At the weekend The Sun reported a rise in North Sea cod stocks.

Low supplies had doubled the average cost of cod and chips from £2.40 in 2000 to nearly £5 today — and Brits were encouraged to try other types of fish.

But experts said last night that limits on the numbers of cod being caught in the North Sea are now working and stocks are slowly returning to normal levels.

They added it could be “years rather than decades” before numbers fully recover.

Barrie Deas, of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, said: “It’s a remarkable turnaround. There is no reason why consumers should avoid North Sea cod now.”