For the Love of God, Stop Eating Cod

North Sea cod loses MSC sustainability accreditation

North Sea cod could disappear from U.K. supermarkets because its population is declining more rapidly than expected, according to the Guardian. This fishery supplies only 6 percent of the 115,000 [checks notes] TONNES of cod that the U.K. eats each year, so in terms of those who love cod, it is not terminal, but losing its Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) “blue tick” means it this stock will be less readily available in U.K. supermarkets and it is no longer classed as a sustainable source of fish. For context: the latest population numbers for the North Sea fishery are just above 80,000, so that’s a 35,000 tonne cod “shortfall” were the U.K. to rely on the North Sea stock. It does not — that other 94 percent comes from the Barents Sea and Iceland, both of which are MSC-certified fisheries.

But... 115,000 tonnes of cod. There are other meaty, white fish that aren’t having sustainability credentials revoked: hake; pollock; coley, but there’s also the issue of supermarkets selling them at scale, which may make them less sustainable if demand grows. Right now? For the love of God: there’s more than cod. [Guardian]

And in other news...

• One of London’s best burgers, Bleecker, is changing its beef supplier. Who knows what will happen next.
• Autumn in London’s restaurants means pies, stews, beige, brown, and more beige. At least according to Instagram.
• Great British Bake Off’s Roaring Twenties week inadvertently summoned Cthulhu.
• A Michelin star row, as French chef Marc Veyrat accuses a Michelin inspector of mistaking saffron for cheddar cheese.
• Popular Balham and Islington brunch restaurant Brother Marcus will open in Spitalfields. [Big Hospitality]
• Aldi has managed to make sausages with both pancetta and parmesan that cost 30p each. [Mirror]
• Good tweet: