Tresco Supplier Protecting Lobster Stocks

Bryher's Island Fish have joined the National Lobster Hatchery's 'Buy One Set One Free' scheme, meaning they will donate money to the Padstow-based charity for every lobster order they receive.

For every lobster ordered, the busienss will donate £1 to the National Lobster Hatchery, which will go towards raising young lobsters to be released into the wild. Island Fish has pledged a minimum £500 donation this season.

The National Lobster Hatchery says their scheme helps increase the survival rate of baby lobsters by around 1,000 times. In 2014, the charity released over 53,000 juvenile lobsters into the wild.

The Pender family, who have fished in Scillonian waters for generations, say they have learned from the decline in Scandinavian lobster stocks.

Amanda said: "In Scandinavia they watched stocks decline but didn't do anything about it until it was too late and there was a catastrophic drop in numbers. We don't want that to happen here."

Already, egg-carrying female lobsters have their tails notched and are then released back into the ocean, giving them at least another two year’s breeding before they can be caught. Scillonian fishermen also have the most stringent minimum landing size in the country, meaning juveniles are left in the ocean to reproduce for longer.

Mike Pender added: “Sustainability is a bit of a buzzword. It’s just common sense really. You can’t go out there and harvest the seas without making sure there’s a plentiful supply of little ones coming through.

“We have to look out for the fish stocks, and for our children and grandchildren’s livelihoods.”

Amanda says the scheme will mean her customers can enjoy delicious Scillonian lobster ‘guilt free’ as they help to preserve our lobster stocks for the future.

Island Fish deliver to Tresco and also attend the weekly Tresco Market on New Grimsby Quay every Tuesday afternoon during the main season.