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Organic fish

An EU directive has decreed that nothing captured or harvested from the wild can be labelled as 'organic'. The reasoning behind this is obvious, if you can't be sure of the history of a product how can you be sure it will meet organic standards without extensive and very costly testing.

Currently only farmed fish can be given the organic label with only salmon and trout being readily available but swimming over the horizon we have organic cod, halibut and sea bass. Fish farming is seen by most Europeans as a fairly recent and clever idea wheras it has been in existence for thousands of years in the Far East. The common Carp, a target for sport fishing in the UK, actually provides more protein to a hungry world than cattle. Siezing on the notion we in the West added our own little twist by pumping chemicals into the water and feed in order to get the largest fish in the least time. Fortunately many fish farms are recognising the financial, as well as ethical, benefits of going organic.

Certification bodies are currently working on this area, with issues to contend with such as:

• pollution levels in the sea

• over-fishing and depleted fish stocks

• environmentally aware fishing techniques

• pesticides treatments in conventional fish farms

In the meantime there are reputable organic sources of farmed fish and an emergence of 'eco-friendly' labelling systems that give guidance for the concerned consumer.

Some of these sources of organic fish in the UK, are identified below and in our 'organic food online' section. Please tell us if you know of any others.

Featured organic fish suppliers