If you get food fish and chips it should be gummy shark = proper flake
But lots of fishy places use a cheaper baby shark
Gummy shark: a unique shark fishery
Gummy shark caught in southern Australian waters is considered a
sustainable choice by the federal government. The biology of the gummy shark is different from familiar apex predators like the
great white,
tiger and
hammerhead sharks. It is relatively
fast growing, has a
high reproductive rate and
feeds on invertebrates in the sand and mud.
The commercial fishery only catches young adults. It employs a
net mesh size that allows smaller fish to swim through and larger mature individuals to
bounce off. The fishery is controlled under a total allowable catch which is set at biologically conservative levels,
currently at 1836 tonnes each year.
So back at the fish shop the local gummy shark sounds like a sustainable option. But can you trust the label?
‘Fake’ flake on the menu
According to the
Australian Fish Names Standard, only two species should be sold as flake: the
gummy shark and a related species from NZ,
rig. So already the waters are muddied, but surely fish labelled local gummy should be a safe bet for sustainability?
The Australian Fish Names Standard is voluntary and
country of origin labelling regulations only apply to raw and frozen product- not cooked meals in cafes, restaurants and fish and chip shops. This means your ‘flake’ might not be gummy shark, or from a local fishery