The United Kingdom’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee in a report published this week recommended that the British government reconsider advising consumers to eat seafood twice a week.
Currently, the British government encourages consumers to eat seafood twice a week to improve public health, though research shows that they consume fish only once a week on average.
But in the report, submitted to Parliament’s House of Commons, the committee outlined the need to balance public health with the sustainability of the world’s fish stocks, which is “serious cause for concern.”
“Around the British Isles only eight out of 47 fish stocks are known to be in a healthy state, and thus the UK faces a serious challenge to secure food supplies sustainably,” said the committee, citing the Marine Conservation Society. “It is hoped to be that major reform of the Common Fisheries Policy will make EU fisheries more sustainable. However, this will be a lengthy process, and its results are by no means guaranteed.”
The committee advised the Department of Health and Food Standard Agency to “consider the wisdom of continuing to advise consumers to eat at least two portions of fish a week at a time when the ability of the marine environment to meet this demand is questionable.
“The fishing industry and the government have a duty to encourage consumers to try sustainable, less well-known types of fish and shellfish,” added the committee.
