Ethical buying
There are numerous species of fish which consumers can enjoy with a good conscience. If you want to be sure that you are choosing the right species, you can visit the WWF website at http://www.wwf.org/ for a list of all the fish that you can buy without qualms.

A healthy alternative is organic fish from ecological farms. The fish farmers guarantee, for example, that the grain used to feed the fish is organically grown.

Look it in the eye ...
You can tell how fresh a fish is by looking at its eyes. Freshly caught fish has bulging, shining, jet black and translucent eyes. If the eyes are flatter, more matt and slightly clouded, the fish is still fresh. Fish which has been stored in a chiller for a long time has flat or clouded eyes. On no account should you buy fish with sunken eyes which are not translucent or are grey in colour.

The colour of the gills also gives an indication of the freshness of the fish. Very fresh fish has bright red, shining gills with a round shape. Fresh fish has matt red or pale gills with a little clear mucus. Fish with yellowish gills are edible, but not to be recommended. Do not buy fish with green gills covered in flecked mucus.

Look for the label!
Sustainable fisheries aim to prevent overfishing of the world’s oceans. The blue fish label of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) identifies sustainably caught fish. The MSC is an independent organisation which certifies fisheries throughout the world on the basis of environmental impact criteria. Fisheries with the MSC label on their products must demonstrate that they are managing fish stocks and the marine environment responsibly. A database of retailers which sell fish from sustainable sources is available at http://www.msc.org/.

Prawns & oysters
Fresh prawns do not keep for long, so they are cooked in sea water right on the fishing boats. Prawns from the Arctic Ocean not only taste good, but in general are also sustainably fished. Oysters are farmed off the coast. Good water quality is one of the essential requirements for oyster farming. It takes up to four years for the tiny larvae to grow into the famous Fines de Claire.

Like all shellfish, oysters are sold live. Live shellfish can be identified by the fact that their shells are firmly shut. In addition, when an open oyster is sprinkled with lemon juice it should move away from the edge of the shell.

Text: Christina Niemann