Responsible Visitor Charter

Welcome to Fish City, where we are committed to creating a sustainable and eco-friendly dining experience. Here in Belfast, we are working with our local partners in hospitality to become one of the world’s most sustainable destinations, but we need your help! As a responsible visitor, you play a crucial role in helping us reduce our environmental impact and contribute to the well-being of our local community and natural environment. Here are some tips and guidelines to help you make greener (and bluer!) choices during your visit.

1. Travel Responsibly

Consider using public transportation, walking, or cycling to reach our restaurant. Belfast thankfully is very compact and walkable! Our central location on pedestrianised Ann Street in the city centre is easily accessible for pedestrians, cyclers, and those coming into the city on bike or by bus or train. Opting for eco-friendly transportation reduces carbon emissions too!

If you are travelling in and around Belfast in an electric vehicle, which is better for our city’s air quality and emissions, you can find your nearest charging station here.

2. Support Local

Choose dishes made with locally produced ingredients. From Carlingford oysters and Strangford Lough mussels to Kilmegan Irish Cider and S.D. Bells Belfast Tea, our menus feature a wide variety of items sourced from nearby farms and suppliers, supporting the local economy and its communities, and reducing the carbon footprint associated with transportation.

3. Savour Sustainable Seafood

We are committed to serving sustainably sourced seafood to protect the delicate balance of marine ecosystems, most especially those in our local waters surrounding the UK and Ireland. All of our cod, haddock, and hake are Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified sustainably sourced, which means every fillet can be traced back to a well-managed, sustainable wild fishery. All our other seafood produce is rated 1–3 (‘Best Choice’–‘OK’) in the Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Guide, a fantastic tool for helping you make good seafood choices that have the least impact on the environment. You can help us in this effort by choosing dishes made with certified sustainable seafood.

4. Waste Reduction

You can help minimise food waste by ordering only what you can consume. If you have a smaller appetite, feel free to ask your server about a smaller portion or an alternative dish, and we’re happy to help. If you would prefer to enjoy your fish and chips without our homemade mushy peas or tartare sauce, just let your server know. Every bit that helps us reduce food waste is helping the planet too! Also, we do not stock single-use plastic products, so you can enjoy your beverage or takeaway knowing that your glass bottle will be recycled (or is easily recyclable if you take it away) and that all our takeaway packaging and cutlery is recyclable and biodegradable.

5. Respect for Wildlife

Our location near the River Lagan and Belfast Harbour brings the presence of marine birds such as black-headed, common, and herring gulls, all protected species. Please refrain from feeding them, as it disrupts their natural behaviour. Dispose of your litter responsibly to avoid attracting gulls and other wildlife unnecessarily. Also, please use nearby bins to dispose of cigarette butts, or leave them with us to dispose of properly. Whilst the riverfront is a short five minute walk from us, our nearest access to Belfast Lough and the sea are the storm drains outside the restaurant; let’s do what we can to protect our local marine life by choosing not to leave any litter in the drains. Belfast Lough is home to a staggering number of birds and marine life, including several species of gull, wintering ducks, water birds, and waders, common and grey seals, cockles and mussels, coastal butterflies, and sugar kelp… which can have a better chance to thrive if we dispose of our litter responsibly.

6. Water Conservation

Help us in conserving our locally treated water supply by letting us know if you prefer tap water only upon request. Whilst we filter our outgoing water to lessen the strain on local resources for water treatment, we are committed to minimising water wastage, and your support in this endeavor is very much appreciated.

7. Feedback and Suggestions

As we strive for continuous improvement on our sustainability journey, we value your feedback on how we can improve our sustainability efforts and environmental work. If you have any observations or suggestions, please share them with our staff during your visit, use the feedback form linked above, or send us an email. We’ll be glad to hear from you.

8. Support Green Businesses

There are thousands of businesses in the UK and Ireland working to adopt more sustainable activities and reduce their carbon footprint through the Green Tourism Business Scheme. Assessed businesses are awarded Bronze, Silver and Gold for their efforts to be more sustainable. We are very proud to hold a Gold Award with Green Tourism. You can reward local businesses that look after the environment with your custom and support, and you can view more details on the Green Tourism Business Scheme here.

Thank you for being a responsible visitor and contributing to our mission of creating a more sustainable and eco-friendly dining experience. Together, we can make a positive impact on the environment and support the vibrant communities around us!

Notes:

• Marine Stewardship Council: For over 20 years, the MSC has been part of a global effort to keep our oceans healthy and full of life. When you choose fish or seafood with the MSC’s ‘blue fish’ eco-label, you can be sure that the fish you are eating can be traced back to a sustainable and well-managed wild fishery.

• Marine Conservation Society: The MCS is a UK charity committed to the protection of our seas, shores and wildlife. The MCS continually updates its Good Fish Guide, a comprehensive index of up-to-date sustainability ratings of fish and shellfish species. Explore the Good Fish Guide to discover whether your seafood choices are affecting the environment.

• Green Tourism: Green Tourism is a world leading certification provider that works collaboratively with destination stakeholders and strategic partners to create top down, bottom up change. Green Tourism provide manageable ways for tourism and hospitality businesses to adopt more sustainable activities.