SUSTAINABILITY

Our incredible suppliers in Cornwall, Matthew Stevens, have worked for generations in the Cornish fishing grounds which have an astonishing diversity of fish, shellfish and crustaceans due to the maritime crossroads with warm Lusitanean and Gulf Stream currents and colder Northern currents bringing both warm water and cold water species. Their family legacy of supplying the finest fresh fish and seafood continues in the heart of the fishing community in St Ives, and is centred on a love of fishing and a fierce pride in the quality of their produce. Their highly skilled and knowledgeable team work to provide an excellent range of produce whilst retaining integrity regarding accountability, and they have very strong relationships with the local fishermen. They are well known for supplying many top celebrity chefs including Rick Stein. We are lucky to have worked with them for many years! Sometimes due to demand, we buy certain species that are not native to our shores, or because the species is being rested from fishing. So, that may mean venturing further field and stepping over the Cornish border to other parts of the Uk! For example we work with the wonderful team at Endebys in Grimsby to bring you their amazing and award-winning smoked salmon and haddock. They are an artisan family business who have 100 years of tradition and experience behind them and have a passion about the smoking tradition. We love their produce and can’t get enough, their traditional methods obviously work! They also work towards a sustainable approach which supports the people in their supply chain, economies and natural eco systems and are developing the Alfred Enderby Sustainability Strategy with the needs of their customers in mind whilst sincerely caring for the people and natural resources within our supply chain. Turning back to the seas of Kernow, our wonderful shellfish suppliers include West Country Mussels, who are known for the original Fowey mussel. They now specialise in off-shore mussels, ensuring the mussels grow in the highest  grade of water quality in the country; clean water providing the very best product available. And of course, our gorgeous plump and juicy Porthilly Oysters, produced in the Camel Estuary itself and loved by many of the local celebrity chefs including Rick Stein. Our fantastic Cornish waters do provide an incredible array of delicious and nutritious fish and seafood for us to bring to you..and we love the feel-good factor that it gives both you and us!

In this day and age, sustainability is rightly a hot topic and has to be very carefully considered from many points of view, including the avoidance of over- fishing but also the impact of climate change on species. Fish and other seafood are potentially a great renewable resource. But they need to be carefully managed to make sure fish stocks aren't over-exploited and also that seafood farms don't pollute the environment. Cornish fishing boats are considered low impact, especially compared to large - scale industrial fishing. Over 80% of fishing vessels in Cornwall are small, under 10 meters long, and use responsible methods that minimise their impact on the marine ecosystem. Low-impact fishing uses selective techniques with minimal
environmental damage and low fuel emissions, such as hand-lining or selective gear. It often involves small-scale, local fishers who prioritise sustainability by avoiding damage to the seabed, reducing bycatch, and ensuring fish stocks can be replenished for future generations. We also support wonderful organisations like the Blue Marine Foundation, who work tirelessly to contribute to the protection of over 4.5m square miles of ocean. They work to prevent the draining of oceanic life through destructive and wasteful overfishing; exposing the iniquity of industrial fishing and uncovering the extent to which it is disastrous for fish stocks and the climate (see below). Most Cornish fish is sourced sustainably with many fisheries achieving certifications like the Marine Stewardship Council label (see below). In fact, Cornish produce is considered to be much lower impact than many parts of the globe which is why it is good to prioritise what is essentially local produce. As fisheries scientist and line fisherman Al Kingston says: “Historically, much of Cornwall’s seafood was exported to the continent, while much of what we buy in supermarkets is imported. But gradually we’re working to close the loop between those catching it and those eating it.” We agree with the ethos of Cornwall Good Seafood guide that Cornwall should be leading the way in environmental sustainability of its fishing industry so that we minimise our impact and ensure plentiful stocks of fish for future generations to enjoy. CGSG who are run by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust produce a guide to help you to ensure you are making sustainable choices (see below). Choice is important, there are some warm water fish that are doing really well at present; monkfish, hake, bream, sole. But some of the cooler water species are not fairing so well, along with being heavily fished by the European Trawler fleet. As I write this, there is a 95m Dutch boat fishing 12 miles off Padstow. We cannot change that at present, but we can chose to buy from someone who is prioritising local produce, and buy that I mean from the Uk and even better from gorgeous Cornwall!

Fresh is so very important to us personally. Padstow Fish Co exists because we wanted fresh fish on our plates! As Lindsey grew up on the Camel Estuary, she was used to eating fish and seafood straight out of the sea, so she was turning her nose up at the fish here in land-lubbed Cheltenham! So, we solved the problem…we started bringing fish up to the Cotswolds from Padstow! Dinner sorted! But, it’s true, fresh is best! It’s not just the taste win, although that is huge, it’s also about preserving the full nutritional value, which is high up on our list. Check out some of the benefits on our Why eat fish and seafood page! When it’s fresh, not only will it taste better, it will have a better texture, and it will retain all its nutrients, especially the Omega 3’s and vitamins. It is well known that many of the fish counters you might encounter elsewhere, such as supermarkets, have probably been flash frozen, imported and then defrosted before hitting the counter, which is great if budget is a priority. But at Padstow Fish, we are focused on quality, freshness and provenance, so you know the produce has come straight up from Cornwall, for us to prepare and bring directly to you through delivery or at our multiple markets and pop-ups across the Cotswolds! We work hard to get the fish out to you, but it’s worth it when we have amazing feedback from our customers about the quality of the fish and seafood!