Commercial fishing is a controversial industry, and there is a lot of pressure on fisheries and fishermen to try to find ways to preserve the population. As a consumer, if you want to make sure that you are getting not just the best tasting fish, but also the most environmentally friendly, then you should pay attention to sustainability when you are shopping.
If you are cooking a Cod Fillet recipe that requires a quality piece of fish, look for North Atlantic Cod if in the UK or Pacific Cod if in the USA & Canada.
This cod is caught using bottom long lines, for the most part, although bottom trawls, jig gear and fish pots are sometimes used as well.
Line caught fish are the most ethical in terms of sustainability, because the gear that is used to catch the fish is environmentally friendly, and the populations offish are carefully controlled.w
The long lines that the fishermen use are made of a central line which has several smaller lines attached to it, each with a baited hook. The lines are laid near the ocean floor, and do not damage the habitat, unlike trawling. There is some risk of by-catch with this method, but it is minimal, especially compared to the risk associated with bottom trawling.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council manages the population of Pacific cod by using quotas, and by closing certain areas at certain times of the year.
There are strict restrictions on the gear that fishermen can use, and there are quotas in place, as well as requirements for observers. This means that commercial fishermen are prevented from over-fishing. In addition, since only the right fish are caught (for the most part) the overall impact on the marine population.
After long line fishing, the next-best option is fish caught in pots. Again, this has minimal impact on the habitat, and it helps to prevent over-fishing.
Thanks to these controls, pacific cod stocks are quite healthy. While there are some concerns about the population of other fish in other areas, through careful monitoring it is possible to fish for Pacific cod throughout the year. This means that it is the best option from the point of view of sustainability, even if the abundance of cod does vary throughout the year.
The Cod sold through A O Seafood is fished in the northeast Arctic, Iceland and the Eastern Baltic, where the fish is at a sustainable level and is named as Atlantic Cod. According to the marine conservation society;
The Norwegian NE Arctic offshore cod fishery and the Barents Sea demersal trawl cod fishery within the Norwegian and Russian EEZs and in international waters are certified as sustainable fisheries by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The longline, handline and Danish seine fishery for cod in Iceland’s EEZ was certified to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard as an environmentally responsible fishery in June 2011. Danish and Swedish fisheries in the Eastern Baltic were certified to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard as environmentally responsible fisheries in April and June 2011 respectively.
The Cod Loin or Fillet that is sold through www.aoseafood.co.uk is some of the freshest fish available throughout the country. If you haven’t yet tried any, then I encourage you to make a purchase and buy Cod Fillets from one of the most responsible online fishmongers in the business. Why not try the recipe in the video below.
How to Pan Fry Cod Loin
Why not try some of our fresh seafood
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