Britain's fish and chips face extinction as 'cod rationing' could mean just one fish supper per 1,200 people

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) suggests catching merely 11 tonnes of cod from the nation's waters in the coming year, representing roughly 55,000 portions of fish and chips, which equates to approximately one serving for every 1,200 residents across Britain.

The Copenhagen-based organisation, which provides independent guidance to the Government regarding sustainable fishing levels, has determined that cod stocks have reached critically low levels throughout nearly all British fishing zones.

The sole exception to the ban remains the waters surrounding Rockall in the northern Atlantic, where the minimal 11-tonne allowance has been suggested.

For the first time, ICES has expanded its no-fishing recommendations to encompass the eastern English Channel, North Sea and western Scottish waters.

The previously restricted areas in the Celtic and Irish seas remain in place.

The previous year's guidance had permitted fishermen to harvest 15,000 tonnes from these now-restricted zones, marking a dramatic shift in conservation advice.

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Ministers must now decide whether to implement the recommendations, which would effectively eliminate domestic cod fishing except for the minimal Rockall allocation.

The dramatic decline in cod numbers stems from persistent overfishing, with populations plummeting by 92 per cent in western Scottish waters since 1981 and by 89 per cent in the Celtic Sea since 1968.

Britain and its neighbours have consistently established fishing limits that exceed scientific recommendations, with only 46 per cent of quotas aligning with ICES guidance last year.

Fishermen received permission to extract 25,000 tonnes from the North Sea alone, surpassing scientific advice by 10,000 tonnes.

In the Celtic Sea, authorities allowed the harvest of 644 tonnes from adult cod populations estimated at just 645 tonnes, provided these were classified as accidental catches whilst pursuing other species.

In a challenge to the recommendations, the Chief Executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, Elspeth MacDonald, said that the ICES had "overstepped into management considerations, forgetting that their role is to improve knowledge and leave management to those who understand the consequences of certain decisions".

Conservation groups maintain that immediate action remains essential.

Jonny Hughes from the Blue Marine Foundation said: "This isn't scientists being unreasonable. This is the inevitable result of collapsing fish stocks."

He told the Times: "If you’re Tesco, you get your cod from Iceland because you need a big, healthy supply, and the British fishing industry can no longer supply that."

"They [the fishing industry] could supply supermarkets if they allowed the cod to recover, but for reasons I will never understand, they appear hell-bent on preventing the recovery of their own profit margin."

Hugo Tagholm of Oceana UK cautioned: "No one wins if we continue to empty our seas.

"Stock after stock will follow cod, and once collapsed, these populations could take decades to recover. Act now, and we can restore our seas to thriving health. We need a clear strategy to end overfishing once and for all."

The Marine Conservation Society suggests consumers consider hake, turbot or haddock as sustainable alternatives at fish and chip shops.