Our fish policy
We have always had an extremely strict fish buying policy – we never buy endangered species or fish in its breeding season. We were the very first restaurant in the UK to have our fish buying policy approved by the Marine Conservation Society in 2001 and, more recently, we underwent an audit from the Marine Stewardship Council and were granted permission to use their logo on our menus when we purchase fish from MSC-certified fisheries. All our fish suppliers have guaranteed to adhere to our fish buying policy guidelines.
Declining fish stocks
Our oceans are suffering from depleted stocks of fish as a result of destructive over-fishing and commercial fishing methods – 70% of the world's fish stocks are over-fished, and some stocks are at such low levels that they are in danger of collapse. In the North Sea alone, many once plentiful species such as cod, common skate and plaice are now over-fished, or in some cases, virtually extinct.
A staggering 10% of all fish caught globally is thrown overboard. The use of massive trawler nets, which catch everything in their path, are extremely damaging to marine habitats and species, especially as they trap mammals such as dolphins. Commercial fishing also has a devastating effect on small fishing communities around the world, since it disregards the sustainable fishing methods that they rely on. We feel it is of utmost importance to support small, local fishing communities, and never buy anything from commercial fisheries.
Wild sea fish
It is impossible to classify wild sea fish as organic since they are wild migratory creatures. The majority of fishermen we work with come from small fishing communities on the South and South East coasts, though items such as scallops or mussels come from the cooler waters of the Scottish coast. Our suppliers only use sustainable methods of landing their catch from day boats, using lines, pots, creels or divers – minimising the damage to the marine ecosystem. We never buy fish that comes from further afield, since its transportation increases pollution and food miles and affects freshness and quality.
We've been using lesser-known species of non-endangered fish for many years, such as gurnard, pollack and razor clams. They benefit from plentiful stock levels, and by using these fish this takes pressure off the depleted stocks of endangered fish such as cod and haddock.
For full details of what we will and won’t purchase, see the Marine Conservation Society’s list at www.fishonline.org
Picture Gallery
Farmed fish
All our farmed fish comes from local Soil Association certified organic farms with exemplary standards of welfare, where the use of synthetic pesticides and drugs is banned. We will only serve organically farmed salmon and trout, since wild stocks are severely depleted.
Getting other restaurants on board
Seeing as it's very expensive for restaurants to have their fish purchasing audited, Geetie Singh, the pub's founder and director, has worked with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)and Sustain to create a collective of restaurants across London that can collaborate to reduce their audit costs. By setting up this pilot scheme, Geetie hopes that within three years, many more will use MSC-certified fish by joining the collective, which includes The Duke of Cambridge, Moro and Moshi Moshi Sushi.
For further information, visit the Marine Conservation Society and the Marine Stewardship Council.