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The success of our sustainable seafood campaign means that many UK supermarkets now source most of their cod from Icelandic waters - which are the healthiest when compared to the battered state of other European stocks (in the North, Baltic and Barents seas, for example), but also a region in which fish numbers are declining. This decline is now having a great influence on Iceland's approach to managing its cod stocks.

Iceland wants to maintain its good reputation for sustainability and, for what is probably the first time ever in Europe, is following the advice of its scientists and drastically cutting its cod quotas as recommended this year (from 190,000 tonnes down to 130,000 tonnes). And they're not too proud to admit that the decision is due to pressure from their main customer - the major UK supermarkets. If that isn't surprising enough, they are delaying the start of the capelin fishing season this year as it's the cod's main prey. That's almost like management from an ecosystem perspective... whatever next!

And it's having an interesting effect on UK producers. A recent editorial from seafood industry bible seafoodnews.com describes the development as "a wind of change " which will "end up saving the wild fisheries by essentially giving the industry no choice".

You can read the whole article below (or more likely just skip to the bold text for the key quotes). Then wake me up please, I must be dreaming...
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By: John Sackton - Greenpeace UK