At the heart of Hastings lies its fishing industry. For hundreds of years generations of families have taken to the seas in all weathers. Rather than dying out, the industry in our town has firmly planted itself in the 21st century, continuing the tradition of fishing off the coast of East Sussex.
With the trend towards organic, fresh food and a glut of cookery programmes and chefs, including fish fiend Rick Stein, getting our fish recognised in a competitive market is vital. Vital, but not impossible and one sure-fire way to gain a great reputation is to get certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). You heard it here first, About is pleased to announce Hastings' mackerel, Dover sole and herring achieved MSC status this month.
Gaining MSC status is a long process and demands close attention to the way fish are caught, sustainability and environmental issues. In a nutshell, fisheries with this certification can guarantee they have met three key criteria laid down by the MSC:
Each haul has an established chain of custody, signed off and checked at every stage of the fish's journey to your dinner plate.
Fisheries with this certification are subject to annual inspections and have paperwork checked regularly. They are also able to use the highly respected MSC eco-label on their wrapping, so look out for the mark when you buy your fish.
For Hastings fisheries it gives them the edge over market competitors, offering guarantees that each MSC fish has been caught with the minimum impact on the environment and from a sustainable source.
Council leader Jeremy Birch said:
"Hastings is very much built on the tradition of the fishing industry and it's a part of our culture. It is also an industry we want to see not just surviving, but thriving and this certification will go a long way to securing that. My congratulations go to the Council's fishing sector development officer and the Hastings fisheries."
Long before the might and firepower of today's Royal Navy was employed to protect Britain's coastline, it was the fishing men of seven coastal towns who were called on to ward off attacks from the sea.
It was Hastings fishermen, along with their counterparts in the four other Cinque Ports and two 'Antient Towns', who spawned the traditions of the first navy.
In return for their loyal service, the ports were granted freedom from taxes and customs duties, trading concessions, honours at court and the freedom to hold judicial courts. On the basis of these rights, the Cinque Ports became some of the richest and most powerful naval forces in Europe.
Back to the fishing, records show that the old fishing port in Hastings was situated where the town centre is today. It was only after the great storm of 1287 and its devastation of this port that forced the fishing industry to re-locate to the Stade.
Today, some 27 boats are put to sea, carrying on a tradition, which we hope will be around for many more hundreds of years.
Ingredients:
455g (1lb) of mackerel fillets from Hastings fisheries
225g (8oz) tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
quarter cucumber, cubed
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons medium sherry
2 tablespoons sea salt and black pepper or citrus pepper
fresh chopped parsley to garnish
Method:
Pre-heat the grill. Place the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, sherry and water in a pan. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, until the tomatoes and vegetables are soft. Season to taste.
Place the mackerel fillets onto a grill pan and sprinkle with seasoning. Cook under a medium heat for 4 - 5 minutes, until the fish is almost cooked.
Divide the tomato pickle mixture between the fillets and return to the grill. Cook for a further 1 - 2 minutes
Serve hot with chunks of corn on the cob and watercress.
Ingredients:
2 x fresh Dover sole fillets from Hastings fisheries
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of chopped dill
2 tablespoons of medium fat goats cheese or soft cream cheese
4 cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
zest and juice of half a lemon
Method: Preheat the oven to 200C or 400F, gas mark 6. Place the fillets onto a board, skinned side up and season. Sprinkle over half the dill and reserve the remainder.
Lay the goats cheese over the fish and top with the tomatoes. Roll up and place into a greased ovenproof dish. Add the lemon zest and juice and remaining dill. Cook in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes
Garnish with the rest of the dill and serve with asparagus.
More fish recipes can be found in 'A Peace of my Sole' - a local book available from the Information Centre priced £9.50, or from the Sea Fish Industry Authority.
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This page last updated: 29/09/2005