17.01.07
Fal Oysters are an international hit

Cornish fishermen have been promoting their native 'Fal Oysters' on an international stage thanks to help from the South West Rural Enterprise Gateway (SWREG) and Cornwall County Council.

Members of the Truro Oyster Fishery Management Group are hoping to see increased exports to European countries of their sustainably caught and high quality product, after a recent visit to the major bi-annual Slow Food conference, 'Terra Madre' in Italy, which draws over 6,500 participants from all over the world. The Slow Food organisation was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and protect the diversity of food, tradition and culture.

In 2003, the oyster fishermen formed a group with local buyers and the fishery regulator, Carrick District Council. The group manages the future of the fishery and have recently accessed support and funds from the SWREG project to help them market the product to wider audiences. Evonne Amblin, Business Link project officer for SWREG Fisheries said: "The work this group is doing is so important for the future of the Fal Oyster Fishery; at one point there were around 80 boats fishing on the Fal Estuary, then in the 1980s disease caused stocks to plummet. The fishery is slowly recovering and currently there are about a dozen fishermen as supplies gradually increase." Evonne continued: "The South West fishing industry is estimated to be worth £244 million to the local economy and directly accounts for around 1,300 offshore jobs and 2,000 onshore jobs so it is a sector we can't afford to neglect."

Fal Oysters are wild, native oysters found on the sea and river bed of the Fal Estuary and are famed for their distinctive sweet, fresh and delicate flavour. The oysters are fished in traditional sailing boats as no mechanical power is permitted on the fishery. The Management Group is also currently applying for Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, a scheme established by the EU to help protect the names of traditional foods in order to define their authenticity and preserve their place of origin and traditional methods of production.

Objective One Fisheries programme manager, Clare Leverton said: "Fal oysters really are an exceptional product, distinctive to the region and of a very high quality. The fishing techniques couldn't be more sustainable. I have helped the Management Group with Objective One Fisheries grants in the last two years and was really pleased to see them get the award from SWREG and Cornwall County Council for this trip and the promotional work."

Clare continued: "The visit to Turin has increased the amount of international contacts the group has which will hopefully pay dividends in increasing the opportunities to export in the next few years. Securing PDO status would also be an enormous boost for the product, placing Fal Oysters alongside internationally well known brands such as Cornish Clotted Cream and Parma Ham."

Ben Wright, owner of the Duchy of Cornwall Oyster Farm, Helford said: "We already know that the product we're supplying is excellent but the oysters are a high value, low volume product and so we need to focus on a niche market. SWREG is helping us develop a specific focus for the sales and marketing to develop the reputation of Fal Oysters – at home and abroad."

The South West Rural Enterprise Gateway is delivered through the Business Link network and aims to help rural businesses access information, training and business development support, using funding sourced through the South West RDA. Specialised support is available to groups of fisheries and marine related businesses in the South West. For more information, contact Evonne Amblin on 0845 600 9966.

For further information contact Adam McPherson of the Marketing-PR Company on 01566 771861 or email amcpherson@marketing-pr.co.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Duchy of Cornwall Oyster Farm through the Financial Instruments for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) fund.

Editor's notes:

SWREG is an element of Business Links Gateway service aimed at helping rural businesses in the South West, through access to information, training and business development support.

It is one of the support schemes aimed at helping rural and land based businesses across the South West region and administered by the Business Link Agricultural Team. Others include:
• Farm Business Advice Service
• Rural Business Support Initiative
• Rural Diversification Capital Grant Initiative
• Rural Directory

Business Link Devon and Cornwall delivers the national Business Link service to the two counties under contract from the DTI's Small Business Service.

Business Link provides a free information and enquiry service via an information gateway on the web www.bldc.co.uk and via the telephone on 0845 600 9966 to all businesses and those considering starting a business.

Business Link has received Objective One investment (European Regional Development Fund and EAGGF) to help companies improve performance and grow.

The South West of England Regional Development Agency was established by Government in 1999 to promote the long-term economic success of the region. It does this by working with others to give people the skills they need, encourage enterprise, improve infrastructure, help communities with regeneration and promote the strengths of the region.

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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