Product roadmaps: Fish and shellfish

As part of our work on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP), we are developing ten product roadmaps to reduce the environmental impacts across the life cycle of a range of priority products, including fish and shellfish.

Why fish and shellfish?

Evidence shows that food and drink is a high impact product category, accounting for 20-30 percent of all environmental impacts within the EU-25 (Source: European Commission (2006): Environmental Impact of Products).

Within this broader category, we know that the production and consumption of fish and shellfish can generate significant environmental impacts.

The roadmap approach is consistent with Defra’s long-term aim for all fish that is caught, processed, and consumed in England to be sustainable.

Scope of the roadmap

The fish and shellfish roadmap currently focuses on fish and shellfish produced (both caught and farmed), processed or consumed in England.

Improving sustainability

We will identify actions to reduce the environmental impacts generated through the production and consumption of fish and shellfish.

In developing the roadmap, we are working collaboratively with a broad range of stakeholders. There is already much work underway to reduce the environmental impacts associated with fish and shellfish and we want to build on this work, communicate existing good practice and identify other effective solutions or alternatives available to reduce environmental impacts.

Current activities

A report detailing the current status of the roadmap has been prepared to coincide with the publication of the Progress Report on Sustainable Products and Materials.

Impacts and consumption trends

Environmental impacts:
  • 76% of the world’s assessed fisheries are either fully exploited (52%), overexploited (16%) or depleted (8%) (Source: Ethical Corporation)
  • The world’s fishing fleets account for 1.2 percent of global oil use.
  • Over 7 million tonnes of unwanted bycatch are thought to be discarded each year (global) (Source : FAO & Tyedmers et al)
UK consumption trends:
  • In 2005, UK consumers spent £2,571 million on fish, nearly 4 percent of the total expenditure on all food types (Source: Seafood Choices Alliance)
  • Average global consumption of fish per person has almost doubled in the past half-century (Source: Ethical Corporation)
Further information

Page last modified: 10 September 2008