UK fishermen, chefs and restaurateurs
Well, I guess you could call us a loose association of British communities, either catching or using fish, committed to the Slow Food criteria of ‘Clean, Good and Fair’ . . . in other words good for the environment, of the highest eating quality, and with a fair return to the fishers. Long term, we think that fishermen, greens, chefs, indeed everyone, want the same thing . . . lots of fish in the sea, from which good catches can be taken, while leaving plenty in the sea for everthing else. The challenge, for those fisheries that are depleted (now there is a debate!), is how to get there. We are looking forward to exchanging ideas and experiences on this both at Terre Madre and hopefully through a good deal of networking beforehand so that we can get the most out of it.
A bit more about us below. But cutting straight to the chase, we are really anxious to network now with others involved in this area, so that everyone gets the best use out of the Terre Madre workshops, at other events (and hopefully over a drink or two). We are interested in people’s experiences, ranging from the very practical … (are you using tags to make sure it really is your fish that gets to the buyer; if you are, what tags work best for you; or are you using other methods). Are you using direct supply to get a better price (and is it better!) or going through a supply chain. And then there are the broad issues … such as just how do you score ‘clean, good, and fair’ without it costing a fortune, (and with everyone agreeing!). We have been working very actively on this, so look forward to exchanging our experiences on this. But we are also looking forward to just listening - for example to other people’s views and experiences, from all the continents, on issues like sustainable fishing.
Oh yes, about us! There are four communities working together at Terre Madre, and this is a not an exclusive group, just that we happen to know each other! These are:
Sussex Coastal fishing community In the heavily suburbanised south-east of England many people are unaware that there is a local fishing industry, but it exists, and has done for hundreds of years. One can be sure that fishing has been going on from one location, Hastings, well before 1066, and at Terre Madre they are represented by the Hastings small beach based boats that fish for herring and mackerel (using drift nets), and for dover sole (using trammel nets), both of which are MSC certified. ... Leader - Paul Joy
Cornwall Coastal fishing community The fisheries off the south-west are the most diverse in England, with the largest range of species. At Terre Madre 2006 they are represented by inshore gill net netters, who show that this often criticised technique, skilfully used and in the right location, can be a highly targetable fishery, with short soak times producing very high quality fish. Also represented – we hope - are Cornish small boat hardliners, fishing for species including sea bass, pollack and mackerel (MSC certified), and who have recently introduced on-board tagging of fish, that assure the consumer which boat the fish were caught by ... Leader Dylan Bean
Then there is the Yorkshire Coastal fishing community Yorkshire has been greatly affected by the decline in traditional species such as cod, and the trawler fleet has also fallen as a consequence. However there is an active and innovative inshore fishing community. At Terre Madre 2006 two fisheries from Bridlington will hopefully be represented, a relatively new inter-tidal fixed net fishery for sea bass, which has been approved for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certification, and an inshore lobster creel fishery which is taking steps to obtain MSC certification. ... Leader Frank Towler. No doubt like many other fishers operation individually or as family groups, it is a challenge getting cover for what is a substantial period away from the fishing at Terre Madre . . . fingers crossed.
Then there is a UK restaurateurs and fishing networking community This is an ‘enabling’ community, creating links between UK restaurants and coastal fisheries that meet what are in effect the Slow Food principles of clean (endeavouring to be sustainable, both for the fisheries and the wider ecosystem), good (the highest possible quality) and fair (agreeing supply mechanisms directly restaurant menus and fishing methods. Overall, the UK coastal fisheries could be said to be poorly documented and assessed, and this community is collaborating with fishers to seek out and nurture best practice. The high number of MSC certified fisheries represented by the Cornwall, Sussex and Yorkshire communities, show the potential that exists ... Leader Caroline Bennett.
... and then there’s me, sort of acting as a sweeper between the groups, but particularly with Caroline. I’m Malcolm MacGarvin, and I live up in Glenlivet in the Highlands of Scotland
Terra Madre delegate, 22:43:PM | Food Community, UK | Comment (11)
hi malcolm
great to see you here. I look forward to seing you at terre madre.
tom
greenbean, 01:54 AM - 15 August 06Hi Malcolm,
I will be one of the chefs at TM from the UK.
Currently looking to work closer with MSC certified fisheries whether through an exisitng supplier or more direct route.
It would be great to create a link with your community.
I feel very strongly about using fish from British waters as much as we can, firstly because we have some of the best fish / shellfish in the world but also to support the industry in our own country.
I see little point in shipping fish, or any ingredients for that matter, half way across the world when we have perfectly good - often better here on our own doorstep.
But you already know all that!
Its a question of how we balance it with what is sustainable, there seems to be confusion over which fish we should or should not be eating due to low stocks and overfishing.
Look forward to meeting up with you at TM to discuss further.
Regards
Jeremy
Jeremy Ford, 10:09 AM - 17 August 06(if this pops up as a double posting, apologies - but no sign of it on the board after a couple of hours)
Hi Jeremy
As you will know it’s relatively easy to be aware of the very worst (or at least the most controversial) fisheries, and MSC attempts to identify the very best (thought there is a cost for a restaurant using MSC fish). But - depending on how you define them - there are over 1250 distinct inshore fisheries in England and Wales alone, using different methods, targeting perhaps 50 species of fish. Many of these fisheries will fall somewhere between these two extremes. So,, apart from supporting initiatives such as MSC, we (the restaurateur ‘section’, Caroline and I) are working on providing a ladder up for the many fisheries that are somewhere in the middle, perhaps already better than average (or who have *credible* plans for doing so) and who want to improve still further, but need a helping hand of sales to get them there!
One thing we are working on is an ultra-simple, non-technical, database for chefs. You tell it what fish you are interested in, and the months that you want it, and it comes back with a listing of all fisheries with those fish in England and Wales, scored for likely environmental impact, quality and fair dealing. Crucially, it also has the contact details for ordering - we are aware that the whole process has to be as fast and simple as using a chef’s existing supply route. That ties into a second area we have been working on, scoring the ‘portfolio’ of fish that a restaurant currently uses. The idea is that rather than trying to become perfect in one leap, a restaurant commits to improving it’s score over time, and it does this by selecting the best practical fisheries, changing as and when better ones become available. But of course, many restaurants source globally, and their suppliers may not have the foggiest idea from which wild stocks the fish come from - they may know the country of origin, but that isn’t the same thing. So, you need to find a way of scoring globally and comprehensively ... quickly and cheaply. We think we have a way, but that’s another subject ...
Overlapping with this is the notion of assembling manageable groups of restaurants, with different fish requirements, with a number of fishing boats who supply them, giving mutual security eg for effects of bad weather in different areas, or individual restaurants going bust! The idea is to keep this at a very human, scale, so the chefs and fishermen know each other. This has worked very well when trialled by Caroline, and we are currently working on going wider (beyond Moshi Moshi), starting in London, but also linking in to regional restaurants and regional fisheries.
Anyone reading this will immediately think of a number of challenges to overcome, and issues to face, for this to work! One of them is that it either has to be free, or at least provide value for money, in order to be widely taken up. That means the scoring of the fisheries has to be credible, but also simple given that there are over 1000 of them in England and Wales inshore alone.
We’ve done the trialling part, and actually have created the database on the fisheries (species, fishing method, port), but now we need to systematically scoring them, and getting the supplier details (direct from the fishermen or indirect). That means actually getting out on the boats, we are very hands on. That’s going to need some money - moreover, money without strings. And of course we are tying it into existing initiatives such as MSC, Seafood Choice Alliance etc, so that it all hangs. We are working very actively on that, and hopefully by the time of Terra Madre we will have some good news.
But there is also lots of discussion to be had around this, different ideas about the best route, etc, and that’s why we are looking forward to Terra Madre, and even better if a dialog gets going beforehand. Feel free to drop me an email and we can chat, and I can also give you Caroline’s contact details so that you are talking directly restaurant/chef. And the same invitation is there for any others reading this, from whatever part of the world you are from … please chip in, we are dying to hear from you.
Best wishes, Malcolm
Malcolm MacGarvin, 01:24 PM - 18 August 06Hello to all,
Ernest kweku Somuah Debrah, 02:10 PM - 22 August 06i wish to express my feelings right here.I have applied tp participate as an observer to the coming conference.i think sponors can also consider our aid because as a student i do not have muc funds to comeover and honestly do not want to miss this time .Timee to explore with the international world.i need assistance please.
Kind regards
i have still not heard fro any source about my participation as an observer.i need sponsorship as well.Guess what am going through as a fisherman from the west Africa
ERNEST KWEKU SOMUAH DEBRA, 10:57 PM - 11 September 06Hello,
I’m sorry you were not contacted sooner. We are unfortunately no longer able to offer financial support for those who wish to participate as observers in Terra Madre.
Terra Madre coordinator, 06:58 PM - 12 September 06Hello, i want to introduce Bethel aid foundation to you all.We are workin with farming communities at rural and national levels in Ghana.we facilitate socio-economic process which will ensure the establishment of a viable grassroots women’s association, and to address issues of food security, diversification of in comes, environmental degradation and reproductive health with HIV/AIDS on sustainable basis.
Ernest Somuah Debrah, 05:31 PM - 24 November 06As farmers we want to link up with Terra Madre so as to participate as a community and to explore ourselves with international communities.we seek your concern,support to accept us to work with you.i shall send you maore details about our work and our achivements so far.We work with fish smokers,farmers,chefs and participate in international affairs.You can reach us through our e-mail:bethelaidfoundation@hotmail.com,bethelaidfoundation@yahoo.com.
Our doors are always open
i’m looking fro working in restaurant of fish
khalid, 01:08 AM - 12 December 06TM 2006 feels so long ago already! Anyway all you chefs and cooks would you look into my on-line blog where I have started posting tips about honey, and maybe put a few of your ideas for its use in too!
Mike, 11:39 PM - 26 February 07Many thanks
Sorry I forgot the link is http://www.bees.co.uk/int-honey-book
Mike, 11:42 PM - 26 February 07http://tramba.20xhost.com/index.html CitiCards
http://tramba.20xhost.com/eliminate-credit-card-debt.html Eliminate Credit Card Debt
http://tramba.20xhost.com/citibank-credit-card.html Citibank Credit Card
http://tramba.20xhost.com/hsbc-credit-card.html HSBC Credit Card
http://tramba.20xhost.com/credit-card-reward.html Credit Card Reward
http://tramba.20xhost.com/consolidate-credit-card-debt.html Consolidate Credit Card Debt
http://tramba.20xhost.com/sears-credit-card.html Sears Credit Card
http://tramba.20xhost.com/instant-approval-credit-card.html Instant Approval Credit Card
http://tramba.20xhost.com/aspire-credit-card.html Aspire Credit Card
http://tramba.20xhost.com/mbna-credit-card.html MBNA Credit Card
http://tramba.20xhost.com/home-equity-line-of-credit.html Home Equity Line of Credit
http://tramba.20xhost.com/home-equity-loan-rate.html Home Equity Loan Rate
http://tramba.20xhost.com/consolidate-loan-student.html Consolidate Loan Student
http://tramba.20xhost.com/school-loan-consolidation.html School Loan Consolidation
http://tramba.20xhost.com/home-equity-loan-refinancing.html Home Equity Loan Refinancing
http://tramba.20xhost.com/0-apr-credit-card.html 0 apr Credit Card
http://tramba.20xhost.com/chase-credit-card.html Chase Credit Card
http://tramba.20xhost.com/travel-reward-credit-card.html Travel Reward Credit Card
http://tramba.20xhost.com/online-credit-card-approval.html Online Credit Card Approval
http://tramba.20xhost.com/free-credit-score.html Free Credit Score
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/index.html “>CitiCards</a>
brett, 09:28 PM - 05 October 07<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/eliminate-credit-card-debt.html “>Eliminate Credit Card Debt</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/citibank-credit-card.html “>Citibank Credit Card</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/hsbc-credit-card.html “>HSBC Credit Card</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/credit-card-reward.html “>Credit Card Reward</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/consolidate-credit-card-debt.html “>Consolidate Credit Card Debt</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/sears-credit-card.html “>Sears Credit Card</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/instant-approval-credit-card.html “>Instant Approval Credit Card</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/aspire-credit-card.html “>Aspire Credit Card</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/mbna-credit-card.html “>MBNA Credit Card</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/home-equity-line-of-credit.html “>Home Equity Line of Credit</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/home-equity-loan-rate.html “>Home Equity Loan Rate</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/consolidate-loan-student.html “>Consolidate Loan Student</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/school-loan-consolidation.html “>School Loan Consolidation</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/home-equity-loan-refinancing.html “>Home Equity Loan Refinancing</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/0-apr-credit-card.html “>0 apr Credit Card</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/chase-credit-card.html “>Chase Credit Card</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/travel-reward-credit-card.html “>Travel Reward Credit Card</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/online-credit-card-approval.html “>Online Credit Card Approval</a>
<a href=” http://tramba.20xhost.com/free-credit-score.html “>Free Credit Score</a>