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The decline in fish shops has been nothing less than a national disgrace over the last few decades. Even Harrod's great Food Hall has lost its legendary, dazzling fresh fish display. But little can beat the sight of an array of gleaming, spanking-fresh white, red and iridescent silver fish, shellfish and craggy crustacea, laid out like precious jewels on a bed of snow-white ice, dotted with shining lemons and clumps of bright green parsley. And on holiday, fishing boats and weather-wrinkled fishermen are favourite photo opps, and we readily admire the stalls in markets from the south of France to Seattle.

It's not as if we don't eat fish; some of the most popular restaurant dishes of the past few years include salmon, sea bass, trout and 'posh' fish and chips. Perhaps the problem is with bones (excessive fear of and/or gaucheness in dealing with them on the plate), or an unwillingness to touch the raw product. A good, friendly fishmonger can be a friend, indeed - ready with recipe advice, willing to neatly skin the sole, gut the herring, behead the mackerel, scale the bream, prepare the crabs, trim the megrim and fillet the flounder. He or she will also run a good ship, and teach his crew and customers alike about freshness, variety and purpose.

Fish remains one of the healthiest things we can eat, an essential part of a balanced diet, from tinned sardines to grilled red mullet. These days, however, the good fishmonger also needs to know where and how the fish was caught, about sustainability of supplies, the efficient management of fish stocks, the problems of by-catch and the work of agencies such as the Marine Conservation Society to minimize the impact of fishing on the marine ecosystem. With some species, it is also important to avoid eating fish when immature or undersized or during their breeding season. See the Fish Online website for more information on fish to avoid and fish to eat.

Fish must be clearly labeled with details of where it was caught, and attention drawn to labeling schemes such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue tick logo. Cod, haddock and salmon may remain the nation's favourite fish but supplies can come from endangered or questionable sources. It is at the point of sale we need to be steered away from swordfish and skate, turbot and monkfish and encouraged to try coley and grey gurnard, hoki and Cape hake, not only because they can be unexpectedly delicious but because they are frequently remarkably good value as well.

It's amazing how many other fish there are in the sea.

Clarissa Hyman