College pledges to help Plymouth become a sustainable fish city

The Sustainable Fish Cities campaign aims to change the way consumers buy and eat fish, and to encourage local businesses and caterers to serve environmentally sustainable fish. With a long and proud connection with fisheries and as home to the largest fish market in England, Plymouth is one of only 27 Marine Protected Areas in England and home to around one thousand native species. The National Marine Aquarium is leading Plymouth’s campaign to reconnect communities with the fish they eat and to safeguard and communicate the diversity that surrounds our coastline.

The College has signed a pledge to only serve fish such as those on the Marine Conservation’s ‘fish to eat’ list, and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fish. This means that only sustainable fish will be used by the College in the training kitchens and outlets, and customers of the College’s outstanding restaurant, PL1, can dine on their fabulous fish dishes with a clear conscience.

Front of House Enterprise Co-ordinator at the College’s PL1 Restaurant, Nicky Putman, said: “It really is so important that we teach our students about these kinds of initiatives. We already use local, seasonal produce, as well as Fairtrade ingredients in the training kitchens and restaurants, and this latest move will ensure that our fish dishes also contribute to environmentally friendly dining.”

Stacey Turner, Sustainable Fish Cities Co-ordinator at the National Marine Aquarium, said: “We’re delighted to have received the support of City College Plymouth for the Sustainable Fish Cities campaign. We’ve only got two more stars to secure in order to become the second Sustainable Fish City in the UK - getting educational institutions such as this to make a pledge is really positive. We hope more businesses across the city will follow suit in the coming months as we continue in our bid to make Plymouth a sustainable fish city.”

More information about the Sustainable Fish Cities campaign can be found online at www.sustainweb.org/sustainablefishcity.