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Hugh’s Fish Fight: The Battle Continues’ was broadcast on Channel 4 at 9pm on Monday August 8th.
The last Fish Fight programmes were broadcast in January and were watched by over 2 million viewers. The Fish Fight campaign has raised awareness of fish discards and encouraged consumers to try a wider variety of fish species. As a leading supplier of chilled and frozen fish and seafood, Young’s Seafood Limited, is supportive of the campaign. Inspired by the Fish Fight, Young’s Seafood Limited launched Chip Shop Mackerel and brought out Young's 4 Coley Fillets.
Welcoming the next Fish Fight instalment, Leendert den Hollander, Chief Executive of Young’s Seafood Limited, said: “Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Fish Fight campaign has done a fantastic job in raising awareness of discards and encouraging consumers to try a wider variety of responsibly sourced fish. Back in January, when Fish Fight kicked off, we welcomed Hugh and his team to a campaign that motivates everyone within the industry who cares about sustainability.
“Generating momentum, Fish Fight has shown what can be achieved when we all work together. But discards is just one of the many challenges that have to be tackled to ensure the long term sustainability of fish supply. For us, the fight to support sustainable practice in fisheries doesn’t stop here – our fish fight continues. As our fight goes on, we hope that consumers, retailers and the supply chain continue to support sustainable practice in fisheries and fish farms around the world.”
Mike Mitchell, CSR Director of Young’s Seafood Limited (and parent company Findus Group), added: “Moving discards up the policy agenda is one of the key achievements of the Fish Fight campaign. We applaud the progressive approach to Common Fisheries Policy reform being driven at the moment and we recognise Fish Fight’s role in influencing this. Well managed eco-systems are clearly critical to ensuring we have bountiful sources of fish, healthy people and healthy societies.
“We have to take action to protect fish resources and we have to take a stand on a wide variety of issues, beyond discards, in order to achieve this. Encouraging fisheries to achieve Marine Stewardship Council certification and supporting sustainable practice in fisheries and fish farms are two of the ways we take action, and play our part, through our Fish for Life programme.”
Having surveyed consumers after the Fish Fight shows in January, Young’s found that people want is a greater variety of ways to enjoy sustainably sourced fish. Kantar Worldpanel industry data shows that in the first quarter of this year, when Fish Fight was broadcast, sales of species other than those traditionally considered as ‘core species’, like Cod and Haddock, were 1.6% higher than for the same period in 2010. Young’s actively encourages consumers to try a wider variety of fish and has introduced different species to market in the UK.
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