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Mackerel taken off conservationists' 'eat' list Mackerel taken off conservationists' 'fish to eat' list
(35 minutes later)
Mackerel is no longer a sustainable choice for a regular fish supper because of overfishing, conservationists have warned. For years it has been trumpeted as a popular sustainable fish, renowned for its health benefits and favoured by celebrity chefs.
The Marine Conservation Society said it had removed mackerel, an oily fish packed with omega-3 fatty acids, from its latest "fish to eat" list and said it should be eaten only occasionally. But the UK's biggest marine charity, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), has removed mackerel from its 'fish to eat' list, recommending it should only be consumed occasionally – alongside monkfish and plaice.
The warning comes after the Marine Stewardship Council, which certifies fish stocks that are managed sustainably, suspended its certification of the north-east Atlantic mackerel fishery. The oily fish, which is packed with Omega 3, has been taken off the MCS's latest fish to eat list and is now being rated by the charity as a fish to eat only occasionally rather than on a regular basis. The society is advising consumers to eat herrings or sardines instead.
Atlantic populations of mackerel have moved north-west into Icelandic and Faroe Islands waters, prompting their fishermen to fish more stock than was previously agreed and causing a dispute between the countries that target the fish. The MCS says international arguments about quotas mean mackerel is no longer a sustainable choice. The change in fortunes for the species is the result of overfishing of the stock and the subsequent suspension of the north-east Atlantic stock's Marine Stewardship Council certification, meaning it is no longer considered a sustainable fishery.
Bernadette Clarke, fisheries officer at the MCS, said: "The stock has moved into Icelandic and Faroese waters, probably following their prey of small fish, crustaceans and squid. The MCS made the U-turn as a result of an increasingly bitter three-year dispute between Iceland and the EU – mainly the UK – over who has the right to land the once-plentiful fish.
"As a result, both countries have begun to fish more mackerel than was previously agreed. The total catch is now far in excess of what has been scientifically recommended and previously agreed upon by all participating countries. Conservationists fear stocks could be at risk after Iceland and the Faroe Islands dramatically increased their quotas in recent years. In 2011, 930,000 tonnes of mackerel were fished from the north-east Atlantic, but scientists claim the maximum that should be caught is 542,000 tonnes.
"Negotiations to introduce new catch allowances have so far failed to reach agreement." MCS fisheries officer Bernadette Clarke said numbers of mackerel had increasingly been found further north-west in the Atlantic. "The stock has moved into Icelandic and Faroese waters, probably following their prey of small fish, crustaceans and squid. As a result both countries have begun to fish more mackerel than was previously agreed'" she said.
The conservation group recommends herring and sardine as alternatives, and says if people want to continue to buy mackerel, they should ensure it is as sustainable as possible – for example, fish caught locally using traditional methods. "The total catch is now far in excess of what has been scientifically recommended and previously agreed upon by all participating countries.
Another fish taken off the "fish to eat" list is gurnard, because of a lack of data on population levels and concerns about how stocks of the increasingly popular fish are being managed. Negotiations to introduce new catch allowances have so far failed to reach agreement."
Because the fish has been historically caught accidentally as "bycatch" by fishing vessels targeting other species, there are no catch restrictions – but if stocks are being increasingly targeted, they need to be managed sustainably, the MCS said. Mackerel has been championed by celebrity chefs such as Guardian writer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who in his Channel 4 Fish Fight programme persuaded dubious consumers to eat his mackerel baps.
Many gurnards that are caught are discarded – a wasteful practice that sees usable fish thrown back into the sea – because there is still relatively low demand for them, Clarke added. MCS says good alternatives to mackerel are herring and sardine – both of which are on the charity's fish to eat list. Clarke said: "If people want to continue eating mackerel they should ensure they buy it from as sustainable a source as possible. That means fish caught locally using traditional methods – including handlines, ringnets and drift nets – or from suppliers who are signatories to the principles of the Mackerel Industry Northern Sustainability Alliance."
But the latest version of the "fish to eat" list shows that herring stocks, coley and Dover sole from the Channel are all good to eat with a clear conscience. But Scottish fishermen say the downgrading is premature and could ultimately be counterproductive. Bertie Armstrong of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation said: "The stock is actually still well above the precautionary level, even if Iceland and the Faroes continue to do this. You can ignore the MCS advice this year."
Whiting from the Celtic Sea also appears on the list for the first time. Cod stocks from the North Sea are still below recommended levels, the MCS said, but a number of other popular wild fish are given the green light to appear on the dinner plate, including haddock and lemon sole. A spokesman for the Department for Environment said: "The continued sustainability of mackerel is vitally important and is increasingly threatened by the actions of the Faroe Islands and Iceland. We are extremely concerned that an agreement on fishing rights has not yet been reached. That is why the UK continues to seek a new agreement that is fair to all."
Farmed species on the list include organic Arctic charr, sturgeon caviar from closed fish farming systems, mussels, tiger prawns, Atlantic halibut and salmon, and rainbow trout. Another casualty of the MCS fish to eat list is gurnard – also a restaurant favourite, if less well-known than mackerel. Clarke of the MCS said a lack of data on stock levels, scientific advice to reduce catches and concerns about the fisheries management had led the charity to move gurnard off its fish to eat list and on to its cautionary listing.
Clarke said: "As world population, fish consumption and reliance on fish imports from outside the European Union increases, the importance of knowing what we are eating, as well as where and how it is caught, is essential to allow consumers to make the most sustainable choice for the future of our fish." She explained: "Gurnard, specifically red and grey, are now classified by scientists as 'data-limited stocks' meaning there is little information available on stock levels and how much is being fished.
A spokesman for the Department for Environment said: "The continued sustainability of mackerel is vitally important and is increasingly threatened by the actions of the Faroe Islands and Iceland. Because gurnard have historically been taken as bycatch – accidentally caught when fishing for other species and are not targeted by commercial fishing interests – there are no catch restrictions or minimum landing sizes. If the species is to become commercially targeted sustainably, we need to understand the biology of the stocks and manage them appropriately."
"We are extremely concerned that an agreement on fishing rights has not yet been reached. That is why the UK continues to seek a new agreement that is fair to all."