Britain's largest seafood supplier, Young's Bluecrest, has warned that a possible change of tack by the Food Standards Agency over fish consumption levels risks confusing the public.
The FSA currently recommends that everyone should eat at least two portions of fish a week. But it has launched a review of its advice because of alarm over fish stocks.
The move comes despite increasingly vigorous efforts by the industry to develop various sustainable sourcing initiatives in addition to backing the Marine Stewardship Council.
Mike Parker, deputy chief executive of Young's, praised the government for taking sustainability seriously but warned that good work done to boost fish consumption was at risk.
He said: "We are pleased that the government is taking seafood sustainability seriously. However, whatever happens next it is very important we don't confuse the public and in the process undo the good work done so far to boost fish consumption as part of a healthy diet. This issue is not about eating less fish, but rather about eating the right kinds of fish, chosen from the many responsibly sourced and farmed options, which are now readily available.
"Everyone concerned needs to work together to make sure consumers are better informed and understand how they can make responsible fish choices." An FSA spokesman said that one option was for people to be urged to reduce their consumption of seafood from the at-risk red list in favour of other species.
The MSC said it was vital that consumers stuck to MSC lines. A spokeswoman said: "While fish is a healthy food option consumers should make sure they don't contribute to the problem of overfishing by going for species from stocks under pressure."
Efforts to date to encourage the public to eat species such as hoki and pollock have met with mixed success, although there is a growing appetite among British consumers for less familiar species such as red snapper, monkfish, halibut, and mahi mahi.
The FSA currently recommends that everyone should eat at least two portions of fish a week. But it has launched a review of its advice because of alarm over fish stocks.
The move comes despite increasingly vigorous efforts by the industry to develop various sustainable sourcing initiatives in addition to backing the Marine Stewardship Council.
Mike Parker, deputy chief executive of Young's, praised the government for taking sustainability seriously but warned that good work done to boost fish consumption was at risk.
He said: "We are pleased that the government is taking seafood sustainability seriously. However, whatever happens next it is very important we don't confuse the public and in the process undo the good work done so far to boost fish consumption as part of a healthy diet. This issue is not about eating less fish, but rather about eating the right kinds of fish, chosen from the many responsibly sourced and farmed options, which are now readily available.
"Everyone concerned needs to work together to make sure consumers are better informed and understand how they can make responsible fish choices." An FSA spokesman said that one option was for people to be urged to reduce their consumption of seafood from the at-risk red list in favour of other species.
The MSC said it was vital that consumers stuck to MSC lines. A spokeswoman said: "While fish is a healthy food option consumers should make sure they don't contribute to the problem of overfishing by going for species from stocks under pressure."
Efforts to date to encourage the public to eat species such as hoki and pollock have met with mixed success, although there is a growing appetite among British consumers for less familiar species such as red snapper, monkfish, halibut, and mahi mahi.
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