer for us, as it can be instant supper, dinner party, or very special breakfast. Very few people including children dislike it.

[rachaelsit]

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important?
Yes.

Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?
Yes I do, it tastes just as good to buy coil for example rather than cod.

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?
Not really

[CelticPromise]

Do you think that sustainability of fish is important?

Yes of course.

Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?

I either buy local line caught fish from fishmonger or look for MSC certified fish from supermarket. I try to avoid fish that is currently advised against but that does change and I'm not always up to date... Price is important, I often buy reduced fish to freeze. For a treat I don't mind spending a lot at the fishmonger but I often choose cheaper types eg mackerel.

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you? To an extent- I think there is probably good and bad fishing all over the place. I am put off eg Thailand by the slave labour reports as well as sustainability. I do like to buy local fish from the fishmonger.

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?
Sainsbury's basics fishfingers are MSC certified and cheap as chips. They are made from pollock and not full of crap.

MSC label is a good indicator but easily confused with many others eg the little blue labels on some tuna cans to kid you they are sustainable.

[SuseB]

I do think the sustainability of fish is important - it's something I think about when shopping. Was very aware of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Fish Fight and have list of sustainable fish from Marine Stewardship Council in my wallet - sadly often fail to find the fish that are on it at the supermarket/fishmonger.

Delighted to discover recently that Aldi sell MSC approved wild salmon (frozen). I only buy pole and line tuna, MSC approved other tinned fish eg mackerel. Price is important but tends to mean we eat sustainable fish less often, rather than eating cheaper fish.

Country of origin I don't pay much attention to if the fish is MSC certified or has other equivalent 'credentials'. Our local fish and chip shop claims to source all fish from sustainable sources - I hope that's true.

I am constantly trying to get us to eat more fish as a family but am not that brilliant at it - the kids are not that enthusiastic. I will keep trying though as I think seafood is brilliant stuff to have in everyone's diet for stuff like omega-3 and iodine.

[serendipity1980]

I always try to buy fish that is sourced in an ethical and sustainable way. It can be difficult balancing price and ethics though. I think I manage it but we don't have fish as often as I would like. It has gone up in price so much - I remember when a tin of tuna cost 80p and I'm only 34!

[RhinosAreFatUnicorns]

Do you think that sustainability of fish is important?

Yes, although I have to be honest and say that I hadn't really thought much about it, before reading this thread

Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?

I didn't used to be much of a fish eater, but since DD came along have tried to try more and found I like it. I look for line caught tuna, but beyond that hadn't given it too much thought, looking for price and taste. However I will be looking at labels now.

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?

I hadn't taken it into consideration really.

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?

Read up on what sustainable fishing is all about, and read the labels!

[mjmooseface]

I think the sustainability of anything natural on this planet is important. And that includes fish. It's not something I'm aware of all the time but when I do think about it, I do think it is important. I always notice, for instance, when a tin of tuna says the fish were responsibly sourced. That makes me feel good about eating it!

We don't buy fish to eat at home that much, really. So it's never a conscious decision to buy sustainable fish. It's more once the product has been delivered and I see what it says on the box/packaging/tin that I become aware of the sustainability and how it was caught. Because it's not a regular on the menu, we're not really fussed about the country of origin.

What would be helpful is if the supermarket websites told you when you viewed their fish products, how they were caught and if it's sustainable. That can then help inform your decision on if you buy that product, or not.

[sc00ter]

1. do you think that sustainability of fish is important?
   
   Yes I do.
   The sea beds are being damaged with the use of large scale fishing and large nets, and this way they also catch other fish etc in their nets that's not good either and it usually dies needlessly.
   
   
2. Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?
   
   Very important to me, so yes I look on tins before i buy for the Logo and the wording " line caught".
   We eat fish a couple of times a week and the environment issues are really important to me so I always check brands etc too.
   
   
3. Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?
   
   The country of origin does not matter too much, much rather the way it was caught really.
   
   4)Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?
   
   As I said there are logos A blue oval shaped logo with a fish in the center that says something like "Marine council".
   Or that it has been caught by line and pole.

[ThePenguinsKnee]

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important?
Definitely, there are more people than ever on the planet so we have to minimise our impact.
Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?
When I can, I look for the MSC logo. In fact, I don't think I'd buy fish, or fish fingers, without it. I'm also aware that cod is endangered and try to choose other fish when I can.
Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?
Yes, I try to reduce my food miles and also buy from more responsible countries
Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?
Don't take your children shopping or do it online so you can concentrate!

Graham

[letsgetreadytoramble]

The only two things that influence my food purchasing decisions these days are:- is it something that my son needs for a healthy diet and how much does it cost. I guess I trust the supermarket to worry about the sustainable elements. I wish I had the luxury of basing my decisions on that sort of thing, but I just don't. It's the sane with clothes and shoes for him - first consideration is what he needs and what is best for him, second is, will I be able to squeeze this out of this months budget.

[MakeTeaNotWar]

While I do of course think sustainability is important and I am aware that cod is endangered and often choose pollock instead, I admit I'm not passionate e ought to seek out sustainable fish when shopping and am swayed by price. I never consider the country if origin

[ataraxia]

I did think sustainable fish is important in theory. However, in practice, I don't eat much fish - and never fresh fish. So typically choice of chip shop or frozen breaded fish/fish pie would be based on convenience, price and brand. However, all hing sbeing equal, if I was choosing between a product that was sustainable and one that wasn't, I'd go for the sustainable one.

I'm happy with the cod-replacement fish that is used in the main brand of fishfingers, but I can never remember what it's called. I'm not too familiar with the fish variants at a standard chippy so tend to go for cod when having fish and chips which I know I shouldn't!

[jwat34]

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important?

Yes, absolutely. We went to Japan for our honeymoon last year and visited the Tsukiji fish market. When you see the volume of tuna that is auctioned off each morning you cannot help be shocked. The time taken for these fish to spawn and grow and the rate which we consume them is scary. I can't remember the last time I had cod! I think within my child may be lucky to still be able to eat certain varieties of fish as a lot nay have been fished to extinction.

Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you? Yes...and more often than not organic too.

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?
Yes...and I am offended when places are invented to markef fish...especially Scottish fish. I like the quality if Alaskan salmon compared to the floppy anaemic looking fillets we are usually offered here.

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?
Look at the packet...does it say sustainable and know your fish, do you know what's overfished.

[duchesse]

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important?

Of course it is! In fact it's crucial. If we remove from the sea a whole species, who knows what that will do to the balance of the marine eocsystem? We have been told repeatedly that cod in particular is under threat. The only way to combat the low stocks is to stop demanding to buy it, especially when other white fish alternatives exist. We only need a halt on fishing for a decade or so for the stocks to recover- it would be stupid not to.

Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?

Well, price and sustainability kind of roll into one argument- cod is a lot more expensive than pollock already. I think that maybe price could and should be used as a tool to control consumption, with the extra money paid for threatened species of fish being ploughed back into education and sustainability measures such as those used by fishermen in the NE States. I very consciously choose not to buy certain species of tuna and only buy tinned tuna that has been pole caught. We visited the Monterey aquarium about ten years ago and found out a lot of fish facts that consumers in the UK were not being told at the time regarding fish and its origins and sustainability. It was eye-opening.

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?

I consciously choose not to buy prawns from SE Asia as I believe that they fished in a very unsustainable and environmentally damaging way. I am pretty sure of Canadian stocks and I know that the US controls and manages wild fish stock levels in some areas. I would never choose to buy fish fished by Japanese fishermen as Japan seems to have real trouble controlling what their fishermen do. Also, for reasons of freshness, my preferred fish buying option is to go down to the shack at Branscombe (a village close to here) and buy a selection of what they have. It's local, it's fished on a small-scale and most of all if I buy what they have there's less waste involved. Plus it keeps our local fishing industry ticking over.

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?

Avoid Vietnamese and Thai prawns, that are most often drag-fished from coral reefs- it's an unbelievably destructive way of fishing and why buy prawns from 1000s of miles away when we have them around our shores?

Also, stop eating cod! There's no need and it's very threatened. Eat pollock.

[duchesse]

One thing I meant to add is that origin is a little specious as an argument for buying fish (apart from shellfish) since most fish are pretty much global anyway. The "origin" is basically the country that catches it. So I would always choose to buy fish caught by a responsible country over that caught by a reckless country with no regard for the sustainability of the sea.

[ChocolateMama]

We are big fish eaters in our family as we don't eat much meat. Sustainability of fish is definitely important to me when buying fish for the family. I prefer to buy quality over quantity when possible, and would choose Alaskan salmon (my favourite) over Scottish salmon like one of the posters upthread.

[bewleysisters]

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important? Yes.


Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you? I look out for sustainable fishfingers - beyond that, I trust Waitrose. Am I being naive?

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you? No.

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly? No.

[HaPPy8]

Do you think that sustainability of fish is important?

Absolutely, both for environmental reasons and protect fish as a source of food for us in the future.

Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?

To be truthful i haven't thought about it in the same way that i do when i consciously buy free range eggs for example. I tend to look at both price and what fish I want to buy for a balanced diet.

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?

Yes

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?

I am aware of dolphin friendly tuna but other than that I haven't, sorry.

[NettleTea]

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important? Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you? Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you? Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?

I think its madness NOT to think about sustainability, and always look for responsibly sourced fish and seafood. That said I am not adverse to buying unusual fish from further afield if these are fish which are not endangered. However we are lucky to be able to buy freshly caught fish from a local sea fishing fleet (last beach-based one in the country I believe) and I would recommend people to buy direct from the fishermen if you can, cutting out the middle men!

[alaskanbaby]

Yes, sustainability of fish is really important - there aren't plenty more fish in the sea nowadays, and I always look for sustainable fish when I shop. Usually, though, the cheaper fish are more sustainable e.g. Cornish sardines, so you can often go on price if you're not sure about its origins - the exception to this rule of thumb is farmed fish. I always choose Alaskan salmon over farmed Scottish salmon (and not just because my husband is from Alaska!) - it tastes loads better. I do worry about the additional food miles though, so tinned or frozen which could be shipped, rather than air freighted is better. Its very difficult to find smoked Alaskan salmon here, which I'd love to be able to buy as its far more tasty than the slimy farmed variety - and presumably wouldn't have to be air freighted either?

[WheresTheCoffee]

Sustainable and responsible fishing is important. For me, although I am guided heavily by price, 'friendly' fishing is up there with free range eggs. It's not debatable, that's what we buy. If the money's not there, I dint buy fish. It's as simple as that!
Sustainable fishing tips? I buy local where possible.