Only 1 in 5 people eating NHS recommended two portions of fish a week

One in four consumers in the UK are eating less fish than two years ago

Just 21% of the UK population are eating the NHS recommended two portions of fish a week despite growing concerns around maintaining a healthy diet, according to a new report published by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) today.

Some 80% of UK consumers said they had made changes to their diet in the past two years, with two thirds of those citing health as the main driver for doing so, according to the report – Super Seafood: Sustaining people and planet. Overall, 45% of UK respondents gave some kind of environmental reason for changing diets, demonstrating that concern for the planet, and ocean, is influencing dietary choices.

Despite the desire for healthy, sustainable diets, the report reveals that only a fifth of the UK population currently consume the NHS’ recommended two portions of fish a week (including one oily) as a good source of vitamins and minerals, as well as a means of maintaining a healthy heart. Meanwhile, more than a quarter of consumers (27%) said they now eat less fish than two years ago, with 13% saying they are eating more and almost half (48%) eating the same amount.

Of those who purchased and ate seafood over half (52%) said they would eat more fish and seafood if it cost less, whilst a third (29%) said they would do so if it was produced in a way that doesn’t harm the ocean and over a quarter (26%) citing health reasons for increasing consumption. Over one fifth of people (22%) revealed that if there was greater availability when they shop, it would also lead to them eating more.   

The report concludes that, while seafood is an important source of nutrition, if governments are to deliver positive health outcomes through increased fish consumption, support for progressing sustainable fishing needs to be prioritised. Promoting and supporting the availability of sustainable options, such as those carrying the blue MSC ecolabel, to consumers is also needed. The report also highlights that over half (55%) of UK seafood consumers say seeing the MSC ecolabel would make them more likely to purchase a product, and 53% say that they are prepared to pay more for products that come from a certified sustainable fishery.

The findings come amid growing fears about the state of the ocean, and the latest figures released by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization showing more than a third of fish stocks are overfished, at 37.7%, and trending in the wrong direction This new data underscores the urgent need to accelerate progress in sustainable fisheries management. Choosing MSC certified sustainable seafood ensures that stocks are well-managed, and environmental impacts limited. In fact, the MSC estimates that by managing global fish stocks sustainably and eliminating overfishing, we could be meeting the nutritional needs of an additional 72 million people annually.

National food campaigner Henry Dimbleby, author of the UK’s National Food Strategy, co-founder of the Sustainable Restaurant Association and board member for seafood restaurant chain Rockfish, who wrote the foreword for the report, says:

“Wild-caught seafood is a nutritious, affordable and sustainable source of protein. Yet, despite the NHS recommendation to eat two portions a week^[1], only 21% of Britons do^[2]. As the latest scientific data on overfishing shows, we are right to be concerned about the state of our oceans and the impact increased consumption could have on further overfishing.

“However, there is a way to meet the NHS guidelines without exacerbating the problem – by managing fish stocks sustainably, based on science and choosing to eat certified sustainable fish. Nature, when supported, can rebound and flourish. Governments, businesses, and policymakers need to act to support this – and the UK must deliver on its commitments to implementing a world-leading approach to sustainable fishing.”

The report makes four key recommendations:

• Food industry leaders and the UK Government should take a holistic approach to dietary recommendations that include sustainability considerations
• The UK fishing industry should be enabled and empowered in the drive towards sustainability
• Direct engagement with consumers should be increased and the delivery of a sustainable UK fish and seafood industry prioritised
• Government must deliver a world-leading approach to sustainable fishing

Over 700 fisheries around the world are currently engaged with the MSC’s sustainable fishing programme. Collectively, these fisheries provide 19% of the world’s wild marine catch. In the UK, MSC-certified fish and seafood makes up 25% of total UK landings, with more fisheries committed to achieving certification. A growing number and variety of MSC-certified seafood products and species can be found in most of the major retailers and in many restaurants across the UK. With over 1,400 different products available there are options for all budgets, from tinned sardines, to sushi and fish pies.

George Clark, Programme Director for UK and Ireland at the MSC, said: “While our report reveals there is a public willingness to change consumption habits and choose more sustainable fish and seafood, to both help the environment and maintain a healthy diet, individual responsibility can only go so far.

“There is a fantastic opportunity here to really get behind UK fishing communities and others around the globe in meeting the environmental and health expectations of consumers. Governments, businesses and industry must work together to raise the profile and grow thesupply of healthy, sustainable, wild-caught fish and seafood, for consumers today and in the future.

Fish and seafood must be caught sustainably to meet the nutritional and health needs of the nation without risking further overfishing. Through collaboration and programmes like the MSC’s, we can ensure there’s more fish on our plates for generations to come.”