Sustainable Fish Education
Sustainable Fish Education is a 'not for profit' community project that runs a programme of fish tasting, recipes and education sessions for schools and public in Cornwall and North Devon promoting the advantages and taste of local sustainably caught fish.
Sustainable Fish Education and Sales - 2020/2021 REPORT
2020 started with Education work in Plymouth Schools funded by Quaker grant and conducted in conjunction with Food is Fun in Plymouth. Once the Covid restrictions commenced then all education work was suspended.
With the Covid restrictions and problems for local fishermen and fish supply to consumers a local fresh fish delivery service was established with assistance of grants from Fishmongers Covid Emergency Grant and funding from Bideford Rotary Club. During the 15 months period over 100 customers were supplied with fresh Westcountry fish and smoked fish and products sourced from Tregida Smokehouse on the A39 just over the in Cornish border (less than 35 miles aware and therefore classed as local food). Later in the year Cornish cheese and potatoes were added to the product offer and a number of markets were attended.
As a consequence, the 2020/21 accounts have a very different look from previous years with much greater value and number of bank transactions. The fish sales business income was £10,162 and cost of goods £7,861. The grant income was £7,250. In the first 3 months of the year the Devon Area Quaker grant (£1,000) was used on education projects in Plymouth. From March onward grant income was used on supporting the set up and on-going costs of the fish delivery business.
The fish delivery business would not have been viable without the grant aid, especially to cover travel costs, which includes both fuel and costs of refrigerated van in the summer and the general payments made for managing the set up and growth of the business.
All receipts and report on activity have been sent to Fishmongers Charitable Trust as required under grant conditions. The closing bank balance at 31 March 2021 is £323.
Report on Fish Sales During March 2020, as the coronavirus restrictions started, the local fishing industry was very adversely impacted as their usual markets to restaurants and export were closed. Fishermen risked going out of business and needed to find a local market for their fish. At the same time, some supermarkets closed their fish counters and people’s movement and the ability to go out shopping was restricted, especially vulnerable and at risk groups.
Fresh fish suppliers became the ninth most popular Search on google. Sustainable Fish Education decided to set up a pilot fish delivery service in North Devon. Fresh and smoked fish was sourced from Tregida Smokehouse Ltd, located on the A 39 nr. Bude. A twice monthly fresh and smoked fish delivery service was established.
A COVID-19 emergency grant from the Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust, with match funding from the Barnstaple Rotary Shop fund, made it possible to cover start-up costs including expenses towards a cool van for deliveries and promotion to a wider audience. The objective was to provide a new local outlet for locally caught fish and access if Sustainable Fish Sales was a long-term viable delivery business and then hand it on to a local organisation or business that could continue to run it. From April 2020 to March 2021 Sustainable Fish Sales delivered more than 1500 packs of fish to over 120 customers. Feedback was very positive and customers especially appreciated having a source of local fish delivered to their doorsteps. Customers comments- “Fish is fresh and no need for big orders” “Quality, locally sourced and delivered!” “Very pleased to have this service” “Tasty fish brought to the door!”
Thank you to all our customers and supporters. We are very pleased to have been able to supply fresh local fish – especially at a time when so many people were restricted in shopping or confined to their house.
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Learn from the comfort of your home or work place
Richard Wardell, Onshore Training Advisor, analyses how training delivery has been adapted during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The way we learn at work, school or university has changed dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of us now use Zoom or Microsoft Teams for training courses and lectures. There’s also been an increase in the use of online or eLearning resources during the past year. At Seafish we’ve been working closely with our partners to make sure our training programmes are easily accessible and fit for purpose.
Learning resources for our Elementary Food Hygiene and Health & Safety qualifications have been available online since 2018. During 2020 we developed a robust system with our approved invigilators so that exams could be carried out online too. Online learning and exams have proved popular and we’ve received great feedback from the people who completed courses
https://www.seafish.org/about-us/news-blogs/learn-...
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Website: https://www.sustainablefisheducation.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablefisheducation/
Sustainable Fish Education is a “not for profit” community project that runs a programme of fish tasting, recipes and education sessions for schools and public in Cornwall and North Devon promoting the advantages and taste of local sustainably caught fish.
Eating fish that is rich in Omega 3 is important to boost the immune system.
"It reduces the risk of death from heart attacks and reduces the pain of arthritis. Omega-3 is good for providing a healthy brain, nerves, and eyes for babies and young growing children" Ref. The Fish Foundation
The fish that provide the most Omega 3 are: Mackerel, Sardines Herring, Huss, Salmon, Sprats, and Crab. All white fish fillets including haddock, also contain smaller amounts of Omega 3.
Thank you and enjoy your fish
Other North Devon fish suppliers:
Serene Skye Fishing
Local fresh caught fish for sale landed in Appledore
https://www.facebook.com/SereneSkyeFishing/
Phone: 07368 649 109 to order. Leave a contact number to arrange price, date and time for collection.
Appledore Mussels
Appledore Mussels - hand picked from the Taw and Torridge and purified in Appledore
https://www.facebook.com/appledoremussels/
For other North Devon fresh fish suppliers see Blue Marine Foundation for details of where you can buy seafood on the quayside or online: https://www.bluemarinefoundation.com/2020/03/23/localfishfordinner-north-devon/
“We as members of the public have an opportunity through our purchasing power to help the fishermen who fish in small boats around our shores, usually in the most sustainable of ways. They are the life and soul of communities and are vital to the management of our marine protected areas.” Charles Clover, executive director of the Blue Marine Foundation
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Sustainable Fish Education
In 2019 we continue our schools programme with a series of events following on from the local Clovelly herring fishery - enjoying the taste of the 'silver darlings', sustainably caught off the North Devon coast.
If you would like to donate and help us promote the advantages of local, sustainable fish and healthy eating, or if you would like to be a volunteer then please contact us.
Herring Events
Since 2017 we have promoted fresh Clovelly herrings (Silver Darlings) and smoked herring products to over 1000 people:
- 20 Market Stalls at 7 different venues throughout North Devon.
- Worked with over 100 children showing the North Devon Maritime Museum Film “Mease of Herring” followed by a quiz, practical cookery, talk and tasting, storytelling and art work in both primary and academy schools.
- Run Herring and Kipper Cookery demonstrations and ‘Talk and Tasting’ events in 5 venues, including 2 Clovelly Herring Festivals.
