The British Catch

Britain is home to some of the richest fishing grounds in the world. The British fishing industry is established, sophisticated but struggling. With the continuation of lockdown, the start of 2021 hasn’t been the fresh start that most had hoped it would be, especially for the UK seafood industry for a combination of challenging factors.

So, we ask you to look at our British fish and our suppliers to help support the British fishing communities around the UK during this difficult start to the year.

Here's what our founder Alistair has to say on this...

Grimsby, Hull, Fleetwood, Aberdeen, Yarmouth, Brixham… the famous British fishing ports of yesteryear no longer count on fishing as they once did (with the possible exception of Brixham). In the 1930s British fishermen landed a million tons of fish a year. Nowadays, they’re doing well to touch 300,000 tons.

But British fishing still makes a very big impression on us all, earning all too many headlines over the last 50 years and the last five months.

If you can’t grasp the gripping romance and fascination of commercial fishing from your armchair in Slough or Preston, you only need to turn on the BBC’s fantastic series This Fishing Life – it’s far more exciting than Bridgerton and not only because it’s true.

It’s also true that they took too much fish. Just like every other every sonar-equipped fisherman on the planet. But thanks to extraordinary fertility of fish, a big cod lays ten million eggs a year, stocks will always recover given time. Sure, 99% of cod eggs are gobbled within days. But work the numbers. And sensible fishing policies including mutuality are spreading.

Our island sits in some of the most abundant fishing grounds on earth, yielding an extraordinary galaxy of fish, every one of which tastes different yet sublime. Let’s not try to suggest that we Brits are over excited by this choice, but we certainly all appreciate the fish and chip shop which despite decades of onslaught from pizzas, burgers and curries remains the most popular fast food in our country (as reported by Flipdish in January).

Whether catching turbot or flounders, whelks or scallops, the British fisherman carries out what is much more of a calling than a job in the name of putting the bounty of the sea on your table. We are very pleased to play our small role in getting it to you.