Let's face it, even if you're Raymond Blanc, buying the right fish these days is not so simple.
And right now many of our traditional favourites, from cod to tuna, are disappearing rapidly from the seas due to overfishing and the effects of climate change. Bottom-trawling boats are sailing farther and fishing deeper than ever before, hauling in hordes of fish with heavy, weighted nets that tear up the ocean bottom. Fish are being caught too young, before they can reproduce. Tons of unwanted fish and other sea creatures are scooped up and tossed out in the search for a more desirable catch. So what's a concerned seafood lover to do - forego fish altogether?
Fortunately it doesn't have to come to that, provided we all start to make more informed choices. By choosing to buy fish that are in healthy supply, we can give other overfished populations a chance to recover - and keep fishermen in work. By avoiding fish caught using destructive methods like bottom trawling, we provide incentives to suppliers to switch to less harmful techniques which will cut down on waste and preserve the health of ocean ecosystems.
Some of Britain's top chefs and restaurateurs are only too keenly aware of this state of affairs, and are eager to play their part in our Seafood See Life campaign to help redress the balance. So to demonstrate that fish which are abundant, and caught or raised in an environmentally friendly manner can still be mouthwatering to eat, they've agreed to share their favourite fish recipes with us.
So click on the links to learn the secrets of Michelin-starred Raymond Blanc's grilled fillet of mackerel with parsley and watercress purée, Loch Fyne's red gurnard with tomatoes and olives and Moshi Moshi's sweet and sour Cornish fish nanbanzuke, amongst others. All utterly delicious, and proof that choosing sustainable seafood doesn't mean that you have to compromise on quality and taste to do the right thing. Go on, you know you want to - enjoy!
