‘We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us’.
So said Marcel Proust, the legendary French novelist, pointing to the importance of the passing of time in truly acquiring the knowledge to make the best choices and decisions.
Although Proust, a native Parisian, preferred coffee and croissants to cod and kedgeree, his quip applies to the rapid growth that we are now seeing in the global consumption of seafood, which has increased at more than twice the rate of the world’s population in the past twenty-five years.
It is clear that despite consumers’ long-standing affection for fish, including wild fresh-frozen at sea fish in recent years and in their wisdom, they see it more and more as a delicious and healthy dietary staple.
Despite this wisdom, there can be no doubt that the popularity of fish is due in great part to its refined quality and the stability of the supply of seafood
For these successes, great credit must go to the fishing industry and its many innovations in the past three decades.
Of all these undeniably revolutionary innovations, the emergence of ‘frozen at sea’ fish (FAS) has perhaps been the most important.
Take a company like Norebo, the Russian fishing firm, whose crews take just hours to process their catch from the fishery to the freezer.
Gliding through the Northern Seas in search of cod, halibut, and haddock, once a Norebo fishing vessel has reached a fishery and made its catch, the crew works with speed and precision to fillet the fish, trim the fillet, and then package and freeze it.
Their skill means that the company’s motto for its FAS business, ‘Five species, two oceans, one quality’ will always ring true as its customers benefit from superb fish products, infused with the sea’s icy freshness.
Not only do these customers enjoy the exquisite taste of fresh fish, they also benefit from its exceptional health benefits.
Cod is famed for being a low-fat, low-calorie source of protein and it also supports the body’s nervous system and blood cells, while boasting great anti-inflammatory benefits.
Halibut and haddock are likewise great low-calorie options and keep cholesterol in check. Halibut is also good for the heart and for maintaining low blood pressure, while haddock boosts the immune system and improves thyroid health.
It’s little wonder therefore that in the health-conscious age we live in, consumers are turning to fresh fish in their droves.
Yet both importantly and encouragingly, consumers are not only becoming more conscious of the nutritional value of what they eat but of its environmental footprint too.
As a result, organisations like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) only extend their certification to companies that ensure the sustainability of their operations.
However, while fishing companies like Norebo are active members of the MSC, they have long taken environmental governance into their own hands.
Working with Rosrybolovstvo, the Federal Agency for Fishing, Russian companies have ensured that new vessels have their engines specifically designed to maximise fuel efficiency, while moving away from greenhouse gas-powered refrigerators.
Alongside reducing their emissions, Norebo’s new age fleet will be equipped with sophisticated on-board processing facilities, which means that no part of the fish goes to waste, with even fish oil being saved to be used in the vessel’s boiler.
As a result, a number of companies in the Russian fishing industry, including JSC Arkhangelsk Trawl Fleet and Norebo were reported by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) to have registered a high level of compliance for their operations in the Barents Sea.
In light of this success and the fishing industry’s clear ambitions in the field of sustainability, consumers can rest easy knowing that their favourite wild fish will have come from sustainably managed fisheries.
Returning to this most rational love of seafood, with the January air as cold as ever and families starting to get together once more, it’s a certainty that the dishes made with fresh-frozen at sea fish will be on the menu this winter season.
Families will be sitting down to a herb-encrusted halibut fillet, or perhaps it will be a sumptuous Cod à la Grenobloise, or maybe even a haddock fish cake, served up with buttery boiled potatoes and a portion of well-seasoned greens.
Whatever fish you and your loved ones decide to eat, you won’t be alone, as communities around the world share your passion for this delicious, versatile, and nutrient-packed dietary delight.