THE PLYMOUTH FISH FINGER

The Plymouth Fish Finger

By Clare Pettinger

Associate Professor, Public Health Dietetics, University of Plymouth

A Sustainable and Healthy Future

There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about a fish finger sandwich—crusty bread, a splash of lemon juice, mayonnaise and salad, all working together to elevate the humble fish finger. It’s a meal that many Brits, including myself love.

In fact, fish fingers are one of the most popular fish products in the UK, with around 1.5 million consumed each day. That’s 18 fish fingers every second, according to manufacturer Birds Eye.

But while fish fingers are a household staple, I’ve recently been part of an exciting project in the south-west of England to make them even better.

Together with local community members, fishers, businesses, and researchers from the University of Plymouth, we’ve been developing a new kind of fish finger: one that’s both healthy and sustainable.

Healthy and Sustainable: A New Approach to Fish Fingers

So, what makes these new fish fingers different?

First, they’re healthy because they introduce locally caught fish into the diets of communities where nutrition is often lacking. In many disadvantaged areas, poor nutrition can lead to negative health outcomes, and we hope our project can make a small but meaningful impact by providing a nutritious alternative.

Second, they are sustainable because we are using fish that would otherwise be discarded as bycatch—fish unintentionally caught alongside target species. This not only reduces food waste but also gives fishers a fair price for what would otherwise be considered low-value fish.

We are also making sure that these fish come from small day boats. These under-10-meter vessels use less fuel per kilogram of fish caught and have a lower environmental impact on marine habitats than larger fishing vessels.

The Humble Fish Finger: From Herring to Cod

Fish fingers have come a long way since they were first introduced to the UK in the 1950s. Originally made from herring, they were marketed as “no bones, no waste, no smell, no fuss.” Cod soon replaced herring as the nation’s favourite, thanks to its milder flavour and whiter flesh, and today, most fish fingers are still made from cod or haddock.

More recently, some varieties have been made with fish like hake or pollock, often marketed as omega-3 rich, although these labels can sometimes be misleading due to a lack of traceability.

Despite their mass-market appeal, fish fingers have been surprisingly hailed as sustainable by conservationists.

According to the Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Finger Guide, some of the best and most sustainable choices can be supermarket own-brand fish fingers, which are often the cheapest too.

The Plymouth Fish Finger Project: Building Local Connections

Our Plymouth fish finger project is about more than just creating a new product—it’s about fostering connections between local community groups, fishing industry partners, businesses, and schools.

Working with the city’s university and local schools (with the help of visiting chefs), we’re aiming to increase the amount of locally caught fish that stays within Plymouth, instead of leaving to be eaten elsewhere.

Ultimately, we want our fish fingers to become part of the local school meal system so that Plymouth’s children can benefit from healthier meals and learn about sustainable fishing practices at the same time.

Choosing the Right Fish: Beyond the “Big Five”

To determine which types of fish to use in our fish fingers, we collaborated with Sole of Discretion, an ethical fish retailer and the Plymouth Fishing and Seafood Association. Both are dedicated to sourcing fish with minimal environmental impact.

After discussions with local fishers and careful consideration of the supply chain, we decided to focus on using pouting, dogfish or whiting, depending on availability. These species are often bycaught by our named skippers, making them a practical and sustainable choice.

Traditionally, UK consumers tend to favour a narrow selection of seafood. About 80% of the seafood sold in the UK is made up of just five species (The Big Five): salmon, cod, haddock, prawns, and tuna.

Many of these, however, are not caught in UK or Irish waters, raising sustainability concerns. For instance, most cod consumed in the UK is fished in the North Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean, while much of the salmon comes from Alaska or the east coast of Russia. Pink prawns sold in the UK often originate from Canada or Greenland.

By promoting lesser-known, locally sourced fish, we hope to alleviate the pressure on these over-fished species, while still providing consumers with nutritious, sustainable options.

Expanding Our Palates for Sustainability

There are many excellent alternatives to the “big five” that can still offer great taste and nutrition. The Marine Stewardship Council recommends species like hake or coley (both white fish), sardines or herring (oily fish), and shellfish like clams, cockles or mussels, as sustainable options if caught in UK or Irish waters. The Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Guide is also a helpful resource for identifying sustainable choices.

Supporting local fish markets and asking fishmongers for advice on how to prepare different types of fish can help shift consumer preferences towards more sustainable species.

A Local Solution with a Global Impact

Our Plymouth fish finger is more than just food—it’s a symbol of how small, local efforts can lead to significant changes in the food system. By engaging diverse groups of people, we’re empowering communities to make a positive impact on both the environment and local livelihoods.

We hope that projects like ours can inspire larger changes that benefit not only citizens and fishing communities but also the broader economy and the health of our planet.

In the end, it’s not just about reinventing the fish finger—it’s about rethinking how we source, consume, and value our food for a more sustainable future.

By Clare Pettinger

Associate Professor, Public Health Dietetics, University of Plymouth