Responding to the Greenpeace and chefs event at Old Billingsgate fish market, Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, said:
“We in the catching sector of the Scottish industry are in the business of sustainable fishing; our world-class products are audited and our fleet is now at the right-size for the catching opportunity available in our waters.
“The Scottish fishing industry is in the vanguard of innovation for more selective fishing. We welcome the focus on seafood, but urge consumers – and the top-end chefs promoting and supporting the Greenpeace initiative – to give the topic the careful thought that it deserves.
“We have been confronted by Greenpeace with a few statistics and a grossly superficial one-size-fits-all solution of marine reserves. Let’s take an example of a stock on the Greenpeace “Red List” – Haddock. Haddock from where? The fact is that the annual assessment by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) – the world’s fish experts – have rated this stock in the North Sea (Scotland is the main haddock catcher here) as harvested sustainably.
“It is subject of an ICES verified long term management plan, is doing well and is in the early stages of Marine Stewardship Council accreditation. You can actually strike a blow for sustainable fishing by seeking out Scottish Haddock. The same goes for all Scottish langoustines – not just the pot or creel caught ones. Also, ICES has acknowledged signs of recovery in North Sea Cod and have changed their advice. It is a pity that Greenpeace hasn’t kept pace with events and altered its advice too.
“We are not saying that everything in the garden is rosy, but we do say that the public are being misled with panicky soundbites. Consumers should by all means choose sustainably caught fish – but in the process must be careful who they take their advice from. The ICES website is a good start for those who are serious about the topic.”
