Sales Of Sustainable Fish Leap After Tv Campaign

The Big Fish Fight series on Channel 4 – headed up by TV chefs Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal – encouraged consumers to exchange over-fished products such as salmon, cod and tuna for more sustainable varieties such as dab, coley and herring.

Since the show was broadcast a fortnight ago, Sainsbury’s said sales of pollack increased 167%, while British-caught mackerel was up 60% and mussels rose 16%. Meanwhile, Tesco, the UK’s largest fish retailer, reported an increase in sales of 25% to 45% for its fresh sprats, whiting, sardines and coley. Marks & Spencer also reported a 25% increase in general fish sales.

Independent retailers have noticed a similar move towards sustainable varieties. Gurneys Fish Shop in Norfolk bought in a number of alternative fish species in anticipation of the TV campaign. “Because we’re a speciality fish shop, people are already happy to pay a premium for products that are more ethically caught, such as wild salmon, seabass and tubot,” explains Ned Catt, product manager.

“However, since the programme, more people have been asking for cheaper alternatives to cod and farmed salmon, such as whiting, pollock and mackerel. I’m sure most small retailers – especially those who deal with fish on a regular basis – would be aware of the issues the show raised anyway,” continues Mr Catt. “Overall, I expect it will have more of an impact on supermarkets than independents, though anything that raises the profile of more unusual fish is a good thing for everyone,” he adds.

Cook and food writer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is largely credited with encouraging consumers to buy higher-welfare chicken back in 2008. So far, his campaign to reduce fish discards in the North Sea has been supported by over 600,000 online signatures. For more information visit www.fishfight.net