Fish City is committed to addressing the challenges posed by the effects of climate change on both land and in our oceans and focusing on what we can do to help secure a sustainable seafood future.
Recognised by the MSC as one of 11 Regional Heroes across the UK, Fish City is the first and currently the only MSC-certified fish and chip shop and seafood restaurant on the island of Ireland. Fish City is the first business in Northern Ireland to have joined Ulster Wildlife’s Sustainable Fish Cities NI campaign to source sustainably. We also provide the Marine Conservation Society’s annual Good Fish Guide to guests so that they can learn more about the current sustainability status of different species of fish and seafood.
Educating Children on Sustainability
We run an educational Kids Club in which we bring schoolchildren on trips to local fisheries to teach them about fish species and the importance of sustainable fish stocks, as well as how sustainable fishing provides a better, more secure livelihood for our fishing communities.
Providing for the Homeless
Working with the community organisation Team HAVEN, each month we donate hot meals for the homeless in the local community.
Using Alternatives to Single-Use Plastics
To support the global effort to reduce the use of single-use plastics, we only use biodegradable straws and takeaway cutlery, as well as recycled paper products for takeaway packaging. Also, we serve glass bottled beverages only in restaurant and for takeaway.
Stocking Ethical Bottled Water
We serve bottled still and sparkling water from the ethical water supplier 'Clearer Water.’ Clearer is a local social enterprise based in nearby Larne that employs disadvantaged people and those unable to work in typical working environments. Clearer focus their profit on digging wells to bring sustainable water supplies to people in the West African nation of Burkina Faso.
Reducing Paper Usage
To reduce our paper usage, we are moving from paper to digital records in all areas relating to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), Health & Safety, and refrigeration temperature monitoring.
Reducing our Impact in Everything We Do
At Fish City, we endeavor to act responsibly by implementing a range of environmentally friendly practices, including:
- Ensuring our food waste and cooking oil is collected and regularly recycled;
- Installing and using only low-energy bulbs for lighting; and,
- Minimising the frequency of orders from suppliers to reduce our carbon footprint and, where possible, purchasing all our ingredients locally within a 50-mile radius.
We have worked alongside the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), the Agri-food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), and the Queen’s University Food Science Department to conduct research and development.
We are currently looking to harness heat generated through our extraction systems to further reduce our carbon footprint.
