Hake and coley downgraded on seafood guide

Shoppers looking for responsible marine dining options may need to adjust their baskets once again. The Marine Conservation Society has issued fresh sustainability assessments that lower the standing of European hake and coley, two species frequently recommended as greener substitutes for struggling cod.

In the charity's latest Good Fish Guide, European hake caught across the Celtic Seas, the North Sea, and the Bay of Biscay dropped from green to amber status. Evaluators linked the change to diminishing populations alongside growing pressure from fishing fleets. At the same time, coley harvested in waters surrounding the United Kingdom saw its rating slide into the red category, which designates species that diners should steer clear of purchasing.

British seafood demand relies heavily on a narrow selection of five items: cod, haddock, salmon, tuna, and prawns. This concentrated appetite exerts intense stress on wild stocks. Cod abundance in particular has suffered continuous declines since 2015, driven primarily by overharvesting as well as warming marine temperatures and ecological stresses that compromise juvenile survival and reproduction.

To alleviate pressure on threatened populations, guide manager Kerry Lyne advised eaters to diversify what they buy. Because biological health shifts across different waters and years, past safe choices cannot be assumed to remain sustainable indefinitely. For consumers seeking a flaky white fish similar to cod, the organisation highlighted wild-caught domestic sea bass as a preferable option.

Across 727 total evaluations in the twice-yearly review, the group recorded 29 downgrades alongside 11 improvements. Among the positive developments, Atlantic bluefin tuna in British waters earned an updated green rating after rebounding under conservation measures established more than twenty years ago, though specialists emphasize that close monitoring must continue. Additionally, Lyme Bay scallops captured using illuminated pots entered at amber, offering a lower-impact alternative to sea-floor dredging.