Sustainable Cornish hake certified by the Marine Stewardship Council is going on sale in a British supermarket for the first time.
Debuting on Waitrose fish counters this week (rsp: £16 per kg), the white fish is caught in the Celtic Sea to the west of the UK mainland and south of Ireland, with just under 1,000 tonnes landed in Newlyn, Cornwall each year.
Fishermen use “highly selective fishing nets with larger mesh sizes” to only target larger, mature hake, which allows the smaller young fish to swim free and reproduce.
“We are delighted to be the first supermarket to offer its customers MSC-certified Cornish hake,” said Jeremy Ryland Langley, Waitrose aquaculture and fisheries manager.
“We promised to support the Cornish fishery when it was certified…supporting British fishermen and ensuring we always offer our customers the best in responsibly caught fish and seafood are key priorities for Waitrose.”
Toby Middleton, MSC programme director for the North East Atlantic, said: “It’s great to see Waitrose add another certified species. Every time a Waitrose shopper buys Cornish hake with the MSC ecolabel they are playing a key role helping to drive the health of the world’s oceans, as well as sustaining livelihoods of coastal communities.”
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