Do you know what it takes to put sustainable Cornish hake on your plate

Do you know what it takes to put hake on your plate, while keeping plenty in the sea, forever?

It’s a challenging job to be a hake fisherman. For the fishermen in Newlyn, it takes 20hr commutes to the hake, a week at sea in gale-force winds, and working hard to keep fish in the sea for future generations.

This Cornish hake fishery in Newlyn was the first hake fishery in the UK to receive MSC certification - proving that they are a sustainable and well-managed fishery - and are true champions of seafood sustainability.

Fun fishery fact

One of the ways this fishery ensures its methods are sustainable is to use a larger mesh size than is required by law. This means that the smaller and younger hake can swim free - leaving plenty more fish in the sea to reproduce.

Alan Dwan, hake fisherman, Newlyn

“We’re really proud to be MSC certified. It shows that we don’t overfish and that we’re protecting the sea for future generations.”

Alan Dwan, hake fisherman, Newlyn
The MSC certified Cornish hake fishery

What does it take to catch sustainable hake?

To learn more about what it takes to put MSC certified hake on your plate, read our fishermen’s stories below and watch Ryan Davey, skipper of Cornish hake vessel, Stellisa, battle the elements for a week 100 miles off the coast of Cornwall, searching for hake.