Food Provenance: Fish

Question 1

Where and How Fish Are Caught

Answer 1

Methods of Catching Fish
1. Trawling – Large nets dragged through the water to catch fish.
• Bottom trawling (damaging to the seabed).
• Midwater trawling (less harmful but still controversial).
2. Line and Hook Fishing – Uses baited hooks; a more selective and sustainable method.
3. Purse Seining – Large nets encircle shoals of fish (e.g., tuna), reducing bycatch.
4. Potting and Creeling – Used for shellfish (crabs, lobsters), allowing smaller ones to escape.

Question 2

Sustainable Fish Supply

Answer 2

✔ Fishing Quotas – Limits on how many fish can be caught.
✔ Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) – Certain regions where fishing is restricted.
✔ Minimum Catch Size – Ensuring young fish are not caught before breeding.
✔ Farmed Fish (Aquaculture) – Fish such as salmon and tilapia are bred in controlled environments.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certifies sustainable fish sources with the MSC blue label.

Question 3

Classification of Fish

Answer 3

1. White Fish
   • Low in fat, mainly found in their liver.
   • Examples: Cod, haddock, plaice, pollock.
   • Nutrients: Lean protein, low in fat, rich in B vitamins.
2. Oily Fish
   • Higher in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, stored in their flesh.
   • Examples: Salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout.
   • Nutrients: High in omega-3, vitamin D, and protein.
3. Shellfish
   • Divided into two groups: crustaceans and molluscs.
   • Crustaceans: Prawns, lobsters, crabs.
   • Molluscs: Mussels, oysters, scallops.
   • Nutrients: Low in fat, high in protein and minerals (zinc, iodine).