According to the Marine Conservation Society, cod could soon be removed from the recommended list of fish to avoid eating (if someone is concerned about conservation and sustainability). The society has dropped the status of cod from its red list to its amber one, implying that fishing and eating cod on an infrequent basis (around once per week) will not adversely affect the numbers in the sea.
Cod is a popular fish with consumers, especially in the U.K. where it was once intertwined with the “fish and chip” shop. Latterly cod has been replaced by haddock and plaice.
Cod is the common name for fish of the genus Gadus. The fish are typically found in the Atlantic ocean and surrounding seas. The main species is Gadus morhua. As a food, the fish has a mild flavor and a dense, flaky white flesh. It is also is the basis of cod liver oil.
Due to over-fishing in the North Sea, a series of recommendations — and in the case of the European Union, restrictions — were enacted to restrict and sometimes ban fishing. This was considered to be the necessary action in order to allow fish stocks to be built back up.
New research, undertaken by Seafish, the U.K. government-funded body which represents the seafood industry, and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) which certifies fish and shellfish as sustainable, indicates a rise in numbers of cod in the North Sea.
MCS fisheries officer Samuel Stone told The Daily Mirror: “It’s fantastic to see this fishery finally off the red list. Years of sacrifice and a lot of hard work have led to population increases above dangerously low levels.”
