According to new statistics from Seafish, the authority on seafood, the flatfish, which can be found in waters around most of the UK, has historically been passed over in favour for larger flatfish, such as sole or plaice, but recently retail sales have rocketed – up 47 percent since last year. Seafish Head of Environmental Responsibility, Philip MacMullen, informed that the uptake in this small but tasty fish falls in line with other research, highlighting that consumers are more willing to try a wider range of species, rather than focusing on traditional species, such as cod and haddock.
MacMullen explained that most people haven’t heard of dab and that’s a shame as it is very good eating and similar to sole and plaice – just a bit smaller. He added that the increasing diversity of consumer taste means that the catching sector can continue to fish sustainably for a wide variety of species.
Marks & Spencer fish buyer, Lesley Saunders, pointed out that their store seeing sales of dab up by 50 percent compared to last year. We have helped customers discover that dab is a great value fresh fish which makes a delicious, healthy and ethical choice. It is a good alternative to cod and it’s fantastic to see shoppers becoming more adventurous in the type of fish they eat, says Saunders.
Dab was also recently highlighted as a “fish to eat” by the Marine Conservation Society due to its excellent sustainability credentials.
