Consumers urged to ‘completely avoid’ UK-caught cod as population plunges

Marine Conservation Society warns that fish numbers have reached dangerous point of decline

Consumers should “completely avoid” buying UK-caught cod, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has said, as it warned that populations have reached a dangerous point of decline despite zero-catch recommendations.

The MCS, an environmental charity, publishes a Good Fish Guide to help consumers and businesses make sustainable seafood choices.

On Thursday it downgraded all UK-caught cod to the worst possible rating, recommending consumers choose European hake as a flaky white fish alternative.

Kerry Lyne, Good Fish Guide manager, called the downgrade a “warning signal”, and said the UK government needed to “address these concerns to allow stocks to recover”.