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

[CaptainSinker]

Sustainability is important to me, but I can find it confusing knowing what is, and is not OK to buy. There seems to be more and more generic white fish. It would be good to have clearer labelling.

I am also aware of food miles so prefer nearby countries of origin. It would be good to know how fish for further afield is transported -this could persuade me to buy from other countries.

[AllABitHazey]

Do you think that sustainability of fish is important?

Yes, very much so. Fish should be an important part of our diets, but for future generations to be able to benefit from this we need to manage our seas and oceans carefully and make sure that we are not damaging the marine ecosystem with our greed. I realise that this is a complex and not straightforward issue, I have been involved in discussion groups and workshops with fishermen and others in the industry, and can see the problems. It really is on the demand, consumer side of the equation that we need to be changing our habits and decision making.

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

I only buy sustainable fish, and try to avoid the Big 5 wherever possible. Price is important, but definitely secondary. I love trying different types of fish.

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

It would be great to eat more local fish, but currently a lot of the seafood landed in my area (mainly langoustines) is immediately shipped to Europe. I am happy to support sustainable fisheries around the world.

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

Look out for certification and sustainability standards. Avoid tuna, salmon, prawns, cod and haddock if you can - there are fantastic alternatives out there which don't cost the earth!

[shakemysilliesout]

Sustainability is important. I like fish i want to keep it on the menu but other cultures rely much more heavily on fish so it is important fish is sustainable even more so for these cultures.

I am not always up to date/ clear on what is on the list of sustainable fish. But I try to buy sustainable fish only.

Country of origin matters very much to me.

I also try and buy line caught tuna, but concerns around mercury mean I no longer buy it for myself (as pregnant) or for my young daughter.

[januarysnowdrop]

Yes, I think sustainability of fish is very important. I haven't bought cod for years. I have recently adopted a policy of only buying Atlantic prawns, although this is because of slave labour practices in South East Asia rather than because of sustainability. I don't really know as much as I should about shopping responsibly for fish - I'm aware of the marine stewardship council logo, but it doesn't seem to turn up very much in Morrisons, where I do most of my food shopping. If I had a local fishmonger, I'd go there, but I don't!

[edandmadsmum]

Once we stop being able to get things like Cod, more people will start to realise the requirement for sustainability.

I think supermarkets should be forced to only sell sustainable fish and seafood - even if the price was to go up slightlyu in the short term, I don't think this would stay high, as the supermarkets would be able to drive the whole market towards sustainably sourced seafood.

Local fish mongers are usually better at knowloing the source of fish than the big stores, and it's great to support your local stores..... They'll often give you a good deal on something out of the ordinary once they get to know you, and will prep the fish for you if you like.

[SaltySeaBird]

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important?
Yes although it's not something I give much thought to. I do believe that any food source has to be sustainable though. The main awareness I have of it though is when the message comes up on Masterchef at the end of the programme. I think responsible fishing is key as opposed to just sustainable though.

Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?
No I admit that I don't make a conscious effort when buying fish, although I only buy tuna that has been caught by line and pole. I prefer to buy from the fish counter in supermarkets and rarely buy packaged fish though because I always think it is fresher and more likely to be local (I live on the coast) but in reality I should probably check this is the case. I tend to leave it to the supermarket supplies to ensure they are providing responsibly sourced food (I shop at Waitrose and Sainsburys as I feel they have more ethical values than other supermarkets). I wouldn't ever buy fish (or any meat) based on price alone, I don't mind paying more for responsible/ethical farming.

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?
Not especially. I like to buy some fish caught locally to support local industry (I live in a seaside town) but not all types of fish I eat can be caught in local waters.

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?
No but I've been interested reading others on here. I've actually downloaded the Pocket Good Fish Guide which somebody else mentioned and it's really informative:
Pocket Fish Guide PDF

[Ratbagcatbag]

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important?
Yes. I do, but I think sustainability needs to be clarified slightly more. So I just looked on the link in the op. by catch is something that bothers me, but even in the link it doesn't say how to reduce it, only fisheries that do it (and I guess, get caught) are shut immediately, unfortunately by that point lots of other fish can be dead.
Also there are issues with line and hook fishing where sea birds get tangled and killed. For me it makes me question if the price for sustainable fish is worth it, if the benefits aren't tangible.

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 to me however I will pay more for a product when I feel more confident about its sustainability.

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?
No, but I'm starting to feel it should, is Alaskan fish better for the environment if its flown thousands of miles to be on the shelves rather than Scottish salmon for example.

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?
Do try and buy dolphin friendly tuna, and maybe do a but more research on what each shop means by sustainability. I think I recall a programmed that showed some line caught fish wasn't caught that way at all.

[BeCool]

We don't eat enough fish. Mainly because I find it a difficult product to buy, handle and cook. All my issues I know.

The DD's do like fish though and I am endeavoring to cook/eat it more.

I am very concerned about unsustainable fishing - who wouldn't be? Yes price is an issue too.

I admit I have a lot to learn about buying, preparing and eating fish!!

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

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

Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you? I would certainly try to choose sustainably caught fish when shopping, but price certainly is important. I have three sons, aged 17, 19 and 21, so adult-sized appetites, and I don't have a huge budget for feeding them, so I do have to bear price in mind when I shop. I would like to see better labeling on fish, so it is quick and easy to see which fish is sustainable - to be honest, when I am going round the supermarket, shopping for 5 of us, I want to get done and home as quickly as I can.

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you? At the moment, no. If I heard that there were particular countries that had especially sustainable policies for their fisheries, that might sway me to consider fish from them, and horror stories about unsustainable fishing methods would do the reverse. That said, I do try to buy locally sourced produce, wherever possible, so you could say that it matters to me that the fish I buy is fished off the coast of Scotland (where I live).

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly? I am no expert, I am afraid - all I would say is read lots of labels, and know what you are buying.

[Pealicious]

Do you think that sustainability of fish is important?
Absolutely - it's vital, our planet's resources are at stake

Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?
I try to only buy free range meat and sustainable fish but labelling inconsistencies make it hard to make an informed choice

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you? Food miles are a factor but sustainability more so

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?
Check labels and don't be afraid to ask your retailer

[Bubbles85]

It is very important, but I'm sorry to say that I always get swayed by prices. I would rather the supermarkets only stocked sustainable fish so I didn't have a choice.

[BlackeyedSusan]

alaskan Pollock is gorgeous, tastier and cheaper than cod. Would not buy any other white fish. the children like it as well even more so if it is wrapped in orangebreadcrumbs, in long thin cuboids

I like something easy... "alaskan" is easy to remember when it comes to sustainable fishing.

[HappySunflower]

I do feel it is vitally important, yes
Yes, I always go for the more sustainable options, subject to them not being too much more important
Country of origin doesn't matter to me really. I wonder if it should.... Hmmm

No top tips really!

[FFSFFS]

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

Of course we eat a lot of fish. (My BBQ haddock is legendary). My kids ate fish nearly every other meal growing up. I think that is why they are clever. . I grew up in a big fishing port and have hands on experience of factory ships and the fish industry. It's important in lots of different ways.

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

No, freshness and quality are most important but sustainability is a very close second. I wouldn't buy any fish if I knew they were caught irresponsibly

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

I like to buy from uk, Euroupe, us, Canada and South America (Corvina yum, yum)

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?
Try different types of fish. There are some weird and wonderful fish out there that are cheap and tasty.

[FFSFFS]

My kids ate fish every other day ..not every other meal.

[ShyPhilosopher]

I do try to buy fish from a sustainable source, but some week's when money is tight & the kids are being particularly fussy ... life simply doesn't allow it. Much respect to those who always manage to. I think part of my problem, is that if I am buying something such as fish fingers or fish cakes for the kids, if it says haddock on the box I know my kids will eat it. For all I know, a great deal of white fish might taste similar once covered in breadcrumbs, but if I buy something that the kids sense isn't quite the same as usual, it's having to quickly come up with another meal for them. (Our autistic son is particularly hard to please).

Apologies if this has already been asked, but after people were advised to switch from cod to haddock, it just seemed to cause there to be a problem now with stocks of both fish. What steps can we take, as consumers, to try and ensure we don't simply just keep helping the problem to get displaced from one species to another? Could it be as simple as being less fixated with only buying one or two particular species, therefore ensuring no one fish stock gets overfished?

[Emrob86]

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

Yes! It's very important!

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. When it comes to fish and meat we buy quality only. We would rather eat vegetarian meals most of the time and then spend a bit more when we do eat fish or meat but only buy sustainable and good quality.

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

Yes.

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

Read up on guidelines and search online for tips and recipes for seafood that you don't know how to use.

[Moogdroog]

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important?
It's incredibly important. We've taken the ocean for granted for too long and it's such a delicate ecosystem.
Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?
Price is of course important. But, I believe if you're going to eat fish and meat there is a fair price to pay and you must pay it. I don't eat fish myself but buy it for my family and I do take sustainability into account when shopping.
Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?
Yes for various reasons. Transport costs / sustainability and the labour conditions in some countries.
Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?
Look at the labels and do your research.

[mushforbrain]

Do you think that sustainability of fish is important?

Of course it's important if we want to keep eating fish in our own generation, never mind our children. But it's not just about humans getting to eat them! It's about protecting a crucial part of that ecosystem - if we lose fish from our oceans, there would be huge knock-on effects for all marine species.
All it really requires is for people to stop and think for a second - the word 'unsustainable' means that something cannot continue!
I feel that its 'out of sight, out of mind' - this would never happen with land-based food. Someone would never (I hope) eat an endangered land-based animal.

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

I hardly ever buy or eat fish because I know that hardly any species or fisheries are truly sustainable or environmentally friendly, and I just feel that I can't trust companies. When I do, I buy MSC certified products - sadly I really do love fish and would love to eat it every day!


Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you? Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?

I would always prefer to buy locally produced/caught food, and I'm aware that certain areas are more overfished than others, however the method of fishing is more important to me.
My tip would be to look for fish products that have the MSC 'tick' as they are independent and certify sustainable fisheries.

[CrewElla]

So, do you think that sustainability of fish is important?
Yes, our choices have an impact on the earth. I prefer to stay away from overfished stocks.

Do you consciously choose sustainable fish when you do your shop or are other factors such as price more important to you?
Ever since the horse meat problems in the UK I've only bought fish & meat from Waitrose or M&S and look for MSC certified porducts.

Does the country of origin of your fish matter to you?
Yes, I prefer to buy from UK sourced fish.

Do you have any top tips for Mumsnetters when buying seafood responsibly?
Look for MSC on the label.

[AngelieMumsnet]

Thanks for all your comments! The winner of the prize draw is duchesse - I've just PM'd you for your details :)

[duchesse]

I am so pleased! Never won any prizes on MN before. And me a reggler and all...

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Well done Duchesse :)

[duchesse]

And £200 is actually quite a lot of money. Still grinning today!

[Snog]

I buy organic meat and would buy sustainable fish but find it hard to see which fish is and isn't sustainable when shopping (always shop online) whereas its easy to see what is organic. Am I missing something?