An identification initiative launched to raise the profile of Welsh sea bass is providing a financial boost for Welsh fishermen and fish wholesalers.
Prized for its quality and flavour, sea bass is one of the main fin fish species caught around the Welsh coast, and in 2022, some 53 tonnes of bass were landed in Wales.
Launched as a trial in 2023, the #WelshSeafood tagged sea bass pilot scheme saw fishermen begin tagging their responsibly caught seabass. This provides customers with sustainability and traceability assurance and helps preserve fish stocks for future generations.
Each tag has a unique number, and customers can find out where the individual bass was caught – and learn more about the fishermen and their commitment to the Welsh fishing industry - by entering the number at www.seafoodwales.co.uk
Since its introduction, fish wholesalers say they have been achieving higher prices for the tagged sea bass, a testament to the collective effort of the Welsh fishing community working together for sustainability and economic prosperity.
One wholesaler who has seen the benefits of the scheme is Jake Davies, managing director of Atlantic Edge Shellfish Ltd in Pembrokeshire. He said, “The seabass tags highlight the provenance of Welsh seafood well, and we find that we can get a better price for those that have the tags as the customers can see where they're from.”
Seven Welsh fishermen are participating in the Welsh Government’s Food and Drink Wales Seafood Cluster tagging scheme. Mainly line caught, the fish must be of a minimum size and quality, and fishing is only permitted during the sea bass season. The seabass fishing season runs from 1st April to 31st January in Wales to allow closed season for spawning.
Seafood Cluster Manager Chris Parker said, “The seabass tagging project highlights the provenance and quality of wild sea bass caught in Welsh waters. Seabass fishing in Wales is low-impact, small-scale, and completely traceable. Buying local Welsh seabass helps to support fishermen in coastal communities throughout Wales.”
The #WelshSeafood tagged sea bass scheme follows in the footsteps of the #WelshSeafood lobster branding initiative. The scheme provides customers with traceability and enables them to identify Welsh lobsters at the point of sale. The fishermen pledge to use pots designed to allow undersized lobsters to escape and release any breeding female lobsters.
The #WelshSeafood tagged sea bass scheme’s success also chimes with research on consumer food and drink preferences, which show a rising trend in support for Welsh produce.
Published last autumn, ‘The Value of Welshness’ consumer research is carried out by the Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Wales Insight Programmeand analyses customer attitudes towards Welsh food and drink.
The research found that three-quarters of shoppers believed it important for retailers to have a greater range of Welsh brands, with two-thirds of those surveyed wishing to see more Welsh products in store.
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: “It is wonderful that Wales’ fishing sector is already benefitting from the #WelshSeafood tagged sea bass scheme.
“We know that consumers are increasingly seeking Welsh produce, and the tags are an easy way to identify the quality fish and shellfish available around our shores.”