White fish such as cod, haddock and hake all now carry Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, which means the stocks are constantly audited to ensure that the species are fished at or within Maximum Sustainable Yield where the growth of a particular population exceeds the rate at which it is harvested.
Cod and haddock are fished from grounds in the Northern North Sea and landed into the Scottish ports, including Peterhead and hake is fished exclusively from the Celtic sea, being mainly landed into the Cornish port of Newlyn.
The catch methods, the name of the boat and the skipper are all known by their suppliers and are sourced only from reputable boats. Methods such as the less environmentally damaging seine net and gill net are preferred, due to their lighter touch on the seabed, the high degree of selectivity, and the fact that the quality of fish being landed is much higher.
More seasonally available fish such as bass, lemon sole and squid come via their suppliers from day boat fisheries, which means that catches are landed daily, generally from Under 10m inshore boats operating low-impact fishing methods, such as static gill netting and hook and line within the 12-mile limit.
This again ensures maximum quality and integrity of the catch from known vessels.
Shellfish traceability is equally important and seasonality is reflected in the supply of native lobsters, brown crab, langoustine and scallops, which are sourced from different fisheries around the UK according to the time of year. Lobsters can either be Scottish, South Coast or West Country and are landed live to their suppliers.
Randall and Aubin are Patrons of the National Lobster Hatchery in Padstow and highly supportive of the conservation work undertaken there to ensure lobster populations are not only monitored but actively enhanced through the hatchery release programme.
King Scallops are sourced from environmentally sound, hand-dived stocks where possible and the menu always features Manx Queen Scallops (Queenies) which are caught using a lightweight “Otter” trawl from vessels fishing sustainably in the waters surrounding the Isle of Man.
Brown crab is sourced from Dorset or Devon, again from suppliers who have established close relationships with their fishermen and enjoy regularly contact and supply updates. The same applies to langoustines that are selectively creel-caught, mainly from the West Coast of Scotland.
Oysters are sourced from reputable farms in the UK and Ireland and selected fisheries around the country according to the season. Native oysters are available from September until April and Pacific Rocks all year round. All shellfish sources are monitored for environmental health.
Randall and Aubin are deeply conscious of the environment and its protection is important to them. It is the first step they take when considering any change or improvement at the restaurant or in the catering division.
So whether it is sourcing a new product or supplier or understanding the impact of the waste Randall & Aubin recycle, how it impacts on our environment always comes first.
Randall & Aubin, 64 Bridge Street, Manchester M3 3BN
0161 711 1007
www.randallandaubin.com/manchester
