College teaches fish sustainability

As part of a drive to educate the country about sustainability, more than 20 local restaurateurs and chefs were invited to a fish masterclass at Cornwall College.

Matthew Stevens, a fresh fish and seafood specialist, led the workshop in one of the college’s training kitchens. He believes sustainability, responsible fishing and responsible buying play important roles in managing the levels of fish in the world.

He said: "We try to encourage people to buy line-caught fish, and they are tagged to identify them. Some of the trawler nets are the size of Wembley football pitch and we need to think long-term to protect the stocks for the future.

"We also need to continue to educate people, to change the habits of a lifetime. We need to encourage them to fish, buy and serve these alternatives, both at home and in restaurants.”

Stevens told eager students that buying and using non-quota fish like John Dory, Megrim (Cornish Sole) and Mullet, will help save the likes of Cod and even Pollock, which has become more popular in London restaurants recently.

Nick Taylor, Head Chef at Indaba Fish, Truro, was one of the chefs in attendance, and spoke of his surprise at how much he learned. “I came because I`m interested in the sustainability of Cornish stock,” he said. “I wanted to know which fish were really endangered and more about the quotas.”

Cornwall College offers a vast range of full and part-time catering, hospitality and hotel courses. For more information, visit www.cornwall.ac.uk.​

Mark Derry, manager of Loch Fyne is urging the hospitality industry to source sustainable fish - read that story here

As a quick overview of which fish are safe and which are endangered visit the Red list on the Greenpeace website here​​

If you`ve got questions over which fish are safe to serve, where to source sustainable fish or how you can make the fish on your menu greener why not ask your questions in our sustainability forum​