Threat to pub grub favourites as Prince urges boycott

Cod and chips, a traditional pub food favourite, could become a thing of the past after the Prince of Wales urged consumers to avoid threatened species of fish.

As this article was posted, Prince Charles was due to make a speech at an event in Billingsgate fish market in London, warning that the world's most popular fish could soon be extinct because of overfishing.

In his most outspoken attack on the way the UK and the rest of the world control fishing, the Prince was expected to ask customers, caterers, supermarkets and the fishing industry to support a sustainable fishing system.

This would mean that the only fish caught to eat would be those whose numbers are not declining - spelling the end of pub grub favourites such as cod, hake and halibut.

The Prince has been working to promote the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which labels fish caught from sustainable sources.

Last month he met with representatives from pubco Spirit Group to discuss the MSC's efforts.

Although many independent pubs, pub companies and other caterers are trying to buy fish from sustainable sources, the Prince was expected to declare that much more needs to be done.

His views were backed up in a strongly-worded letter printed in The Sunday Times on Sunday February 29.

The letter, which was signed by every living former secretary of state for the environment including the current holder of the post Margaret Beckett, warned: "The collapse of our fish stocks is no longer a distant nightmare. It is a present reality."

And the letter also supported the work being done by the MSC.

"The MSC is making a real difference," the letter said. "Please help to make sure there will be fish forever and that we don't let today's greed destroy tomorrow's stock."

Publicans are being urged to choose fish from sustainable sources only - and to let their customers know that they are doing so.

M&J Seafood, which supplies hundreds of pubs across the UK, was the first foodservice supplier to carry a product certified to MSC standard.

Adam Swan, senior purchasing manager for fish and seafood, commented: "We will continue to seek MSC endorsed products in a bid to offer customers the best environmental choice when making seafood purchasing decisions."