Cornish fishermen.

[johnofgwent]

Cromwell, in general British people don't eat fish. There no market in Britain for the 95% that can no longer be exported to the EU. That is fact nothing to do with your wrong mindset about me. (Frankly British food in the 1970s was crap.)


https://www.itv.com/news/2018-10-04/majority-of-britons-not-eating-enough-fish-survey-finds
https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/food/2012/03/why-dont-we-like-fish.shtml
https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/food-drink/2021/09/britain-is-surrounded-by-fish-so-why-do-we-eat-so-little-of-it

The first link you post in support of your claim that insufficient fish is eaten says categorically that 75% of those questioned didn't know the figures, 68% say they are not eating as much as the government suggests they should and 55% say they would like to eat more.


This is the classic polling BS.

What you are not being told is those are the percentage of the same numbers.

So the reality is for 55 of every 100, the interview went like this

"Excuse me Sir / Madam Do you know how many times a week the Government say you should eat fish as a main meal ?"

"I'm sorry, I don't"

"If I told you the recommended intakecwas twice a week...."

"Oh really ? No, I don't eat that much"

"That's ok Madam but now you know, do you think you should...."

"Oh yes I see what you mean, yes I'd like to eat more"

And maybe they will.

[papasmurf]

But the market could exist if prices weren't so high. 

If the prices were not high it would not cover costs. The last time I had a crayfish (Rock Lobster,) it was £60 trade price.
The same crayfish would have cost £150 or more in a London restaurant.
There just is not the demand in Britain that is why 95%-98% were exported to the EU.

[patman post]

You still do not understand. They cannot and do not replace the 95%-98% lost from the ability to export. It is a niche VERY small market.
Let me know when you see a tankful  of live lobsters, live brown crabs, live spider crabs in your local supermarket, plus 300kg-400kg of live mussels and other bivalve molluscs in your local supermarket.
The UK market for the quantities to replace the lost exports just does  not exist and never will.

But the market could exist if prices weren't so high. A lobster dish and a bottle of wine are less than half the price in a Malta posh hotel that they'd be in London. 

There might be a market if the prices allowed people to try what's caught, but nobody's going to risk it at £1.50 a scallop, monkfish at £60 /kg, and £10 for a small lobster. As for whiting, hake and even mackerel, forget it.

The British fishing industry (those who run it, not the individuals who go to sea) has been its own worst enemy for at least 40 years.

At leat a few entrepreneurs are trying to pick up orders on line — but why didn't they aim to boost demand through  retail outlets...?

[cromwell]

You still do not understand. They cannot and do not replace the 95%-98% lost from the ability to export. It is a niche VERY small market.
Let me know when you see a tankful  of live lobsters, live brown crabs, live spider crabs in your local supermarket, plus 300kg-400kg of live mussels and other bivalve molluscs in your local supermarket.
The UK market for the quantities to replace the lost exports just does  not exist and never will.

Oh look liveCornish lobster delivered to your door
https://www.fishforthought.co.uk/shop/lobster/fresh-cornish-lobster

[papasmurf]

What's so difficult for you to understand that there are those looking to the home market and succeeding,a casual search sees many offering fresh fish ordered online and delivered within 24 hours.
They wouldn't be there without the business.

You still do not understand. They cannot and do not replace the 95%-98% lost from the ability to export. It is a niche VERY small market.
Let me know when you see a tankful  of live lobsters, live brown crabs, live spider crabs in your local supermarket, plus 300kg-400kg of live mussels and other bivalve molluscs in your local supermarket.
The UK market for the quantities to replace the lost exports just does  not exist and never will.

[cromwell]

The EU blocking UK fish ??  I don't think so. Remember everybody knew what brexit was and what they were voting for. This was known before hand. But there was some exceptionalism thinking, remember - 'the easiest trade deal in history' or 'they need us more than we need them' but my favourite 'nobody is talking about us leaving the single market'

More nonsense who said that ?

[GerryT]

Meanwhile the eu blocking Brit fresh seafood sees people buying local French stuff that's poisonous  as poisonous as your attitude to Irish fishermen.

The EU blocking UK fish ??  I don't think so. Remember everybody knew what brexit was and what they were voting for. This was known before hand. But there was some exceptionalism thinking, remember - 'the easiest trade deal in history' or 'they need us more than we need them' but my favourite 'nobody is talking about us leaving the single market'

[cromwell]

Pre brexit UK people could buy UK fish and I'm sure they did. But what do you think will change about people's eating habits that will make them consume more fish. Its not just "fish", frozen fishfingers or what you get in iceland stores is very different to the type and quality of fish that these UK fishermen are catching. So what's expected is people will spend more and consume more, or that UK fishermen will sell their catch cheaper and to local processors that will pay by the ton.
Advertising a box of fish for £70 won't have many ordinary works making a purchase.

Meanwhile the eu blocking Brit fresh seafood sees people buying local French stuff that's poisonous  as poisonous as your attitude to Irish fishermen. 

[cromwell]

Freezers are NOT fresh fish, and usually imported. Tesco now only sells fresh fish for a few days a week and I have never seen any fresh fish in Lidl or Aldi.
You still don't get it, locally before Brexit 95%-98% of locally caught fresh fish and live shellfish, bi-valves molluscs was exported to the EU.
Post Brexit that export market for fresh fish and live shellfish, bi-valves molluscs no longer exists.
No business can survive a 95%-98% loss of trade, and in most cases it has not.
Just what is so difficult for you to understand about that?

What's so difficult for you to understand that there are those looking to the home market and succeeding,a casual search sees many offering fresh fish ordered online and delivered within 24 hours.
They wouldn't be there without the business.

[GerryT]

Pre brexit UK people could buy UK fish and I'm sure they did. But what do you think will change about people's eating habits that will make them consume more fish. Its not just "fish", frozen fishfingers or what you get in iceland stores is very different to the type and quality of fish that these UK fishermen are catching. So what's expected is people will spend more and consume more, or that UK fishermen will sell their catch cheaper and to local processors that will pay by the ton. 
Advertising a box of fish for £70 won't have many ordinary works making a purchase.

[papasmurf]

Well that may be your experience but it's not like that round here. The big boys and the multiples (Aldi Lidl etc) have shelves and freezers filled with raw chilled and frozen fish and loads of it is marked as British and they sell trolley loads of it.

Freezers are NOT fresh fish, and usually imported. Tesco now only sells fresh fish for a few days a week and I have never seen any fresh fish in Lidl or Aldi.
You still don't get it, locally before Brexit 95%-98% of locally caught fresh fish and live shellfish, bi-valves molluscs was exported to the EU.
Post Brexit that export market for fresh fish and live shellfish, bi-valves molluscs no longer exists.
No business can survive a 95%-98% loss of trade, and in most cases it has not.
 Just what is so difficult for you to understand about that?

[Nick]

Cromwell, in general British people don't eat fish. There no market in Britain for the 95% that can no longer be exported to the EU. That is fact nothing to do with your wrong mindset about me. (Frankly British food in the 1970s was crap.)


https://www.itv.com/news/2018-10-04/majority-of-britons-not-eating-enough-fish-survey-finds
https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/food/2012/03/why-dont-we-like-fish.shtml
https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/food-drink/2021/09/britain-is-surrounded-by-fish-so-why-do-we-eat-so-little-of-it

The fishermen priced the average person out of the market and they are going to have to work hard to get it back. It's a strange thing cause the poorer in society pay more for their food due to bad choices. Processed packaged food on the whole costs way more than fresh produce. 

[johnofgwent]

It is a cultural thing, if it isn't lagged in batter and served with chips in general the British just don't eat fish. Market for it is miniscule.
That is why the local disaster after Brexit, 95 tonnes out of a 100 tonnes exported before Brexit, now no or next to no exports.
The is just no the local/national demand for fresh fish, shellfish, bivalve molluscs.
Just because a few outlets are selling them does not mean all is well because it isn't.

Well that may be your experience but it's not like that round here. The big boys and the multiples (Aldi Lidl etc) have shelves and freezers filled with raw chilled and frozen fish and loads of it is marked as British and they sell trolley loads of it. 

I admit a lot of imported stuff gets sold too but I just don't recognise the scenario you paint. Rounfmd here they sell it as fast as it turns up.

[papasmurf]

Links from the media you hate so much and say aren't reliable
Whereas this link says the opposite
https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/foodservice-retail/study-majority-of-brits-want-to-eat-more-seafood

Did you bother to actually read that link?

Then there is this:-

https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/articles/we-still-need-alternatives-to-supermarkets-perhaps-now-more-than-ever/

Fishmongers – in the late 1940s, there were around 8,000 fishmongers, and today there are about 950.

[cromwell]

Cromwell, in general British people don't eat fish. There no market in Britain for the 95% that can no longer be exported to the EU. That is fact nothing to do with your wrong mindset about me. (Frankly British food in the 1970s was crap.)


https://www.itv.com/news/2018-10-04/majority-of-britons-not-eating-enough-fish-survey-finds
https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/food/2012/03/why-dont-we-like-fish.shtml
https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/food-drink/2021/09/britain-is-surrounded-by-fish-so-why-do-we-eat-so-little-of-it

Links from the media you hate so much and say aren't reliable 
Whereas this link says the opposite 
https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/foodservice-retail/study-majority-of-brits-want-to-eat-more-seafood