Can Brits give up fish and chips? GMB debate divides opinion about sustainable cod fishing

A Good Morning Britain debate sparked outrage online today as it was suggested it might be time for Brits to give up the nation’s staple takeaway – fish and chips. 

Broadcaster Jake Yapp and Andrew Crook, who is President of the National Federation of Fish Friers, went head to head in a debate about the state of the ocean, while appearing on the breakfast TV show. 

Jake argued that Britons should be replacing the staple with an alternative, saying: ‘We know that most of the plastic still left in the ocean is caused by trawling and overfishing. There are fish alternatives out there? Why not just eat that?’

However many of those watching were left outraged at the suggestion, with one writing: ‘Great Britain without the great fish and chips…then there is no Great Britain. Just can’t happen.’

Broadcaster Jake Yapp sparked outrage today after appearing on Good Morning Britain to argue fish and chips should be scrapped because its ‘unsustainable  

During the debate on the breakfast show, presenter Kate Garraway asked Jake: ‘What about all of the protein and omega-3 we are encouraged to eat?’ 

He retorted: ‘Most of the omega-3 in fish comes from seaweed which the fish eat.

‘Then we get from the fish, so really we can just eat seaweed instead…or plant based alternatives that contain seaweed.’ 

The broadcaster went on to take a blow at the industry itself, comparing it to the ‘whaling’ days of yonder. 

 

 Many viewers were left outraged by the debate, and criticised the presenters for ‘wasting’ two fish suppers during the segment 

He said: ‘We used to have fleets that would go out and catch whales. We stopped doing that because we realised it was wrong, so maybe now we can have that sort of change in the fishing industry?

‘Those people retrained and found alternative employment.’ 

Andrew however bit back and said: ‘We have vegan alternatives, we have low cost fish such as hake and seabass – but 90 per cent of our sales are cod.’

‘We pride ourselves on sustainability and there are nets that eliminate a large amount of by-catch and those fishermen out there are hauling back plastic and cleaning our oceans.’

Andrew Crook, who is President of the National Federation of Fish Friers, said that 90 per cent of customers ‘still want cod’ despite having cheaper and vegan alternatives 

He continued: ‘I don’t think we should stop eating it, but I do think that consumers are aware of issues and can ask their local fish and chip shop where the fish comes from. I’m sure they will be happy to tell them. 

‘The cost of having a deep fat fryer burning for vegan alternatives…doesn’t make sense financially.’ 

And when challenged by Kate on the rising cost of a takeaway, Andrew said the average cost of a fish supper in one of his shops is £8.50 and ‘cheaper than a pizza’.

He said: ‘These people are out there catching a product, you don’t go out and catch a pizza – yet it’s more expensive.’ 

The debate sparked outrage online at people who said they were not going to allow fish and chips to be ‘cancelled’

However many viewers  scorned the idea of giving up their greasy Friday night treat, with one writing: ‘Time to scrap fish and chips? How dare they even entertain such a topic.’

Another sarcastically added: ‘Seaweed and chips? MMM sounds lovely.’

A person said: ‘Even the people on this debate aren’t taking this seriously look at him laughing.’

Another said: ‘Whitby panicking because that is all their income.’ 

Others accused the presenters Adil Ray and Kate were ‘wasting’ food as they sat with a plate of fish and chips each in front of them, uneaten. 

 Meanwhile Kate questioned how Britons would get protein into their diet if they ditched eating fish for good 

A Twitter user said: ‘I’m not sure that wasting two plates of food for a small segment was necessary.’ 

Another agreed saying: ‘Debating giving up fish and chips whilst sat there with two plates of fish and chips that will go to waste.’

One chipped in, with: ‘A nice waste of food there GMB.’