Double accolade for family oyster business

It was a double celebration for family-owned Caledonian Oysters at the Scottish Shellfish Awards this week, with the business retaining its title for Best Native Oysters and receiving a commendation in the Rock Oyster (Gigas) category.

The awards, held as part of the annual Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers conference in Oban, saw prizes given in three shellfish categories. The winners were:

Best Rock Oysters (Gigas)

Winner: Craig Archibald, Islay Oysters

Commended: Judith and Angus Vajk, Caledonian Oysters

Best Mussels

Winner: Cameron McLean and Douglas Wilson, Inverlussa

Commended: Iain Mackay, Hebridean Mussels

Best Native Oysters

Winner: Judith and Angus Vajk, Caledonian Oysters

Commended: John Barrington, Creran Oysters

Nicki Holmyard of Offshore Shellfish, a member of the judging panel and columnist with Fish Farmer, said the standard of entries had been excellent this year and added: “For probably the first time, the judges were unanimous in their decisions on the winners for each category.”

The awards were sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

Also at the conference, growers and others involved in the shellfish sector from across Scotland and further afield gathered to meet and hear updates on the latest developments in the industry.

Speakers included David Jarrad, CEO of the Shellfish Association of Great Britain, Eleanor Adamson of the Fishmongers; Company Trust and Heather Moore of AFBI Ireland.

See a full report of the conference in the November issue of Fish Farmer, out later next month.