Chips are down for haddock

PLUNGING numbers of British haddock could see the fish and chip shop favourite become more expensive.

Marine scientists yesterday revealed that stocks are much lower than expected, and haddock has been removed from a ‘green’ list of sustainable fish, which are not under threat from over-fishing.

The permitted catch from the North Sea and waters off the west of Scotland has been cut by 47 per cent to help more young haddock reach breeding age.

This means the fish will soon be in short supply, with restaurants and supermarkets possibly having to turn to more expensive imports. Haddock is a popular choice with consumers and is one of the UK’s ‘big five’ seafood species, along with cod, tuna, salmon and prawns. British haddock from three North Sea and West of Scotland fisheries has now been removed from the approved list of sustainable fish, which is compiled by the Marine Conservation Society.

Bernadette Clarke, the MCS Good Fish Guide manager, said: ‘It is probable that haddock prices will rise – it is a matter of supply and demand.

‘Compared to 2015, the stock numbers in 2016 were below the recommended level and at the point where action is now needed to increase the number of fish of breeding age.’

The haddock catch quota has come down from 74,800 tons last year to 39,400 tons for 2017.

However, there is more positive news for some other fisheries, with scampi from Farn Deeps off the North East coast being upgraded from the MCS’s lowest rating of five – a fish to avoid – to a four thanks to better management, though it is still some way off being sustainable. There are also improvements for scampi fisheries in the west of Scotland, Clyde and Jura catch areas in the latest list from the society.