When we heard about the Plymouth Fish Finger project, we were immediately intrigued. Few childhood delights still hold the same appeal as a fish finger sandwich; flaky fish, crispy breadcrumbs, thick yellow butter, and soft white bread make for a combination that’s hard to beat.
But how can you improve on perfection? Our fish suppliers, Sole of Discretion, along with Plymouth University and the Plymouth Fishing & Seafood Association, are on a mission to turn this beloved classic into a symbol of sustainable seafood and responsible consumption.
Project lead Clare Pettinger explains that the goal is to encourage people to eat more locally sourced fish and embrace lesser-known species to alleviate the environmental impacts of overfishing of popular species like cod, haddock, and salmon. “We know from our research that local people want to eat more fish, but there are often barriers in the way. We decided to get local people involved in designing a new Plymouth Fish Finger as a way of tackling these issues,” she said.
Plymouth is a natural choice to launch this initiative, with its long maritime history and as a hub for leading institutions in marine research and conservation. It’s also home to Sole of Discretion, a fishing collective based in Plymouth’s historic fish market. Sole of Discretion sources fish directly from small-scale, local fishers who use low-impact methods designed to minimise bycatch and reduce damage to the marine environment, ensuring healthy fish populations and a balanced ecosystem.
What sets Sole of Discretion apart is their commitment to traceability and transparency. Every fish they supply can be traced back to the individual fisherman who caught it. This level of transparency is rare in an industry where overfishing and opaque supply chains have led to widespread environmental degradation and economic exploitation.
The Plymouth Fish Finger project has been working with schools to create a tasty fish finger using pouting and dogfish, species that most participants may have never tasted before and that are traditionally considered bycatch due to a lack of market interest. Since fish fingers are universally loved, they offer a great way to introduce stronger-tasting fish like dogfish in an accessible manner. After all, there are few things that don’t taste great when covered in breadcrumbs and fried!
So, why should we all embrace pouting and hake alongside cod, haddock, and plaice? Overfishing is a serious issue that depletes fish populations faster than they can naturally reproduce, leading to declining fish stocks and disrupting marine ecosystems. This, in turn, harms other species that rely on fish as a primary food source and can lead to the collapse of local fisheries, threatening the livelihoods of fishing communities, including those along our Devon coastline. Caroline Bennett of Sole of Discretion, says, “[Our fishermen] don’t discard anything. They come back with these underutilised, undervalued species which often get used in bait. Part of keeping a local fishery going is as much to feed local people as it is to maintain the fishing sector.”
By working with Sole of Discretion, we can be confident that the fish on our plates is not only delicious but also ethically sourced, environmentally sustainable, and supportive of our local economy.
The message of the Plymouth Fish Finger project is clear: sustainable seafood is the future and covered in breadcrumbs!
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To make your own sustainable fish finger sandwich, try adapting our classic recipe by swapping cod for pouting.
Shop our range of sustainably caught, wild and organic fish, here.
