More fish off the 'green' menu

Diners are being urged to find out whether fish they buy is sustainable

Haddock, anchovies and five types of tuna should all be off the menu for UK eco-conscious diners, a charity says.

Along with monkfish, plaice and certain varieties of Dover sole, the species are included on the Marine Conservation Society's updated Fish to Avoid list.

The charity publishes lists of fish to eat and avoid based on monitoring of stocks and fishing practices.

But it says poor labelling in shops and restaurants is causing confusion for the public.

Lack of detail

The society is urging consumers to question vendors about the source of their fish to help them choose sustainable varieties.

It cites cod as an example.

While many fish-lovers have opted for alternatives in light of publicity over depleted stocks, Pacific cod and organically-farmed Atlantic varieties appear on its Fish to Eat list.

It is vital that consumers are given better information to act upon if we are to reduce the tragedy of overfishing Sam Wilding, Marine Conservation Society

Five varieties of tuna - including all types of bluefin - are on the Fish to Avoid list but the society recommends people can continue to eat the albacore species from the North or South Pacific or skipjack.

The charity's fisheries officer, Sam Wilding, said consumers were confused because of a lack of detail on labelling.

FISH TO AVOID Fish that are not sustainable enough to eat, according to the Marine Conservation Society, include: Atlantic cod (pictured) Grouper European eel Marlin Wild Atlantic salmon Skate See full list of "fish to eat" and "fish to avoid" on fishonline.com

He wants sellers to go beyond EU requirements of stating the region in which seafood is caught by specifying localities and fishing methods.

"It is vital that consumers are given better information to act upon if we are to reduce the tragedy of overfishing," he said.

"If consumers are not confident that their fish is sustainably sourced they should question their retailer closely for more information."

Pizza lovers may be horrified to learn that stock levels of anchovies in the Bay of Biscay are at an all-time low and the society says there is no sustainable alternative.

Eat with caution

The MCS says herring, provided it is caught from Norweigian stocks and not off the west of Scotland or Ireland, is acceptable.

Meanwhile, monkfish - partially removed from the Fish to Avoid list last year - remains overfished off the Spanish and Portuguese coast, according to the society.

It advises diners "only eat monkfish with caution" from alternative stocks and, even then, only if they measure at least 70cm.

New additions to the list include Dover Sole that has been beam-trawled from the North Sea or trawled from the Irish Sea and haddock caught west of Scotland and the Faroe Islands.

It is genuinely difficult to be sure of all the details of any given fish supply line. Philip MacMullen, Seafish

Species on the Fish to East list include pollack, coley, pouting and grey gurnard.

Tom Aikens, Michelin-starred chef at his own London restaurant, backed the publication of the lists.

He said: "We now serve gurnard and pollack as alternatives to cod and they have proved popular with our patrons."

Philip MacMullen, head of environmental responsibility at the industry body Seafish, said all fish sold in the UK was subject to legal quotas.

Vendors realised the importance of clear labelling, he said.

But he added: "It is genuinely difficult to be sure of all the details of any given fish supply line.

"The complexities of fisheries also mean that it is difficult to rely on a simple eat/avoid list. Fish stocks are dynamic and can change their status quite quickly."