Seafish backs industry as UK-caught scampi continues to come under fire

After scampi recently became the subject of an attack campaign launched by Scottish charity Open Seas, U.K. public body Seafish has backed the seafood industry in declaring that the product should stay on restaurant menus and retailers’ shelves.Open Seas launched its “Say No to Scampi” campaign in October, urging supermarkets to discontinue stocking the product and encouraging customers to avoid purchasing scampi until the fishery comes under sustainable management.Open Seas claims the fishery improvement project (FIP) currently active within the fishery that is the source of the breaded or battered langoustine tails that is more commonly known as scampi, which the country’s retailers often cite to justify their continued sourcing of scampi, is “badly failing and will not meet its targets when the project ends in April 2024.”The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) oversees the FIP and has approved plans regarding management of the stock; bycatch; negative effects on endangered, ...