The charity has teamed up with the Beech Hill Country House Hotel, Derry, to encourage and inspire people to try new types of seafood and diversify their tastes.

Most stocks of cod are at or near record lows. If this continues, UK cod could become a dish of the past. To take steps to prevent this, WWF Northern Ireland and Raymond Moran, Head Chef at the Beech Hill Country House Hotel, have produced a recipe book which provides gourmet recipes for fish which many people may not have tried before.

Recipes include:
• Causeway Coast Pollock with mature cheddar rarebit
• Irish mussels with chorizo and scallion cream
• Stir Fried Dublin Bay prawns with Asian cucumber salad, roast red pepper and chilli sambal

"It's unacceptable that no-one raises an eyebrow as we fish our oceans dry. As consumers we need to be adventurous in our tastes and try lots of different fish rather than sticking to a few old favourites. We also need to be demanding with our supermarkets and fishmongers to stock MSC certified fish- remember we hold the buying power. The more we ask for different fish, the more shops will stock them," said Geoff Nuttall, Head of WWF Northern Ireland..

"Although many Marine Stewardship Council products are available in Ireland, none of our local fisheries are MSC certified. WWF wants this to change and is encouraging fishermen to seek certification." Continued Geoff

WWF worked in partnership with the Beech Hill Country House Hotel as its restaurant actively seeks sustainable fish for its menu. Raymond Moran, Head Chef, says, "When I was offered the chance to compile a book of fish recipes for WWF I jumped at it. But I have to admit that creating recipes using only sustainable fish is something of a challenge. All Beech Hill's cooking is based on the use of fresh, locally produced, sustainable and organic food. For me it's not only an ethical issue. I am also thinking about our customers. It means they are being served food that is not only really healthy but tastes as good as it gets."

WWF'S TOP TIPS WHEN BUYING SEAFOOD:
Buy MSC certified
WWF recommends consumers look and ask for fish which are Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified. The MSC label on products guarantees that the product comes from a well managed fishery and has not contributed to the environmental problem of overfishing.

Buy a variety of fish
More than 50 species are regularly caught in British and Irish waters many of which we export. So don't limit your choices, try out new fish.

Buy locally caught fish
Support the local economy and fishing industry. This also helps to ensure your fish is fresh.

Find out how it was caught
Using methods such as line caught, creeling, setting traps (i.e. lobster pots) and diver caught has less environmental impact than less selective methods such as trawling. These methods can target fully-grown fish and tend to be better at avoiding other species. Ask your fishmonger how the fish was caught.