Caroline Bennett, founder of the ethical online fishmonger Sole of Discretion, has been reshaping the seafood industry by prioritizing sustainability and transparency. Frustrated by the difficulty of sourcing sustainably caught fish for her London sushi restaurant, Moshi Moshi, located in Liverpool Street station, Bennett launched the community interest company in 2016 to connect small-scale fishermen directly with consumers and businesses.

Sole of Discretion partners exclusively with small day boats operating out of Plymouth Harbour, promoting fishing methods with lower environmental impact compared to large industrial vessels. Each catch is fully traceable, with detailed information on the fishing method, the vessel, and the skipper responsible, allowing customers to verify the fish’s origins and ensure ethical sourcing.

Bennett has actively promoted diversifying British consumers’ fish choices beyond popular species like tuna, salmon, cod, haddock, and prawns. She collaborated with Plymouth University to encourage the use of lesser-known local species such as pouting and dogfish in products like school fish fingers, aiming to increase demand for underutilized fish and reduce pressure on overfished stocks.

Additionally, Bennett works with the Scottish charity Open Seas on its #DivedNotDredged campaign, which raises awareness about the damage caused by dredging to ocean beds. The campaign advocates for the use of hand-dived scallops, a method far less harmful to marine ecosystems and supported in the documentary Ocean by Sir David Attenborough. The recovery of seabeds after dredging can take up to a decade, a consequence the campaign seeks to mitigate through sustainable alternatives.

This year, Bennett’s efforts in ethical fisheries and sustainable seafood supply chains earned her a shortlist nomination for BBC Radio 4’s Food & Farming Awards, which highlights innovation and excellence among food producers across the United Kingdom. Through her initiatives, she has contributed to fostering a more responsible seafood industry centered on environmental stewardship and community connection.