Decades of shrinking North Atlantic biomass hit the European cod industry hard, but new assessments show a surge in Barents Sea stocks and the now commonly accepted negative image surrounding cod stocks must be reconsidered.
“A precautionary approach is still essential but consumers are starting to believe that cod is either unavailable or unacceptable. The best scientific advice shows this is not the case,” said Arthur Cook, chairman of the Fishgate fish trading center in Hull, United Kingdom.
Consumer concerns over sustainability are often heightened by the action of green organizations Greenpeace and Marine Conservation Society, both of which include Atlantic cod on their red lists of species to avoid.
