You will by now have seen, or read the press and social media reaction to, the shock documentary Seaspiracy on Netflix.
I think it's an excellent production that helps to shine an honest light on the fishing sector, at a time when it needs it the most. The deliberate and blatant acts of overfishing with methods that knowingly release carbon and destroy the very ecosystems that support the industry are utterly appalling.
However, the majority of it wasn't a surprise to me, as it is exactly what the fishermen and women who supply Sasha's Fine Foods have been telling me over the last decade, and why they choose fishing methods and practices that stop the wanton destruction.
I am a firm believer that sustainable fishing practices can allow us to consume fish but I only work with those suppliers who live and operate sustainably with the ecosystem in which they work.
Whether that's Solander, who use the long line fishing method which creates no damage to the seabed and have virtually no non-fish bycatch or Mt Cook Alpine Salmon, who farm their salmon in fresh alpine water (not sea water) and who apply the highest standards in waters naturally devoid of sea lice. Very importantly, their salmon feed is made mostly from fish by-product rather than fish that is harvested for fishmeal.
There are good choices to be made but we only have one blue planet, so knowing your source is absolutely vital, to enable you to make informed decisions.
To familiarise yourself further with the enormous lengths our small-scale and family-run fish and seafood producers go to, to preserve and improve the habitat they work in, please explore our producer pages here. Do remember, I have personally visited and can vouch for them all.
I said that the majority of Seaspiracy wasn’t a surprise to me. However something was - the contribution of fishing nets to our littered oceans. This is something I am going to explore further as I was appalled by the stats given.
You can also check the Marine Conservation Society Good Fish Guide to check which fish are not under threat.
If you have any questions about our fish or seafood, please do get in touch with us. We are here to help and provide answers to your questions.