Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall discusses his series, 'The River Cottage: Gone Fishing', and the issues of fish sustainability raised by it
There are a lot of delicious recipes in 'The River Cottage Fish Book', and a lot of detail on how to prepare everything from sprats to sole, but it is much more than a cookbook. For one thing, it deals with the history of fish as a food and how it benefits us nutritionally. But I think what really sets it apart from other fish books is a substantial section on 66 individual species – each one having its own 'biography', if you like. As well as giving some history and a few fishermen’s tales about each fish, we go into detail on their ecological status, looking at stock levels, catching methods and how sustainable the consumption of that fish can be said to be. In each case, we’re essentially trying to answer the question "is it ok to eat this?". We worked closely with the Marine Conservation Society in compiling this part of the book. I'm very proud of it, and I believe it will be an invaluable tool for conscientious fish buyers.
Well, in a way, precisely the same issues attach to wild and farmed food. In both cases, for instance, we have a responsibility to kill the creature we want to eat in the most humane, painless way possible. In both cases, we also have a duty to take care of the environment in which that creature lives – not least because it is our environment too. In farming, that duty may be carried out through organic methods of agriculture; with wild fish, it takes the form of conservation and good stewardship of our seas and rivers. The end is the same: to treat our fellow creatures with respect and ensure a sustainable future for both them and us.
I love all sorts of fish and shellfish and I eat fishy meals several times a week. My choice on any one day is influenced by many factors: what I've managed to catch myself, what's on my local fishmonger’s slab, what's in season. I can't single out one favourite, but I can tell you about some of the British-caught fish I enjoy regularly that I think are terribly underrated in general: black bream, grey mullet, megrim and witch all spring to mind. I'm also devoted to the mackerel and sprats that, in season, shoal abundantly off the Dorset coast, and that I can catch myself without much trouble. In addition, I’d have to concede that my fish repertoire would suffer somewhat if I couldn't get hold of any pollack – smoked or fresh - and life would be considerably less bearable without regular helpings of local rope-grown mussels and the delectably sweet spider crab that we as a nation so under-appreciate.
Yes. It would be a wrench, but yes.
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