'Does anyone actually still eat cod or haddock?' asks my fish and chips obsessed mate over a beer in the pub. The answer appears to be a resounding 'yes'.
Sainsbury's campaign for the abundant pollack (it has renamed it with the French word 'colin'), reveals 3,947 units of the fish were sold in its stores last month.

By contrast, nearly 100,000 haddock and 53,000 cod units were shifted. The ethics of farmed cod are a minefield and there are meagre portions of sustainable wild cod. So it is time to be responsible by trying other fish.

Barny Haughton, chef-proprietor of Bristol's Bordeaux Quay restaurant, says: 'We all know cod has five years before a moratorium; it's knackered. The trouble is we're so conservative.'

Seek out cuttlefish

Other suppliers don't even know why we buy cod so compulsively. Rich Corner, from the Cornish business Seafood & Eat It, says: 'I'm not a massive fan; it's quite plain.

The problem is the Europeans love our cuttlefish. In Portugal and Spain, everyone eats it, whereas the British only associate it with feeding budgies.'

Any enthusiastic domestic cooks here should try cuttlefish. 'It is much easier to cook than squid, which can go rubbery.' It's available at crooksfish.co.uk

Forage for mussels

Those heading to the beach this summer should get foraging. 'There's nothing more satisfying than picking your own mussels,' says Haughton.

'Back at home, remove their beards and if any are open, tap them on a hard surface. If they don't close, bin them.

And a recipe? 'Heat some olive oil in a pan, add some chopped shallots and garlic. Add the mussels then splash in some white wine. Cover for a few minutes and they will all open up. Throw in some parsley and eat.' Discard any that haven't opened.

Experiment with megrim

Corner, who is also a scuba diver, has more suggestions. Try megrim sole (90 per cent of our megrim is eaten by the Spanish and Italians because we're foolish enough not to). Black bream is also underrated, as is the red gurnard. Order these from foweyfish.com and thecornishfishmonger.co.uk.

Unfortunately, farmed fish has issues because of its feed. Corner says: '3kg of wild fish is sometimes used to feed and grow 1kg of farmed fish, which is absurd.' Haughton adds: 'Generally, I buy from boats with small nets or where the fish is line-caught. I avoid dredgers.'

And finally, lose those conventions

When you're in the supermarket or fishmonger, Haughton says: 'Rather than decide what to buy beforehand, see what is available, in season and line caught.'

Then look up a recipe. Does Haughton ever serve cod, considering you can buy it farmed? 'No, it sends out mixed messages.'

He adds: 'Good on Sainsbury's for their pollack campaign but if they were really responsible they would stop selling cod for the time being.'

Both chefs and many more will be at The Real Food Festival on May 8-10 at London's Earls Court. Tel: 0844 412 4642 for tickets (£14.90) or see www.realfoodfestival.co.uk

Metro 21/4/09