Buying or cooking seafood? The Good Fish Guide is here to help

24 Feb 2022

2 minute read

We want to make sure sustainable options take centre stage when you’re next shopping, cooking or dining.

In a recent poll, the majority of people we surveyed (68%) said they currently eat seafood. 41% were more likely to include more seafood in their diet if they knew it was sustainable, and the Good Fish Guide is here to help.

prefer to cook familiar seafood

can fillet a whole fish

regularly buy tinned or jarred seafood

The Good Fish Guide shows which seafood are the most sustainable options by using a simple traffic light system. Green is the most sustainable choice, amber is ok to eat but improvements are needed, and red indicates a seafood to avoid.

Did you know that 80% of the seafood we consume in the UK is made up of only 5 species; cod, haddock, tuna, salmon and prawns? This puts a lot of pressure on a few species and means we’re missing out on more sustainable options that can be found closer to home.

Among those who don’t buy any seafood outside of the top 5 species, a third (33%) said they prefer to cook seafood they’re familiar with.

Our recent survey shows that some home cooks lack confidence in buying and preparing seafood. We’ve created some easy-to-follow videos that will turn any home cook into an ocean-friendly chef.
Jack Clarke, Sustainable Seafood Advocate

A further 41% said they’re unlikely to buy seafood outside of the top 5 because they either aren't sure how to cook or prepare it, or they just hadn't thought of buying alternatives.

When it comes to cooking seafood, it seems we’re most comfortable with oven baking (79%) and pan-frying (74%) fish fillets.

However, less than a quarter (24%) could fillet a whole fish, with less than 20% saying they would buy a fresh whole fish and 9% saying they buy frozen whole fish. 30% said they could prepare mussels and only 12% said they could shuck an oyster.

We‘ve created some how-to videos to get you started on your ocean-friendly seafood journey. You can watch all our how-to videos here.

We found that tinned or jarred seafood was the most frequently purchased type of seafood, with 62% saying that they frequently purchased tinned or jarred seafood.

Tinned seafood can be an easy and sustainable option for those of us daunted by filleting fish or preparing shellfish.  Mackerel, sardines or anchovies can be fantastic sustainable options if you’re tired of tuna, but always check the Good Fish Guide for green rated options.

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Make sure you always check the label to find out where and how the seafood you’re buying is caught. Every purchase matters.

The Good Fish Guide will let you know how sustainable your choice is and suggest sustainable alternatives.

Take your first steps to being an ocean-friendly chef today and check what you have in your fridge, freezer or cupboards and see how it stacks up on the Good Fish Guide, available to download here.