By pledging to support the campaign, businesses and organisations serving food in Bournemouth & Poole - from restaurants and hotels to primary schools and hospitals - have agreed to remove species listed by the Marine Conservation Society as endangered and red-rated and promote the most sustainable and green-rated species. Larger caterers have also committed to gaining Marine Stewardship Accreditation.
Sarah Watson, sustainable food city manager for Bournemouth and Poole, said: "We are delighted that Bournemouth and Poole has been crowned the world’s first Sustainable Fish City. It has been hard work, but we have been overwhelmed by the support the campaign has received from local businesses and caterers that want to make a positive difference to the future of our oceans.
"This includes nearly all primary schools, leisure centres, theatres, Bournemouth Pavilion, large workplace restaurants, Bournemouth University, all major hospitals, A.F.C. Bournemouth and restaurants including the Highcliff Grill at the Marriot Hotel, Arbor at the Green House Hotel and AA double Rosette winning Cumberland Hotel and Ventana Grand Café."
The Sustainable Fish Cities campaign is coordinated by Sustain on behalf of The Marine Conservation Society, The Marine Stewardship Council, Pisces Responsible Fish Restaurants, The Sustainable Restaurant Association and Fish2Fork and aims to 'kick endangered and unsustainably caught fish off menus for good.'
Bournemouth & Poole is one of 14 cities which has joined the Sustainable Fish City network. The other cities who have already committed to serving sustainable fish are Belfast, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Durham, Hull, Lancashire, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Plymouth and Stockport.
Ruth Westcott, co-ordinator of Sustainable Fish Cities, said: "Already we are seeing the impact of the campaign beyond Bournemouth and Poole – Harrison Catering Services, one of the UK’s top education and workplace caterers have recently taken the Fish Cities pledge on behalf of their UK-wide operation, and a major inspiration was the pledge of their Poole-based customer, the Jordans and Ryvita Company.
"There is no doubt that this achievement will inspire other towns and cities and we hope we this is just the first of many Sustainable Fish Cities in the UK”