Cod taken off menu in string of restaurants as prices soar

One fish and chip shop is making smaller takeaway portions to combat rising costs

A seafood restaurant group owner plans to stop selling cod in July in response to the rising cost of the fish species.

Mitch Tonks of the Rockfish group in Devon said sanctions on Russian boats which supplied about 40% of cod imports had pushed up prices.

The increase in demand and price of fish from non-Russian fisheries had "made for an incredibly difficult supply chain to manage", he said.

Another fish restaurant has reduced portion sizes to balance the books.

Mitch Tonks is taking cod off the menu at his Rockfish restaurants

Mr Tonks, who has nine fish restaurants in Devon and Dorset, said removing cod from 11 July was a "great opportunity" to embrace other fish.

He said the decision had been made to "avoid making cod uneconomical for the restaurant group and customers" until supplies of cod "return to a more manageable rate".

"We know that in parts of Britain, fish and chips means cod and chips," he said.

"At the moment because of global supply issues resulting in significant cost implications for our customers, we have sat down as a team and made the decision to make this the summer of British fish.

"This is a brilliant time for British fishing and now is our chance to celebrate lesser consumed but excellent British fish such as hake, plaice, gurnard and haddock."

Cod would return to the menu as prices dropped, said Mr Tonks

Lorraine Arnold, of Pier Point Fish and Chips in Torquay, said: "We have tried to slightly reduce portions on takeaways especially, so we don't have to increase prices too much."

Andrew Crook, of the National Federation of Fish Fryers, said it was a "very worrying time" for fish and chip shop owners, with prices of all raw materials increasing.

"Shops are having to increase prices while also trying to cushion the consumer," he said.