Scotland produces some of the best seafood in Europe, much of it exported. But the best shellfish, crab and lobster are those that have been harvested and delivered to market while still alive.
Perth-based Ochil Foods is an established firm which supplies restaurants and hotels and which has just launched a new service – “LIVE Shellfish from Skye”. The firm says it has a passion for promoting the best of Scottish. It has developed a network of artisan producers, farmers and fishermen, one which is expanding all the time.
According to Jeremy Dixon, the company’s marketing director, “we have seen an unprecedented acceleration of interest in provenance, driven by the demand ultimately from the paying public and also a genuine interest by chefs, hoteliers and restauranteurs. Just look at the most successful restaurants in the central belt at all levels, Gardner’s Cottage, Timberyard, Edinburgh Larder, The Scottish Cafe, Urban Angel, Tom Kitchin, Andrew Fairlie, the central theme of all is provenance and Scottish.”
The new service has been made possible, curiously, because of demand from Skye itself. A number of chefs there had asked if Ochil Foods could supply them with produce from the mainland. With 10 customers on the island, it made the collection of Shellfish straight from boats financially possible because it would mean having a full van in both directions.
David Oakes
Diving for Scallops
As Dixon points out “It is the fact that I or one of our staff will be able to look the fishermen in the eye, send a tweet of a lobster or langoustine, and then deliver that same produce to you the next morning that really excites us. We can use social media to highlight quality and provenance, each tweet will have the google location attached, in turn you can use this information to promote this great product to your customers even before it has arrived.”
One of the leading fishermen identified by the firm is David Oakes, who has been diving for Scallops on Skye since 1987 and runs a business called Oakes Marine. What is remarkable about him (amongst many other things) is his longevity. Diving is usually considered a young man’s game but David remains fit enough to still dive daily – testament to his drive and passion.
Loch Sligachan on Skye
With age comes experience and this he has in abundance. From his base on the banks of Loch Sligachan, David’s Scallops are already on the best menus ahead of other divers. For instance, he has been supplying The Three Chimney’s for the past 12 years. He’s able to sustain this because he has a “Several Fishery Order” for the loch, something granted to relatively few people.
Scotland’s sea-beds are available for anyone to fish; however a select few are granted a licence to cultivate and manage an area that nobody else can touch – a Several Fishery Order. It involves a rigorous vetting process. In David’s case, it covers an area of about 40 hectares on the loch, enabling him look after his area over the long term. It ensures there’s no pressure from others taking Scallops that are not ready to harvest. From a consumers’ point of view, it allows him to pick the most consistently-sized and best quality Scallops.
Pan roasted scallops
Ochil Foods believe they have an excellent deal with David Oakes. The number of Scallops he can harvest is limited and Jeremy Dixon insists that “we are very lucky that David has granted us the option to 100kg per week, about 400 Scallops. This number could increase, but there is a two year lead in time, as David would have to increase the number of Scallops he brings up from the deeper ground to the shallows!”
He points out that Scotland’s specialist food outlets, farmers’ markets and farm shops are increasingly looking to add or already have good selections of shellfish. He believes that the market place is changing and developing so fast that it won’t be long before our outlets catch up with some of those in Europe.
“We are living in an unique period of time,” he says, “with the growth of the internet and social media and the effects this has on knowledge sharing, education, transparency and provenance. In this environment the cream will always rise to the top which is what is so exciting for Scotland Food and Drink. I hope I am right because it is such a shame to see so much of our fantastic produce exported and not eaten at home.”