The Grower — 1

The Grower Newsletter for the Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers

July 2014

INSIDE THIS 20

PAGE ISSUE

CEO’s Column 3

How do shellfish

produce shells

6

Modifying ocean

acidification

7-8

SAGB

conference

9

Native oyster

aquaculture

10

Mussels—what

species ?

12

Due diligence 14

The Grower is a quarterly newsletter edited by Janet H. Brown, The Shellfish Team, 2

Annfield Grove, Stirling, FK8 2BN jan.brown@dsl.pipex.com For membership of ASSG contact CEO Dr Nick Lake, Mendosa, Court Hill Road, Rosemarkie, Black

Isle, Ross-shire, IV10 8UE NickLake@Assg.Org.uk

For further information see our web site at www.assg.org.uk Disclaimer: Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official view of the Association

The Grower is distributed to all members of the ASSG and is also available online at www.assg.org.uk Why don’t you consider advertising to our specialist readership?

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ASSG Conference 1-2 October

Time to plan and time to register

Planning is well under way for the ASSG annual conference to be held October 1st-2nd

at the Corran Halls, Oban. Indeed, planning is one the themes, the future of the shellfish

farming industry, with talks from Mark James of MASTS and Alex Adrian of The Crown

Estate, and Richie Flynn of the Irish Shellfish Association on the future of shellfish

representation in Europe. We have more international input with an oyster farmer from

Namibia, James West, who can put Scottish problems in a different light and a Dutch

farmer, Ronald de Vos,

pioneering shellfish culture on

land as featured in The Grower

March 2013 (Pictured on right

with Marco Huissen) and

much more. Of course the

emphasis on our shellfish

product remains, with both

excellent seafood meals and

the annual fiercely fought

competition for best Scottish

shellfish, mussels and both

native and gigas oysters.

Full details are available on the website www.assg.org.uk where bookings can be

made for delegates and exhibitors alike. Early booking is recommended!

FSA Scotland 16

SSMG award 18

Donegal

workshop

20

The Grower — 2

Native oysters in the news

Dates for your diary:

National Shellfish and Marine Culture Exhibition

16-17th September, 2014

Vannes, Brittany France

www.salon-ostreiculture.com/

ASSG Annual Conference

1-2nd October 2014

Corran Halls, Oban

www.assg.org.uk

Biosecurity Planning Workshop

SAMS 3rd October 2014

International Conference on Shellfish Restoration

Charleston, SC, USA

December 10-13th 2014

www.scseagrant.org/icsr

Contact details

Editor of The Grower Janet H Brown,

2 Annfield Grove, Stirling, FK8 2BN

jan.brown@dsl.pipex.com

CEO Nick Lake, Mendosa, Court Hill Road,

Rosemarkie, Black Isle, Ross-shire, IV10 8UE NickLake@Assg.Org.uk

Treasurer

Stephen Cameron, stephenc@scottishshellfish.co.uk

Other members of management committee;- David Attwood david.attwood@lochfyne.com

Nick Turnbull nick.iomo@btinternet.com

Tristan Hugh-Jones tristan@oysters.co.uk

Native oysters have been getting a fair amount of

publicity and interest recently. Two workshops have

been run, one at Fishmongers’ Hall following on from

the SAGB conference. This one had the aim of

exploring potential co-location pf shellfish restoration

with marine renewables developments such as wind

farms. The other was the workshop on oyster

restoration held in Donegal organised and hosted by the

Ibis project, reported elsewhere in this issue.

And also Scottish BBC programme Landward did a

feature on oysters of the Firth of Forth. This was

looking at the history of oysters on the Forth and

featured interviews with professor Smout, author of

“The Firth of Forth an Environmental History”. Editor

of The Grower, Janet Brown was also interviewed

talking about the benefits of oyster restoration for their

ecosystem services. A scene from the filming can be

seen on the right.

Pictured on the right: at the workshop

jointly organised by The Crown Estate and

MASTS “Shellfish restoration and

Aquaculture—Co-location with marine

renewables development” at Fishmongers’

Hall, London.

From left Alex Adrian (The Crown Estate)

brings the meeting to a close while speakers

from left are Philine zu Ermgassen, Bill

Sanderson, Martin Syvret, Jose Fariňas

Franco and chair of panel Mark James

(MASTS)

Pictured above: Janet Brown is interviewed by Sarah Mack

for the Landward programme featuring native oysters on the

Forth, cameraman David Williamson. Photo Fiona Clark

The Grower — 3

CEO’s Column

Well it is no longer the Chairman’s Column so under

duress the best I can come up with for a title is your

“Officer’s Offerings”! (Hopefully this will make it past

the editor!). It goes without saying that thanks must go

to Walter for all the hard work he has put in over the

years to furthering the cause for Scottish shellfish.

The first point I would like to make is the value I see

that we have in both “The Grower” and “The Website”

with great efforts put in by Janet Brown and Tristan

Hugh-Jones respectively. These vehicles are the

Association’s biggest assets (second to the membership

– of course) and I would like to acknowledge the work

that goes into maintaining them. They are our means of

communicating both amongst the membership and with

a far wider audience and can help to bring some clarity

in what can be a hectic and information hungry

environment. The issues of communications and clarity

will be a recurring theme in these offerings!

ASSG Management Committee

The other voluntary area where members help the

Association to function is via the Management

Committee (MC) which is there to steer “the ship” (and

me!) and to ensure we remain focused on delivering for

our membership. In addition to the above two

representatives we have Nick Turnbull, Stephen

Cameron and Dave Attwood. Our Articles of

Association as a Ltd Company allow us a larger number

of representatives on the MC and it is always preferable

to have a balance of views. We have had two MC

meetings since I took up post. One by teleconference,

and one in Edinburgh. This is slightly more frequent

than the norm but there has been a large agenda to

discuss given developments within the ASSG and the

annual conference to get on track, with Janet

volunteering to take over the reins. More of our other

major asset, “The Conference” later in this edition.

One issue which it is hoped will aid clarity for the

ASSG membership is the decision by the MC to

distribute MC Meeting Minutes directly to members by

e-mail. This will hopefully not be something that

“thuds” into your inbox or automatically gets sent to the

trash bin! The aim is to keep you advised of all the

issues your MC are being asked to consider and taking

action on to maintain your association. It is up to

individuals to read and digest as appropriate but I would

stress that this information will only be going to “paid

up” members of the Association. (a gentle reminder that

any who wish to continue Membership and have not

paid this year’s dues yet are encouraged to act now!).

Given the MC desire to have all areas of the ASSG

membership represented (both geographic and by

species) this is your opportunity to make a contribution

to your industry. MC coverage would benefit if we

could identify a member (or members?!) from the

mussel growers sector who would be prepared to lend

their opinion to issues under consideration and

impacting the work of the ASSG. I am happy to hear

from any members at any time on this and MC members

can join the team at any time. However, if we are not

over-run with willing volunteers in the interim we will

be asking you to come forward with proposals at our

AGM which this year will take place at the end of the

first day of the Conference on 1st October in Oban.

ASSG Conference

The Conference (1st/2nd October Corran Halls Oban)

is shaping up well under the new leadership of Janet

Brown with this as her first full year in control. This is

not an easy task as all that have undertaken it in the past

for the Association will realise and if members can help

Janet in any way we would all appreciate your input.

Speakers are being lined up and encouragingly we have

had a lot of interest for trade stand places and so we

hope this will continue to not only be a social but

commercial event for growers and those engaged with

supplying the industry. Janet will update further in this

and coming Newsletters.

Discussion points from the Scottish Industry

The last big event for the Scottish industry was

Aquaculture 2014 held at Aviemore in May. I would

like to thank the organisers for hosting the ASSG stand

Dr Nick Lake, CEO of the Association of Scottish

Shellfish Growers (ASSG)

Pictured below: at the most recent management meeting

held in Charlotte Square courtesy of Loch Fyne Oysters,

from left Nick Lake, Stephen Cameron, David Attwood,

Janet Brown and Nick Turnbull. Tristan Hugh-Jones

was participating at the end of a telephone line.

The Grower — 4

CEO’s Column cont.

situations can cause considerable commercial instability

which is good for no one. In considering new ventures

for hatcheries we need to ensure that the commercial

stability of our existing suppliers is not compromised

which could be to the longer term loss to the industry.

This could be seen as one area where State aid has as

much potential to destabilise as to help a sector!

In considering mussel hatcheries this historically has

never been seen as a reality as spat fall has always been

so bountiful (but often variable) in Scottish waters.

Early on during my time at Ardtoe I remember

undertaking trials funded by HIDB (now HIE, for our

younger audience!) on the movement of spatted ropes

from the mainland to the Outer Hebrides to assist the

development of mussel farming in the Isles. Yes it can

be done but at the time a very expensive proposition for

the odd years when spat fall may have been erratic or a

certain site location was barren. This type of scenario is

also the major reason why hatchery production has

always been perceived to be commercially

unsustainable. In poor spat fall years everybody wants

hatchery spat, in years when wild collection is good it is

not commercially viable to pay the hatchery price! This

situation has been well known even in the European

oyster industry where in the past collection of C.gigas in

the wild has supported commercial cultivation activities

(unfortunately often with poorer quality characteristics

of end products). The recent Scottish Aquaculture

Research Forum (SARF) report into the potential for

large scale hatchery production for mussel spat has

raised this as a main conclusion alongside the associated

cost of producing algae to feed spat, both aspects

appearing to make any such venture non-commercial.

However, in all of the above we need to focus on the

key drivers of ensuring bio-security, improving the

quality of our stock, and developing the industry (which

includes ensuring that it is commercially viable within

the context of both a national and international (World?)

market place). Hatcheries potentially have a role to play

in all of these areas, what we need is clarity in the “what

and why” we are seeking to achieve! I hope to be able to

develop this clarity with members in order that we can

engage with the public and private sector bodies which

can assist the development of Scottish shellfish

production.

(It has been pointed out to me that possibly I should

have just called this column “Nicks Ramblings”!

Hopefully they may bring some clarity on a range of

issues over time!!)

I look forward to catching up with members old and

new at the Conference if not before and please feel free

to contact me if there are any issues which you want to

raise (which I know there are and I and the MC are

working on a range of them with the various public

bodies we are engaged with).

All the best

Nick

and for those members who came along both to help out

and to meet up with “the new boy”! It was a well

supported event and with much interest in shellfish both

in terms of current issues and where the sector is

heading?

One recurring theme was the mention of shellfish

hatchery developments with at least 4 separate initiatives

appearing to be proposed by commercial and research

based operators. Perhaps all this has been spurred on by

the recent announcement of the creation of the Scottish

Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) with a reported

budget of £11M for research; or interest had been

stimulated by the recent visit to Scotland sponsored by

the CEC of Dr Henry Kaspar from the Cawthron

Institute of New Zealand. This body has done much to

stimulate the growth of the NZ Green Lipped mussel

sector and hatchery developments have been a key driver

of this, especially with respect to natural selection and

improving the characteristics of the stock. Other issues

which are stimulating this debate are the need to

maintain bio-security for Scottish shellfish production in

the face of the Oyster Herpes virus and the potential to

address any shortfall of spat in the mussel sector through

hatchery developments. With respect to the latter it is

noted that the Dutch have a similar interest but from the

perspective of needing to balance available on bottom

seed supplies with the feeding requirements of wild bird

populations!

This brings me back to the issue of the need for

clarity! We as yet do not know what the structure and

functions of the SAIC could deliver for the industry and

so if hatcheries are to be one aspect of their work it will

need to be carefully considered to ensure benefits can be

delivered. What we do know is that the existing

hatcheries which have served the Scottish oyster sector

over the years have built up considerable expertise and

worked well in collaboration with growers. We also

know if we have poor quality seed or if supply

constraints occur this can be traced through the outputs

of the growing sector over a number of years. Such

Pictured above; At the ASSG stand in Aviemore, Aquaculture

2014 from left Alastair Barge, (Otter Ferry Seafish Ltd) Nick

Lake and Iain Sutherland (HIE) Photo J Brown

The Grower — 5

Salon National de la Conchyliculture et des Cultures Marines -16-17

th September, Vannes, Brittany

(National Shellfish and Marine Culture Exhibition)

The ASSG has been contacted by the organisers of

the Salon to be held in Vannes, Brittany 16th and 17th

September 2014 inviting a delegation from the Scottish

growers. This is a special salon marking the 30th

anniversary of its establishment. For full particulars see

their web site at www.salon-ostreiculture.com/ This

event is dedicated to shellfish culture and marine

aquaculture and welcome every year around 80

exhibitors and 2000 professional visitors. Since this is a

special anniversary the organisers, which include the

Regional Shellfish Committee of South Britanny, the

department council of Morbihan and the regional

council of Brittany are hoping for more International

input. Contact Janet Brown in first instant for more

details of the invitation or arrange your visit directly

through their website.

The Grower — 6

So how do shellfish produce shells?

Kim S. Last Scottish Association for Marine Science

It sounds like a very fundamental question but the

answer is not as clear as you might expect. Our limited

understanding of calcification, especially in the natural

environment, is especially pertinent since our world is

changing: our oceans are becoming warmer and more

acidic. Understanding the consequences of climate

change is one of the big challenges of the 21st Century

especially since the health of our oceans is closely

linked with our own health and wellbeing, not least

because it supplies mankind with lot of his food

including many essential fatty acids. In short, this

simple question belies the fact that we lack fundamental

knowledge on how a large proportion of life in the seas

will be affected by climate change.

At SAMS (Scottish Association for Marine Science)

we are part of a network of scientists funded through the

EU FP7 programme called CACHE (CAlcification in a

CHanging Environment). The aim of CACHE is to

study how shells form and grow in four of Europe’s

most important commercial shellfish species, oysters,

mussels, clams and scallops. These animals have thick

shells which are made up of a high percentage of

calcium containing compounds. These are particularly

vulnerable when water becomes more acidic, as the

shells dissolve more easily and become more difficult to

make. Interestingly however, the animals can change

how much shell they produce i.e. some produce thicker

shells when predators are around, though how this is

controlled is currently unknown. The shell is obviously

vital to the animal, but the quality of the shell is also an

important factor in seafood production. If shells are too

thin they become damaged during processing or

shipping, ultimately spoiling the product.

At SAMS we will be looking at what factors are the

most important in controlling shell (and hence flesh)

growth in the shellfish. Throughout their lives, shellfish

have to continuously balance energy reserves between

growth (both shell and body tissue), reproduction and

maintenance of essential cellular systems, such as

immune functioning. The allocation of energy into these

processes will change with the seasons: in the winter

where food availability and temperatures are lower,

there is little growth whilst in the summer the converse

is true. However, summer is also a time for reproduction

so energy is channelled accordingly. The story becomes

more complicated in Scottish sea lochs where extremes

of pH (the acidity/alkalinity of the water) and salinity

incur additional stresses depending on habitat.

Specifically we will be looking to see how blue mussels

(Mytilus edulis) are genetically isolated in sea lochs and

whether populations are more suited to a particular pH /

salinity habitat? We will be determining the degree of

genetic mixing between lochs and possibly identifying

genes involved in providing resilience to local

environmental change relating this to climate change.

Our enhanced understanding of the impact of

environmental challenge on shell production will enable

us to model these impacts on shellfish stocks ultimately

informing the industry on how to maximize production

in a changing world.

The CACHE programme is not just about

fundamental science but also about training young

researchers. Under the Marie Curie funding programme

10 PhD students will be trained in tackling complex

biological problems using multidisciplinary approaches

(from genes to art!), the aim being to intellectually

invest in future leaders and innovators at the interface

between pure research and commercial exploitation. To

this end, and together with the ASSG, we are seeking

opportunities for one-month placements of the PhD

students at shellfish farms in Scotland. The students will

provide help on the farms, learn about the industry

“hands-on” and carry out their own projects. So

understanding how shellfish produce their shells is of

Dr Last’s research

interests focus on the changes

brought about by human

activities on marine organisms

at the physiological and

behavioural levels, particularly

with a focus on bivalves. He

considers himself a 'practical'

scientist and enjoys answering

difficult scientific questions by

developing new technologies.

www.sams.ac.uk/kim-last

The Grower — 7

Accelerating the weathering of limestone to prevent ocean acidification

Phil Renforth

Humanity emits over 30 billion tonnes of CO2 into

the atmosphere every year, and around a quarter of this

dissolves into the oceans causing acidification. This is

bad news for anything that forms a carbonate

exoskeleton, and will likely have an impact on the

yields of shellfish industry. For many, the risks

associated with ocean acidification are not new. What is

less well known, is that there is an emerging field of

research investigating technologies that could limit the

effects of ocean acidification while preventing

emissions of carbon dioxide.

The idea of intentionally adding alkalinity to the

ocean was first proposed in the 90s as a way of

speeding up the Earth’s natural carbon sequestration

processes that happen during erosion and weathering [1,2]. A number of schemes have been put forward,

including ‘ocean liming’[3] or speeding up weathering

on the land[4], but one that is receiving increasing

attention is the ‘accelerated weathering of

limestone’ (AWL)[2]. This method proposes to dissolve

limestone in a reactor with seawater and power station flue gas. Similar to flue gas scrubbing with seawater,

only in a much larger reactor (see Figure 1).

fundamental importance to the shellfish industry, in a

changing and challenging world.

If you are interested in this work (for more

information see: www.cache-itn.eu/) or potentially

hosting one or more students please get in contact

(kim.last@sams.ac.uk).

CACHE is a €3.6M Marie Curie Initial Training

Network (ITN) funded by the People Programme (Marie

Curie Actions) of the European Union’s Seventh

Framework programme FP7/2007-2013/ under REA

grant agreement n° [605051]13. It brings together 10

partners from 6 different European countries and

includes three SMEs and a shellfish consultancy.

CACHE is led by Melody Clark at BAS and started on

November 1st 2013 and will run for 4 years. Training

will be provided for 10 young researchers to PhD level

and enhance the training and careers of 4 early-stage

post-doctoral researchers.

Dr Phil Renforth is a Lecturer

in Engineering Geology at

Cardiff University, recently

arrived from the University of

Oxford where he was a James

Martin Fellow in the Oxford

Geoengineering Programme.

His research focuses on

methods of carbon dioxide

sequestration through rock

mineral interactions. This

started with a PhD at

Newcastle University, where he

investigated rapid mineral

carbonate formation in urban brownfield soils. More recently,

he has focused on the assessment of a number of ‘enhanced

weathering’ proposals that seek the sequester carbon in the

ocean through alkalinity enhancement. He is a civil engineer

and geochemist by training, and is a member of the editorial

panel for Civil Engineering, the flagship journal of the

Institution of Civil Engineers.

The Grower — 8

Presently, only small scale laboratory experiments or

back of the envelope calculations have been undertaken

to assess the technical feasibility of AWL. These

suggest that the cost could be as low as £10-30 per

tonnes of CO2 sequestered. This compares favourably to

the £50-100 price tag for injecting carbon dioxide

underground, and does not come with the risk of

leaking. While a shift to renewable energy is the only

long-term solution to climate change, this is unlikely to

proceed fast enough. It may also be too late, with recent

IPCC projections suggesting that we will need to

remove carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere on top of

drastic emission cuts if we are to avoid a 2°C increase in

temperatures. Dealing with excess carbon dioxide

appears to be inevitable, however, underground injection

is currently the only show in town. There is an urgent

need to diversify how carbon is sequestered, and

increasing ocean alkalinity may be part of that portfolio.

The shellfish industry could contribute substantially in

shaping this emerging research field. Particularly, the

expertise in the community will be essential in assessing

the response of shellfish to elevated alkalinity, and

determining the optimum levels for growth. Operating at

the interface between policy and practice means that the

industry is well placed to ensure that ocean alkalinity

addition is responsibly regulated. References:

[1] Kheshgi, H.S., Sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide

by increasing ocean alkalinity. Energy, 1995. 20(9): p. 915-

922.

[2] Rau, G.H., CO2 Mitigation via Capture and Chemical

Conversion in Seawater. Environmental Science &

Technology, 2011. 45(3): p. 1088-1092.

[3] Renforth, P. et al., Engineering challenges of ocean

liming. Energy, 2013. 60: p 442-452

[4] Hartmann, J. et al., Enhanced Chemical Weathering –

as a sink for Carbon Dioxide, a Nutrient Source and a

Strategy to Mitigate Ocean Acidification. Reviews of

Geophysics, 2013. 51: p 113-149

[5] Paquay, F.S., Zeebe, R. Assessing possible consequences

of ocean liming on ocean pH, atmospheric CO2 concentration

and associated costs, International Journal of Greenhouse

Gas Control, 2013. 17: 183-188

Dissolving carbonate minerals (contained in

limestone) using carbonic acid (dissolved CO2) releases

calcium and consumes acidity. The net result is the

conversion of CO2 into bicarbonate ions (mainly HCO3-)

in seawater. In essence, AWL shifts the effects of ocean

acidification from the shells of living marine organisms

to the shells of marine organisms that have been dead

for millions of years (in limestone). Table 1 shows the

predicted composition of the seawater leaving an AWL

reactor compared to ‘typical’ seawater. Depending on

the local conditions around the point of addition, this

slightly alkaline seawater will mix with exiting water

body, and, eventually, the global oceans.

Seawater is already rich in bicarbonate ions, and

computer models suggest that almost all of human

emissions can be sequestered in this way for the next

400 years with only small changes in global ocean

chemistry[5]. However, almost nothing is known about

the small scale regional impacts. For instance, we might

want to target places sensitive to ocean acidification,

however, with too much addition there could be

detrimental environmental consequences (e.g. increased

pH, suspended particles). The reason for a lot of this

uncertainty, is that the decadal research on marine

ecological response to changing levels of carbon dioxide

has focused almost exclusively on acidifying oceans,

and very little has investigated positive changes in

alkalinity.

Accelerating the weathering of limestone to prevent ocean acidification cont.

The Grower — 9

SAGB Conference May 2014

• Offshore wind farm: 18 months

• Aquaculture farm in Norway: 6 months

• Aquaculture farm in the EU: often 2-3 years,

sometimes even 7 years. This has to be changed. The

other areas they want to improve are in access to space

and water, increasing competitiveness and by exploiting

competitive advantage. This latter will include

strengthening producer organisations and “valorising”

benefits of the activity. There are considerable benefits

in many forms of shellfish aquaculture and this seems to

indicate they have to find a way to reward these

activities and there is currently a consultation out on this

aspect.

Dr Henry Kaspar of the Cawthron Institute in New

Zealand had some interesting things to say on

developing the New Zealand industry to being one of

the 4 biggest mussel producing countries in the world.

There is a lot we could learn from the New Zealand

industry. Not least that this research organisation works

directly with the industry. But other important issues

are they work with celebrity chefs to improve their

product and adjust according to the markets they are

targeting. They also have one organisation overseeing

the industry, Aquaculture New Zealand with 7 full-time

employees. The research the Cawthron Institute does is

directly for the industry whether on mussel hatchery

development and its associated benefit of being able to

select genetically or in production of oyster herpes

resistant oysters and managing the growth patterns of

the oysters to avoid problems with the virus. They are

produced in Nelson in the South Island and then

gradually move northwards to the warmer growing areas

as they are older and more resistant to the potential virus

problems.

An ASSG shellfish farmer took centre stage at this

year’s SAGB conference held at Fishmongers’ Hall,

London in May. Andy Abraham took the graveyard

after-lunch slot usually filled by reminiscences from the

shellfish fishing industry. This year marked maybe a

notable tidemark in that there are now aquaculturists

long enough in the business to take on this useful and

entertaining role. The audience was treated to an

account of the development of his farm on Colonsay, of

building his house, his bee keeping all in a most

entertaining way and also learnt the real reason why his

record for winning the best Scottish gigas oyster was

broken last year. He said he won’t repeat the mistake

this year of making a delivery to Loch Fyne Oysters two

days before the competition again!

The SAGB conference is always a mixture of

fisheries interest and aquaculture. At times these

interests mingle totally – the excellent presentation from

the EU’s Dario Dubolino while highlighting just how

much importance the EU is currently giving to

aquaculture still spoke to both sectors but also explained

rather neatly the differences in the EU’s involvement in

the two areas. They have powers to regulate in the

fisheries because that is part of the common good

whereas with aquaculture they can only help promote it.

This they are certainly keen to do now since blue growth

is the buzz phrase and with net imports of seafood

representing 65% of the European market there is a lot

needs doing to reduce this dependence on imports. But

the emphasis is also on job creation since every increase

of 1% in seafood production there can be enormous

benefits in job creation estimated at around 3-4000 jobs.

Shellfish become very important in this being labour

intensive and with high job creation potential. Shellfish

represent 50% by volume of the total aquaculture output

of the EU. So as part of their advice to help develop

aquaculture they have produced strategic guidelines with

the aims of reducing administrative burdens. A good

example of some of the problems he quoted was the

time it can take to get a licence • Agricultural farm: 4-6

months

Pictured above; Dr Henry Kaspar of the Cawthron

Institute , New Zealand giving a lecture on similar

theme at Institute of Aquaculture, Stirling in May

The Grower — 10

Native oysters, a new problem and a new solution?

Janet H Brown

The interest in intertidal aquaculture of the

European Native Oyster, Ostrea edulis is gathering

pace on the back of the rising price of the widely

farmed Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea gigas. This price

rise is largely due to the significant reduction in

production due to the oyster herpes virus (OsHV) in

many parts of the World including France, Ireland and

parts of England. The Native Oyster has however

always attained a deserved premium price but because

it has been a fickle animal to rear with all aspects from

hatchery to market size hiding difficulties and traps for

the unwary, production has largely been from fisheries.

Tony Legg of Jersey Sea Farms suffered first hand

with the OsHV in 2009 when he lost 80% of his C.

gigas seed virtually overnight. On the back of this

catastrophe he decided to hatch a small quantity of

native oysters to see how they performed in his ORTAC

oyster system. The ORTAC system is essentially a

suspended cage design that forces an upwelling current

within which changes direction with the tide and also

with its solid lidded surface provides shade for the

oysters growing underneath. This seems to suppress

algal growth so there is significantly less fouling. The

results were unexpectedly positive with rapid growth

and high survival.

The mechanism that permits high survival in

ORTAC culture is now understood. The continuous

gentle movement and tidal drying generates a curvature

on the growing edges of the edulis juveniles and adults

up to about 70g. This blocks ‘cutting–in’ i.e. where the

open shells during feedinga, slip inside one another and

results in two oysters failing to close securely when

they dry out. The dead gaping shells then continue to

‘kill’ other oysters around them. This simple

observation of what is known zoologically as

‘ecomorphing’ may well have profound positive

consequences for the successful development of Native

Oyster aquaculture .

Obtaining seed in realistic quantities was a problem

with a very restricted choice of Bonamia free hatcheries

and with little demand from aquaculture there was little

enthusiasm to produce native oyster spat. As part of the

OYSTERECOVER project (a project funded under the

European Community’s 7th Framework Programme

{http://oysterecover.eu/}), Viking Hatchery at Ardtoe in

Scotland produced some modest quantities and these

were bought and placed in Jersey. Initial growth from

2mm was good but in the second week of August 2012

at precisely the same time that an OsHV viral mortality

was occurring in neighbouring C. gigas farms in Jersey

a 50% mortality arose in this stock while fortunately,

larger (5g+) seed was unaffected. The previously

accepted ‘wisdom’, was that native oysters beyond

larval stages were not susceptible to OsHV but this

circumstantial evidence seemed to contradict that. A

literature search picked up only one reference to this

phenomenon (1) which reported on early mortalities in

Ostrea edulis due to OsHV and that mirrored the Jersey

Sea Farms experience almost exactly. It is also

interesting and slightly worrying that some traditional

fisheries are recording poor spatfalls. Could this be due

to the presence of OsHV adversely affecting the early

stages of the native oysters perhaps putting even more

pressure on this environmentally important species from

a new angle?

With the OsHV virus prevalent in Jersey and with a

strong demand for Natives a solution was needed and

that came in the form of a chance encounter for Tony

Legg with John Hamilton of Lochnell Oysters in Oban

who was looking for alternative oyster production

systems. The Lochnell site is Bonamia and OsHV virus

free and parallel trials with Ardtoe native seed in

Figure below and on right: ORTAC grown 30g oysters displaying clear ‘ecomorphing’, where the shell is induced to grow in an

upward curved manner, which prevents ‘cutting in’ mortalities. Photo Tony Legg

The Grower — 11

Since the native oyster is a Biodiversity Action Plan

species, any efforts that might encourage natural spat

settlement and further recruitment to the wild is to be

greatly encouraged. While there is increased interest in

native oysters in the market place this is also being

mirrored in the crop of recent meetings to discuss native

oyster restoration. One was held as an invited workshop

after the SAGB conference in May at Fishmongers’ Hall

with the aim of discussing shellfish restoration in

relation to offshore developments and in Ireland where

the Ibis Project hosted a free workshop on native oyster

restoration in mid-June. The presentations for the latter

at which Tony also spoke are available on the Ibis

website.

1 Da Silva P, Renault Tristan, Fuentes J, Villalba A (2008).

Herpesvirus infection in European flat oysters Ostrea edulis obtained from brood stocks of various geographic origins and grown in Galicia

(NW Spain). Diseases of aquatic organisms, 78(3), 181-188.

Publisher's official version : http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/dao01874, Open Access version : http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/3735/

ORTACs had been extremely encouraging. The solution

was an obvious one; to jointly establish Scotland’s first

dedicated native oyster nursery to provide not only

Jersey Sea Farms with disease free stock but also be able

to take the seed that the hatcheries were now starting to

produce and generate 3-5g part grown oysters for

ongrowing elsewhere.

Using the ORTAC system for further ongrowing

these 3-5g oysters can be shown to achieve 60-70g in

two growing seasons with little mortality and minimal

handling. Although this might be slightly slower than

gigas in comparable conditions, the reduction in labour

costs and higher unit value makes the conversion

worthwhile. A further bonus is the quality improvement

over dredged native oysters, the meat content is

consistent, they have a longer shelf life having been

hardened and do not suffer from shell blemishes. All

this makes a premium product even more desirable.

Native oysters, a new problem and a new solution? - cont.

Pictured left Garden centre water plant pots get

commandeered as nursery containers for young oyster spat

Below left : the Loch Nell site and below Tony Legg shows

native oysters first put out in May 2013

The Grower — 12

Mussels: do you know what species are growing on your farm?

Joanna Wilson

The blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, is a popular source

of food throughout the world and is an important

contributor to the aquaculture industries of many

countries.

The shellfish sector of Scottish aquaculture has seen a

strong growth over the last ten years. There are

measures in place to increase the development of

sustainable and productive mussel farms within

Scotland, but there is a problem behind this idea: neither

mussel farmers or researchers are completely sure what

Mytilus species are living in Scottish waters.

Mytilus species were previously classified by the

shape and colour of their shell, although this is no longer

considered a very accurate method of identification due

to considerable morphological overlap between some

species. M. edulis exists with two other closely related

species, M. galloprovincialis and M. trossulus, in the

“M. edulis species complex”, so referred to because of

similarities in their shell characteristics: for instance, M.

edulis has a blue, brown or purple shell with a pearly-

white interior; M. galloprovincialis looks very similar to

M. edulis but can be slightly larger with a darker outer

shell, while M. trossulus has a finely lined and more

fragile shell. The taxonomy of mussels within the

Mytilus edulis complex has been investigated in greater

detail through examining mussel DNA. These studies of

genetics have shown that shell morphology is not a

reliable method for species identification: environmental

conditions can affect shape, size and colour to the point

where different species can look like the same species,

while individuals of the same species can look

completely different. Additionally, genetic analysis has

revealed that hybrid individuals are produced wherever

the ranges of these species overlap.

“Hybrid zones” have been identified and studied

around the world. For example, on the Irish coastline

where the Irish Sea meets the North Atlantic Ocean,

there is a hybrid zone between M. edulis and M.

galloprovincialis; M. galloprovincialis and M. trossulus

hybridise along the Pacific coast of North America; and

M. edulis has been found to hybridise with both M.

galloprovincialis and M. trossulus on the West coast of

Scotland.

In spite of the strong growth of the Scottish shellfish

industry in the last ten years there has more recently

been a slight decline in production, which is in part due

to the increased presence of a mussel with a particularly

fragile shell and lower meat yield – characteristics that

tend to be associated with M. trossulus (and its

hybrids). Farmers wishing to cultivate a single species

could run into problems if they do not monitor the

genetics of their populations: they need to know what

species live in Scottish waters in order to effectively

manage their stocks and mitigate risks associated with

an expansion in hybrid range.

M. trossulus was first reported in wild populations

of Scottish mussels in a study by Joana Dias in 2007,

which was featured in the June and December issues of

The Grower that year. Subsequent studies have used the

same methods of genetic analysis for species

identification, but a new and potentially more reliable

genetic method has now become available for a deeper

investigation of the Mytilus genome and the species

present in Scottish waters. A new project, which is a

joint venture of the Institute of Aquaculture (University

of Stirling) and Marine Scotland Science (Aberdeen),

plans to utilise this new technique in order to get an

updated picture of Mytilus species throughout Scotland,

covering as much of the coastline as possible. To date,

samples have been collected from 23 sites (9 farms and

14 shorelines) around the East and West coasts of the

mainland, Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides,

plus future collections are being planned at sites in the

Highlands and the Inner Hebrides. Additionally,

historical samples, from the year after M. trossulus was

first reported in wild populations to the present day,

will be analysed to give a more complete picture of

species distribution and hybrid zones around Scotland.

Joanna Wilson is a PhD

student funded by Marine

Alliance for Science and

Technology for Scotland

(MASTS), who is based at

the Institute of Aquaculture

and is also supported by

Marine Scotland Science.

She is from Dundee, is a

graduate in Zoology from

the University of Dundee

and has an MSc in

Conservation Biology from

Manchester Metropolitan

University.

email address:

joanna.wilson@stir.ac.uk

Pictured above: a mixture of M edulis and M trossulus

shells. Photo by Joanna Wilson

The Grower — 13

Hello everyone.

My name is Nutdanai but my friends call me Bill. I

am from Thailand but currently living in Scotland,

studying an MSc Aquaculture at the Institute of

Aquaculture, Stirling. I would like to ask you for some

of your valuable time to help me complete my research

project which is about how zonation can improve

sustainability of aquaculture. The reason I am keen to

ask for your opinions is because I understand that

shellfish in the UK has long been managed in terms of

‘zones’ and my project is trying to pull together

evidence of how well zonation has already worked in

different contexts to inform other industries that might

also use this approach. In addition to developing a ’case

study’ of shellfish in the UK’ I am assessing the impacts

of zonation on salmon in Scotland and shrimp produced

as part of mangrove production in Vietnam

Zonation has been advocated as a better way of

addressing the cumulative impacts associated with

aquaculture such as disease and pollution but my

starting point is that it may also be used to acknowledge

the benefits of ‘the local’- i.e. specific characteristics

linked to the geography of production (provenance).

Various forms of zonation have been used for

improving management of environments, both natural

and man-made. Often defined by administrative

boundaries, zones may be subject to particular rules

controlling development include prohibitions,

restrictions, or permit

requirements. For

aquaculture zones may

feasibly be determined

by local communities

themselves or external

regulators. In any case

zonation implies some

level of co-

management with its

consequent costs and

benefits.

The link below will

take you to a short web-

based questionnaire

that I would be very

grateful if you could find some time to answer as many

of the questions as you can. I firstly ask for some limited

personal information about you, followed by a section

on zonation in general before finishing on some more

specific shellfish orientated questions

www.surveymonkey.com/s/Y9VYPBT

Editor’s note—Since Bill is carrying out research

for an MSc he needs responses as soon as possible—

so almost as soon as you receive this.

Request for help with MSc student project

ICSR’14 will focus on

recent changes in our

environmental,

economic, and

political world. These

changes challenge

expansion of, and

provide new

opportunities for,

shellfish restoration

efforts. ICSR’14 will

address these

challenges under three

overall themes:

1. Restoration of Shellfish Ecosystems

2. Rehabilitation/Enhancement of Shellfish

Populations

3. Protection and Improvement of Water Quality for

Shellfish Survival, Growth, and Harvest.

ICSR Conference set for December 10-13th

ICSR’14 will continue to strive to highlight

community-based projects in the United States,

North America, and throughout the world.

It will be held in the Double Tree guest suites,

Charleston, South Carolina, USA

ICSR’14 will consist of invited and contributed

panel sessions, case studies, workshops, and poster

and oral presentations. This year, conference

organizers are working to develop a program that

emphasizes discussion, dialogue, communication,

and results-oriented outcomes. ICSR’14 will

showcase exhibitors whose information, products,

and services are of value to shellfish restoration

efforts.

More information available at

www.scseagrant.org/content/

The Grower — 14

Selling your business - due diligence Alan R Mackenzie

Due diligence is a complex area in preparing a

business for sale but essential. “Potential buyers will not

invest without checking, metaphorically speaking, as to

what cockroaches are under the furniture,” warns Calum

Duncan of Calum I Duncan Corporate Lawyers.

Due diligence audits all business operations ensuring

there are no unpleasant surprises pre- or post-sale and all

that should be there is there and identify what isn’t there

but should be.

There are many aspects to due diligence covering

legal, accounting, finance, insurance, pensions,

employees, supplier contracts, customer lists and so on.

The following is an overview but professional assistance

is recommended.

Accounting

Accounts tell where a business has been. By nature

both management and financial accounts are historical as

generally they show what a business has bought and

sold, what it owns and owes.

Management accounts, as the name implies, are for

internal use. A number of external organizations want to

see management accounts, including insurance

companies and finance providers.

Often management accounts are produced on a

weekly or monthly basis giving a more current view of

the direction and profitability of the firm than financial

statements.

A review of management accounts will look at assets

and liabilities on the balance sheet and profit or loss in

the trading account. Debt collection will feature

prominently and checks that customers pay as agreed.

Major customer accounts will be scrutinised to ensure

default by any key buyer would not cause the business

distress.

Financial accounts are used for, amongst others,

taxation purposes and can form a public record of a

company’s performance. Usually they are produced

annually but only appear some months after the

company’s financial year end. Again financial accounts

produce a snapshot of where the company has been both

during the previous financial year and at financial year

end. They can be used against earlier filings to compare

long term trends.

Due diligence examines bad debts written off;

provision for bad or doubtful debts; asset valuations,

capital allowances and amortisation (depreciation); all

liabilities short-term, long-term and contingent;

subsidiary companies where they exist; revaluation

reserves (if appropriate); and intellectual property rights.

In both sets of accounts a prospective purchaser will

look at how much the owners of the business have

withdrawn over a number of years. That could be

through partner drawings, salaries, directors’

emoluments and shareholder dividends.

Financial

Whereas accounts show where a business has been

the financial side looks to

see where it is going. Among items to be scrutinized

include the business plan showing predicted sales in

cash terms minus the cash cost of purchases and

withdrawals. Accounting-style business plans include

depreciation and other non-cash items but the financial

business plan contains only cash elements at the actual

time of their receipt or payment.

Staged payments will be studied to see how robust

the agreements are and checked to see if there are

penalties for default whether as customer or supplier.

If there are employee incentive agreements when

and how will they occur and what is the effect on the

company and its structure?

Leases and contracts will be reviewed to see what, if

any, contingent liabilities might arise for the business.

Employment First and foremost staff and worker contracts are

analysed to ensure compliance. A general profile of the

employees should be compiled to demonstrate turnover

of staff and how succession / promotion is determined.

Businesses should hold an up to date log of

incidents, injuries and industrial related illnesses.

Likewise there should be a complaints book which will

not only detail the complaint but the resolution and what

remains outstanding.

Future rights of each employee will be assessed for

triggers on change of ownership of the business.

Especially important is any performance reward which

would possibly dilute the new owner’s control.

Sleeping partners whose consent is required before a

deal can be sealed must be disclosed and company

shareholdings scrutinized especially for a percentage

change of control. Drag and tag, for instance, is a

provision written into the company’s articles which

forces minority shareholders to sell out even against

their wishes.

Directors competing interests need to be looked at to

ensure there is no conflict in the event of a sale of the

Alan R Mackenzie, ASSG

member for a number of

years, has an MBA degree and

20 years experience in small

businesses. As well as hands-

on experience in shellfish

farming - oysters and mussels

– he has been a company

secretary, director, transport

manager, management

accountant, legal advisor and

dogsbody for numerous

businesses at various times

ranging from retail to

recycling offal. Unfortunately

ill health forces a low profile

currently but he hopes to

become active once again as

legal and business adviser.

The Grower — 15

company. A putative purchaser will want to know each

director’s history and will look for evidence of them

having been disciplined or even struck-off.

Future owners like to see graphic representations of

the business structure. Such a chart shows the chain of

command and job titles at its most basic.

Pensions This is an increasingly important area of due

diligence. Where companies have contributed to

pension schemes there have been cases where the

company’s liability to the pension fund is greater than

their existing balance sheet assets.

Any legal or contractual obligation on the business

to provide a pension scheme will be studied to ensure

compliance.

Historically if the business has taken over another,

and its pension scheme and / or employees, then any

obligations extant from that time must be quantified.

Insurance

Topics here include confirming the business meets

its statutory obligations for cover. These include

employers’ liability, public liability and vehicle

insurance.

Existing policies must be viewed against what

should be in place. Precautionary insurance - business

interruption or gap insurance - may be recommended.

The former is self-explanatory in that if the business

cannot trade for whatever insured reason then the

insurance will cover that interruption.

Gap insurance is often used where an asset is

purchased using lease finance thereby offering

protection should the asset be damaged and written off.

Gap insurance covers the difference between the asset

market value and the balance owed to the finance

company.

Due diligence examines policy documents to see if

any other ‘interest’ has been noted. Possibly where an

insurance policy has been taken out, in the event of a

claim being made against that policy, then a third party

would become the initial beneficiary. Interest is noted,

for example, where landlords seek to secure their rights

in the property insured.

Often there is keyman insurance whereby the

company insures important employees for the event of

death in service or incapacitating illness. Technical

aspects involve claiming tax relief on premiums and

capital gains or revenue streams in the event of that

contingency occurring.

Legal and Contractual These are listed separately from those mentioned

earlier but in reality they overlap with the categories

above.

Legal due diligence is a vital aspect of the process

and it ensures compliance with the statutory obligations

of the company. It begins with an overview of the

business whether sole trader, partnership or company.

Specialists in Business Legal Matters

Where your Goodwill Meets Ours

Whether preparing your business for sale or

any business needs please contact us.

www.duncancorp.com/

Calum I Duncan Landline: 01463 211160

Mobile: 07919 347327

Email: calum@duncancorp.com

Fiona MacBean Landline: 01463 211160

Mobile: 07714 570953

Email: fiona@duncancorp.com

Calum I Duncan Corporate Lawyers Ltd

Ownership needs to be established and how the holdings

link together. Gradually the legal due diligence process

expands to look at how the business interacts with the

‘outside’ and then internal systems and controls. That

develops into the aforesaid categories of employees,

insurance and pensions.

Contracts form a large part of the due diligence as a

contract is only as effective and enforceable as it is

legally binding. Not all contracts need to be in writing

but in some instances where a business has verbal

contracts these will be unenforceable if the law decrees

written agreements are needed. As some wit once

noted: a verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written

on.

To summarise; the due diligence process will seem

daunting to the business owners. Do not wait until the

sale and business transfer process begins but start now.

Delay in the selling of the business can cause

resentment and ill-feeling on both sides. Due diligence

creates clarity and eases the transition.

Calum‘s colleague, Fiona MacBean observes,

“Remember that employees become easily demotivated

with delays in the selling process and that affects your

business performance and ultimate sale price.”

Selling your business - due diligence cont

The Grower — 16

Removal of fast tracks from classification The Fast Track (FT) classification protocol, which is

unique to Scotland, allows harvesters quick short term

access to Scottish shellfisheries based on receipt by the

FSA of four initial weekly E.coli samples followed by

four monthly samples. The maximum classification

award which a FT can achieve is ‘B’. Since last May

FSAS has committed to reviewing classification

protocols and whilst our intention is to shortly consult

on a range of changes including the replacement of the

FT system with a protocol based on EU Good Practice

Guidance, the removal of the FT option has been

brought forward following on going enforcement issues

which have been associated with certain shellfisheries.

We are aware that it can take up to a year to achieve

full classification under the existing ‘standard’

classification protocol which remains in place. Our

intention is to consult on a new system later this

summer which will replace existing FT protocols, and

which will supplement the standard system itself. The

proposed ‘provisional’ classification system will require

new area applications to provide a minimum of 10

samples from each identified monitoring point over a

three month period. However for sites where existing

data is available from sanitary surveys, historic

monitoring or surrounding areas, it may be possible to

award an immediate classification. Such applications

will be considered on a case by case basis following a

risk assessment.

Biotoxin update Whilst the volume of closures so far has not reached

the levels seen in 2013, PSP levels on the Clyde coast

have been seen at record levels (over 14,000 ug/kg STX

eq) in recent weeks. FSAS has sent advice to local

authorities and industry organisations advising them of

the increased risks associated with fishing in the area.

The FSA has also welcomed ongoing discussions on

the application on new toxin guidance (‘the traffic

lights’) which was published in April. One of the key

actions arising for FSA was to improve the display of

shellfish data on our website. As a first step we are

intending to present a rolling four weekly excel

spreadsheet online of both phytoplankton and toxin data

which will allow harvesters to select areas of interest in

order to consider whether they are in an ‘amber week’

more easily.

We are aware that the Scottland aquaculture website

(available at:haquaculture.scotland.gov.uk/ ) currently

contains incomplete FSA data. This is because it does

not recognise any ‘unverified’ results i.e. those without

co-ordinates and steps are being taken to address this.

We are working with the developers of the

aquaculture website to explore ways in which FSA data

can be better visualised. Ultimately we hope to develop

accessible graph based correlations between toxin flesh

and phytoplankton results which would allow businesses

to view area specific toxin trends over time.

The FSA is in the process of commissioning an

independent evaluation of the toxin guidance later in the

year which will look at the impact the guidance has had

on businesses and local authorities; alternative risk

management models which may be in use; and access to

technical services across Scotland. This work is due to

commence no later than February 2015.

The 2013 Annual Reports for the official control

monitoring programme have now been published and

are available online at: /www.food.gov.uk/enforcement/

monitoring/shellfish/algaltoxin/

The FSA would like to take this opportunity to thank

everyone for their support in delivering the programme

in what was a very challenging year. Particular thanks

goes to those harvesters who were able to facilitate

sample collection in such a timely and professional

manner despite being unable to harvest themselves for

such a prolonged period. Your help has been hugely

appreciated.

EU update A live bivalve mollusc Commission working group

took place on 24th June. The following summarises key

discussion points:

Codex proposals for classification and an

end product standard. It is highly likely that both a

revision to the criteria for ‘A’ classifications and the

microbiological end product standard will now

emerge. The detail on how this will manifest itself in

practice will need to be agreed but it is envisaged that

there will be sufficient flexibility so as to ensure that

burdens to both Competent Authorities and businesses

Food Standards Agency Update Jennifer Howie FSAS

Jennifer Howie, Head

of Shellfish Unit, FSA

in Scotland.

The Grower — 17

are minimised.

Norovirus. The Commission has tabled proposals

which include the principle of setting monitoring limits

for norovirus at harvesting bed for shellfish to be eaten

raw. The FSA position remains that regulatory limits

should not be introduced at this stage and that an active

management approach such as that being developed by

the UK industry would be preferable until the evidence

base is further developed.

A further meeting is planned for September 2014.

For further information on any aspect of the FSA

official control programme or issues arising please

contact Jennifer.Howie@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk.

Head of Shellfish Unit, FSA in Scotland

25 Guild St,

St Magnus House,

Aberdeen AB11 6NJ

Tel: 01224 285 157

Mob: 0799 0788501

FSAS Update cont

A highly invasive shore crab (Hemigrapsus

sanguineus) has recently been found in a couple of

places in the UK (Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and Herne

Bay Kent). Dr Liz Cook of SAMS says “They’re pretty

easy to distinguish from the native shore crab, so if you

find any can you collect them, record their position and

bring them back to SAMS for me please and I’ll let the

folk at SNH know.”

“It is a small crab with a square carapace (shell) up

to 4.5 cm, variable in colour from orange-brown to

greenish-black. Three distinct ‘teeth’ on each side of

the carapace and banding on the walking legs are

distinguishing features, as is a fleshy bulb at the pincer

base of larger males”

The crab is native to Western Pacific Ocean from

Russia, along the Korean and Chinese coasts, to Hong

Kong, and the Japanese archipelago. It is considered

invasive in the USA having significant environmental

impact.

For further info see-

www.brc.ac.uk/gbnn_admin/index.php?q=node/220

Invasive crab alert

The Grower — 18

The judges look at taste, content, appearance,

packaging, labelling and value for money when selecting

the winners, as well the innovation incorporated into the

development of the product.

Stephen Cameron, managing director of SSMG, said:

“We are thrilled to have won such an important award,

which provides direct recognition of the innovation that

is such an integral part of our business. We believe there

is considerable potential to further develop the shellfish

category with exciting new products.”

Deluxe chowder from Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group is a winner at prestigious Grocer Own Label Food and Drink Awards

A mussel and smoked salmon chowder produced by

the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group (SSMG) has

scooped a prestigious Gold Grocer Own Label Food &

Drink Award.

At a glittering ceremony at The Grocer Own Label

Food & Drink Awards 2014 in London on Friday (16

May), Lidl Deluxe Mussel & Smoked Salmon Chowder

produced by SSMG won Gold in the Ambient and

Chilled Soups Category. The judges said the chowder

had ‘excellent flavour and texture’.

Attractively presented in a 350g pack, the product

features mussels and smoked salmon in a creamy white

sauce.

Another SSMG ready meal, Lidl Deluxe Scottish

Rope Grown Mussels in Chorizo Sauce (450g) was

short-listed in the Fish Ready Meals Category.

ASSG takes a stand at Aquaculture 2014 ASSG took a stand at this

year’s Aquaculture 2014 held

iin Aviemore. For this we

commissioned a new banner

and at the show were promised

a matching one from Seafood

Scotland from their generic

shellfish promotion produced

for Scotland Food and Drink.

Seen on the left are amongst

the very many visitors to the

stand, Jane Grant and Nick

Grant of Scot-Hatch talking to

Nick Lake (ASSG CEO) , Alan

Mackenzie (Business

correspondent to The Grower)

and Craig Burton of Seafish.

The Grower — 19

ALIOLI (garlic mayonnaise)

Garlic

Egg yolk

Lemon juice

Extra virgin olive oil

Roast a whole head of garlic for about 15 minutes in

a medium oven

When cool cut it in half and squeeze the cooked

puree into a bowl

Add an egg yolk a squeeze of lemon and then

carefully whisk 150mls of olive

oil onto the yolk to form a thick yellow mixture

Use with crab and lobster as a dip or with grilled

lambs cutlets. Also very good spread on toasts and

floated on fish soup

VELVET OR GREEN CRAB BROTH

This makes a great rich fish stock or bisque and can

be used to make sauces, add to paella and risotto or fish

soup

6 velvet crabs

large onion roughly chopped

leek roughly chopped

olive oil

crushed garlic

1b ripe tomatoes or a tin

tomato paste

seasoning

herbs parsley stalks bay fennel

water

100 mls white wine

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the

live crabs

Cook for 10 minutes and remove when cool remove

the claws and serve with the alioli (Recipe above )

Using the pan you cooked the crabs in, add the olive

oil or rapeseed oil and sweat the onion and leeks. Stir in

the crushed garlic and then tip in the crab bodies and

crush with the end of a rolling pin or large wooden

spoon.

Stir in thoroughly to really mix in add white wine,

stir in then cover with cold water and bring to a simmer,

skim and add the herbs and simmer gently for an hour

Liquidise the soup or strain pressing the juices

firmly through a wire sieve

Shellfish recipes from Christopher Trotter

The Grower — 20

Oyster regeneration workshop in Donegal

Janet Brown reports

A workshop on native oyster regeneration was

organised in June as part of the Ibis Project, an EU

funded Interreg project run by the Loughs Agency in

partnership with Queen’s University , Belfast and the

University of Glasgow. This was held in Redcastle,

Donegal. A very interesting programme had been put

together by conference organiser Dr Liz Ashton.

The main focus was regeneration for fisheries, with

presenters coming from all over Europe. Only one

speaker mentioned this writer’s particular hobby

horse, oyster reefs. This was the opening speaker,

Julie Duchêne, independent consultant from Brest

talking on regeneration efforts in the Bay of Brest.

The only person to talk of aquaculture was of

course Tony Legg (pictured below with some

magnificent Ortak grown native oysters) who also

reported new information on growth in the Ortak

cages, ecomorphing, as reported in more detail on pages

10 and 11 of this issue.

Richard Haward (Pictured below with Donegal

farmer Peter White) gave a novel twist in that his efforts

to support native oyster restoration on the Blackwater

are only possible due to the income generated from

harvesting the gigas oyster.

Pictured below on right is Jens Petersen who spoke

on the Limfjorden native oyster work with Heather

Moore of AFBI who spoke on Enhanced SMILE for

Lough Foyle.

The talks were aimed towards informing the

regeneration efforts on Lough Foyle which is a seriously

depleted fishery compared with historic levels but

still providing a significant harvest in comparison

to other historic fisheries. Pictured on left: two of

the other contributors, Cass Bromley and Lawrence

Eagling, PhD students at Queen’s with Mark James

of MASTS on a field trip organised at the end of the

workshop.

The presentations will be available shortly on the

Ibis website along with those from previous

knowledge transfer workshop run as part of the

programme.

www.loughs-agency.org/ibis/