Good Fish Guide: hake and coley ratings fall, North Sea herring and bluefin tuna upgraded
The Marine Conservation Society's annual Good Fish Guide has downgraded European hake and some coley stocks over declines and fishing pressure, while some North Sea herring and UK Atlantic bluefin tuna were upgraded.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has downgraded its Good Fish Guide rating for European hake caught in the North Sea, Celtic Seas or Bay of Biscay from green to amber, citing declining stocks and increased fishing pressure. Evening StandardN “The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has downgraded its rating for hake caught in the North Sea, Celtic Seas or Bay of Biscay from green to amber.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily ExpressR “have moved from green to amber because of declining stocks and increased fishing pressure.” Read at Daily Express ↗ Centre · 1Coley caught around the UK in the North Sea, west of Scotland, Rockall and Skagerrak is now rated red because of population decline and the lack of a recovery plan, and north-east Arctic coley has dropped further, with multiple fishing methods downgraded. Evening StandardN “has been rated red because of population decline, and has no recovery plan in place”“North-east Arctic coley has also dropped further down the rating scale” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Coley from Icelandic waters and Cornish hake remain green, while Icelandic haddock fell from green to amber because fishing pressure is above sustainable levels and catches remain above scientific advice; haddock from the North Sea, Skagerrak and Scottish waters, the second biggest source for UK consumers, stays green. Evening StandardN “Coley caught in Icelandic waters remains green rated, as does Cornish hake.”“remains green rated and is a good choice at the present time” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Mixed · 2Some stocks were upgraded, including some North Sea herring and Atlantic bluefin tuna in UK waters, which received a new green rating; the Daily Express reports that ratings for 29 fish moved down the scale and 11 improved. Evening StandardN “Some fish stocks have seen their ratings upgraded, including some North Sea herring, with a new green rating for Atlantic bluefin tuna in UK waters.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily ExpressR “ratings for 29 fish have moved down the sustainability scale, while 11 have improved” Read at Daily Express ↗ Mixed · 2The guide recommends Alaska pollock from the Gulf of Alaska or Bering Sea, North Sea, Rockall or west of Scotland monkfish, and most seabass, but advises avoiding seabass from the west of Scotland and west of Ireland because of poor stocks. Evening StandardN “consumers have been advised to avoid seabass from the west of Scotland and west of Ireland because of poor stock” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily ExpressR “Alaska pollock from the Gulf of Alaska or the Bering Sea, monkfish caught in the North Sea, Rockall or West of Scotland and most seabass are being recommended to Britons.” Read at Daily Express ↗ Centre · 1Other green-rated items include Jersey MSC-certified European lobster, Shetland MSC-certified brown crab, UK-farmed blue mussels and UK recirculating-aquaculture-farmed king prawns. Evening StandardN “European lobster from Jersey and certified by the MSC remains green rated, alongside Shetland MSC-certified brown crab, UK farmed blue mussels and UK Recirculating Aquaculture System-farmed king prawns.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Mixed · 2Kerry Lyne, the MCS Good Fish Guide manager, said choosing a species is not enough because stocks keep changing, urged consumers to diversify their seafood choices and avoid the most threatened, and called on the UK Government to ensure better management to recover and protect UK fisheries, "many of which are in decline". Evening StandardN “The best thing we can all do if we eat seafood, is diversify our seafood choices and avoid those most under threat.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily ExpressR “We need the UK Government to ensure better management is in place to recover and protect UK fisheries, many of which are in decline.” Read at Daily Express ↗ Right · 1The Express adds that the charity is calling on the Government to set fishing quotas in line with scientific advice and strengthen international co-operation on shared stocks. Daily ExpressR “calling on the Government to set fishing quotas in line with scientific advice and strengthen international co-operation on the management of shared fish stocks” Read at Daily Express ↗ Mixed · 2Chris Graham, the MCS head of ocean regeneration and sustainable seafood, attributed the tuna's resurgence partly to fisheries management introduced over 20 years ago after decades of overfishing, welcomed a small well-managed fishery, and said caution must prevail with close monitoring. Evening StandardN “The resurgence of tuna in UK seas can certainly be partly attributed to better fisheries management brought in over 20 years ago, following decades of overfishing.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily ExpressR “caution must prevail, and this iconic species must be monitored closely” Read at Daily Express ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Stock-focused report led by the hake and coley declines, with detail on which species and fisheries changed rating.
- Emphasis
- Coley's red rating and lack of a recovery plan, haddock changes, and a list of green-rated shellfish.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not give the overall count of downgrades (29) and upgrades (11) or the call for quotas in line with scientific advice.
- For example
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“Some European hake – long recommended as a swap for cod – is now suffering from declining stocks and increased fishing pressure, a report has warned.” — Evening Standard
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Consumer-advice piece framed as a 'best and worst fish' list with an expert warning, leading on what Britons should eat or avoid.
- Emphasis
- Recommended species, the tuna recovery described as 'huge', the overall tally of 29 downgrades and 11 upgrades, and the call for quotas in line with science.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Leaves out the coley red rating, the haddock changes and herring upgrade, and does not mention declines in coley at all. It also abbreviates the charity as 'MSC' in places.
- Charged language
- “Best and worst fish to eat revealed”“dwindling healthy stocks”
- For example
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“Britons are being urged to avoid certain varieties because of dwindling healthy stocks in the ocean” — Daily Express
“UK Atlantic bluefin tuna has shown “huge” signs of population recovery from historic lows” — Daily Express
What every side reports
- MCS downgraded European hake from North Sea, Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay from green to amber.
- UK Atlantic bluefin tuna received a new green rating.
- Seabass from the west of Scotland and west of Ireland should be avoided.
- Alaska pollock, North Sea/Rockall/west of Scotland monkfish and most seabass are recommended.
- MCS urged the UK Government to improve fisheries management.
UK fish stocks topic
The MCS says UK fish stocks are changing and many are in decline, and wants better government management, while noting tuna recovery owes partly to management introduced over 20 years ago.
“We need the UK Government to ensure better management is in place to recover and protect UK fisheries, many of which are in decline.” — Evening Standard
“We’re now pleased to see a small, well-managed fishery in place” — Daily Express
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Some hake and coley stocks suffering from population decline, consumers warned
Neutral Reports the guide's changes species by species, leading on the hake and coley decline.
Right1 article
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Best and worst fish to eat revealed as experts issue warning
Mixed Consumer-guidance listicle with a warning headline, balancing recommendations against the declines.
- 14 Oct 00:01 First Evening StandardN Some hake and coley stocks suffering from population decline, consumers warned
- 14 Oct 06:00 +5h 59m Daily ExpressR Best and worst fish to eat revealed as experts issue warning
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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