TAKE AWAY MY TAKEAWAY

PROGRAMME 5: ICELAND

BACKGROUND

Experts

Katie and Paisley were mentored by Stefan Ulfarsson, fish chef and ex-trawlerman, and fish restaurateur, Erna Kaaber. Their cooking was judged by chef Gugga Logadottir.

The history of fish and chips

The tradition of eating fried fish came to Great Britain in the 16th century, with Portuguese Jewish refugees who had fled here to escape persecution. The first fish and chip shop was opened in London's East End in 1860 by Joseph Malin, an Eastern European Jewish immigrant. This was the first time chips had been sold alongside fish, although there was an existing trade in baked and fried potatoes in Lancashire.

The Industrial Revolution gave a mighty kick-start to fish and chips. Steam-powered trawlers and the invention of iced storage equipment meant that huge quantities of fish could be brought into the UK, and then quickly transported across the country via the new railway networks. During the same period, working class wages rose and people began to have more leisure time, and they could afford to buy themselves a newspaper-wrapped fish and chips supper.

The fish and chip industry burgeoned, and at its peak in 1927 there were around 35,000 fish and chips shops in Britain. Fish and chips is still the nation's favourite fast food, but there are only around 9,000 fish and chips shops left. Even during World War Two, the government tried hard to keep fish and chips freely available as they knew it would be a great blow to morale if Brits couldn't get their favourite takeaway meal. Since then, fish and chips has had to cope with both competition from other types of takeaway and rising fish prices, but 50% of us still eat the dish once a month and 14% treat ourselves every week.

When fish and chips first became popular, medical experts dismissed the dish as unhealthy. Now, we know that this isn't true. As long as you don't tuck into this high-fat food every night, fish and chips won't do you any harm, and it provides a good source of vitamins, protein and carbohydrate.

Overfishing of cod

Stocks of Atlantic cod have been overfished so excessively that they are in danger of collapse, and could disappear completely. Overfishing doesn't hit just one species, it threatens many other forms of marine life, as well as endangering seabirds.

Although it is recommended that fishing pressure on Icelandic (and all North East Atlantic) stocks be reduced, their cod stocks are in better condition than, for example, those of the North Sea, Irish Sea, west of Scotland and the eastern Channel.

Shopping for fish

To help protect the remaining fish populations, people should avoid eating cod caught from endangered stocks, where fishing levels are unsustainable, and should choose line-caught cod whenever possible. Buy fish caught using 'seabird-friendly' methods, or choose organically farmed Atlantic cod.

Plaice is also subject to high fishing pressure, and the Irish Sea stock is currently the only stock classified as healthy and harvested sustainably.

Haddock stocks are generally at a sustainable level, but people should avoid eating haddock from waters around Rockall, as the state of the stock is unknown and subject to unregulated fishing pressure.

Supermarket chains Marks & Spencer and Waitrose came top of the 2007 league of the Marine Conservation Society for their commitment to sustainability and their refusal to stock fish from badly managed fisheries.

Unfortunately, few fish and chip shops offer information about the source of their fish.