Two fishing fleets in Hastings are certified as being eco-friendly

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) said it certified five more fisheries in 2005/06, including two in Hastings.

Certification proves the fisheries are working in a sustainable way, a spokesman for the MSC said.

Fishermen Paul Joy and Graeme Bossom were featured in this year's annual report by the MSC promoting the scheme.

The MSC said two Sussex fisheries - Hastings pelagic (mackerel and herring) and Hastings Dover sole - had jointly celebrated certification.

"What unites these fisheries is their willingness to embrace sustainable fishing practices," the report said.

It's good to see that one of our oldest traditions is leading the way Hastings council

Hastings Council said there was an increasing trend towards ethical shopping, shown by a move on the part of retail giant Wal-Mart, owner of Asda, to buy its fish only from MSC-certified fisheries.

A council spokesman said: "Gaining the certification in Hastings was a joint partnership between the fisheries and council officers.

"Now that it is in place everyone will work hard to make sure it is kept up.

"It shows that the methods most of the fishermen have been using for decades can match up to the strict requirements of today's ethical consumer.

"It's good to see that one of our oldest traditions is leading the way."

This month, Mr Joy was one of the Hastings representatives to lobby Prime Minister Tony Blair in a campaign to change fishing quotas.

The Hastings fleet wanted to see a larger part of fishing quotas going to smaller, eco-friendly vessels.