Members of the U.K. seafood industry are being encouraged to participate in a new Twitter campaign aimed at championing the diversity and sustainability of the species landed by the U.K. fishing fleet.
Running from Monday 16 March through Friday 20 March, the #CatchofTheDay campaign urges fishermen, retailers, processors, chefs and restaurateurs as well as members of the public to share photos and videos — using the hashtag #CatchofTheDay — which either represent their involvement in the industry or celebrate the variety of fish available to U.K. consumers.
The initiative is the brainchild of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO), a body that represents fishermen’s groups, individual fishermen and producer organizations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is part of the NFFO’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the growing variety of sustainable species in U.K. waters and the important strides that have been made by the industry, particularly in the last 10 years, to improve gear and catch methods to boost stock levels.
“The idea behind #CatchofTheDay is to give individuals the opportunity to recognize the fishing industry and its contribution to U.K. life through one simple tweet. We hope it will be a fun way of getting across a serious message not only about the importance of the industry in providing a healthy, sustainable food source to a growing population, but also its inherent commitment to ensuring its future through sustainable methods,” said Tony Delahunty, chairman of the NFFO.
According to the latest International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), there has been a 50 percent reduction in fishing pressure across all commercial stocks in the North Atlantic since 2000.
It is estimated that 52 percent of the U.K. population eats seafood at least once a week and that in 2013, 624,000 metric tons of fish was landed in the country with a value of GBP 718 million (EUR 991.4 million; USD 1.1 billion).
