As consumers we are all aware of the recent media interest in the EEC stance on fishing quotas. At Land & Sea our support for the Scottish Fishermen and our industry has never been stronger yet we find ourselves in a debate over conservation in order for our industry to survive commercially. Land & Sea have taken action to find a common ground for both sides, in which we will strongly support our Scottish Fishermen but also offer the option to you, the customer of alternative fish from well managed fishing grounds.

During National Seafood Week 2003 we introduced a variety of fish such as New Zealand Hoki & South African Hake all of which have been certified as being obtained from well managed fish stocks. This allowed us to offer our customers an opportunity to try an alternative to the traditional Haddock.

Hoki (New Zealand) and Hake (South African) are on offer to our customers permanently.

It is now common knowledge that the Scottish Fishing Industry is facing hard times and it isn’t unrealistic to think that if the industry does not act now in 5-10 years time the Classic Haddock and Chips might be a thing of the past or a seldom purchased luxury.

40,000 Scottish jobs (47% of the nation’s workforce) are under threat from the new EU regulations over fishing, which came into force in February 2003. North Sea Haddock quota – the staple of the industry – slashed from 104,000 to 51,000 tonnes and boats limited to just nine fishing days a month will see costs soar.

To support our industry we will continue to take a stand and we shall only use Scottish landed Haddock fresh from the market irrespective of cost. We believe in paying a fair price for our fish and will not compromise on quality.

We take the views of our customers seriously – we know they too wish to support the Scottish Fishing Industry in having Fresh Quality Haddock presented to them and not a cheap alternative such as frozen at sea Haddock from Norway or Iceland which is harvested by hugh factory ships which stay out at sea for weeks scooping up vast amounts of fish. This is why at Land & Sea we believe we should all be supporting or own fishing industry and as a consequence this will allow us to provide the quality product our customers have become accustomed to!

The quality and grade of the fish purchased by our supplier in Aberdeen is fundamental in offering our customers the best in fish & chips. The fish purchased on our behalf consists of only mature Haddock, which allow 2 fillets of fish to be filleted from the 1 fish.

Working with our suppliers in Aberdeen to select the highest quality fish

Many of our competitors offer customers 2 pieces of Haddock and by doing so are actually using 2 whole fish per supper. Thus taking the smaller and less mature fish, which has a direct impact on the ability to sustain stocks. We are proud to work with a philosophy that supports the conservation of our seas.

Yes - Land & Sea as a business pays a premium for this fish and, Yes, so do our customers, however we believe it is a small price to pay to ensure that Haddock stays with us for generations to come.

This is why we would encourage our customers to insist on Fresh Scottish Landed Fish as well as looking and trying alternative fish such as Hoki. Although brought in from the Southern Hemisphere the quality of this fish is world class – a superb white fish with no bones, similar in taste to Cod with a clean fresh taste that is reminiscent of both Haddock and Cod.

The dedication we have to provide a first class product ensures that every fillet of fish is hand checked before being served up to our customers.

Our commitment to quality and high standards was recognised in 2002 which saw Land & Sea voted 1 of the Top 3 Chippies in Scotland as recently featured on BBC Scotland

Land & Sea is only one part of the bigger picture in the bid to
conserve our sea’s. Lets all play our part!

Marine Conservation Society

Seafish Quality Award Holders 2001/2002/2003/2004

National Federation of Fish Friers

An average of 10 Fishermen are killed or seriously injured
and 2 boats lost every month.

The true cost of fish is men’s lives

Land & Sea support the following charities

The Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen
Cancer Research UK
Capability Scotland