The majority of fish in 48 retail own-brand and branded fingers investigated by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) came from sustainable green rated “Best Choice” sources. Some of the cheaper options were the most sustainable of the lot.
Unlike unprocessed seafood – fish that isn’t canned, mixed or breaded – there is no legal requirement for brands and retailers to put details of the origins of the fish used in processed seafood on the pack.
The MCS hopes that its new Good Fish Finger Guide will raise awareness of the origins and sustainability of fish fingers and better engage consumers to follow its wider seafood advice.
MCS Sustainable Seafood Advocate, Rajina Gurung, who compiled the guide, says that in the absence of a credible ecolabel like Marine Stewardship Council tick on the pack, it’s hard for consumers to make informed choices: “Consumers may not be aware that the majority of fish in retail own brand and branded fish fingers actually comes from sustainable sources. Some saver brands even turned out to be the most sustainable, showing that you do not have to pay a fortune for sustainability. The 48 fish fingers we investigated contained just four different species – Atlantic cod, Pacific cod, Alaska pollock and haddock – which might come as quite a surprise to many consumers who see fish fingers as a mix of unspecified species in breadcrumbs… even barely fish at all!”
MCS says that 23% of the fish fingers it looked at lacked any kind of ecolabel, sustainability information or enough detail about how and where the fish were caught, and 40% didn’t have a credible ecolabel. Just 19% of fish finger packs were found to have enough detailed information on the pack for consumers to know how and where the fish was caught.
Top 15 Best Choice Green Rated Fish Fingers
Asda smart price fish fingers
Asda omega-3 fish fingers
Co-op omega-3 fish fingers
Iceland breaded fish fingers
Marks & Spencer gluten free cod fish fingers
Morrisons omega-3 fish fingers
Morrisons savers fish fingers
Sainsbury’s cod fillet fish fingers
Sainsbury’s “deliciously free from” cod fish fingers
Sainsbury’s basic fish fingers
Sainsbury’s omega-3 pollock fish fingers
Tesco omega-3 fish fingers
Waitrose essential cod fish fingers
Waitrose essential chunky cod fillet fingers in breadcrumbs
Young’s omega-3 fish fingers
