The annual competition run by the Association of Scottish Shellfish to find Scotland’s best mussels and oysters was held today in the Corran Halls, Oban, Argyll.
The winners were:
Mussels – Inverlussa Shellfish, Isle of Mull (Douglas Wilson)
Gigas (Pacific) Oysters – Colonsay Oysters (Andy Abrahams)
Native Oysters – Loch Ryan Shellfish (Tristan Hugh-Jones)
Inverlussa Shellfish and Colonsay Oysters, who were also winners in 2009, were congratulated by ASSG Chairman Walter Speirs. “We are really pleased that so many shellfish farmers take an active interest in this competition and the entries were to a really high standard,” he said.
Andy Abrahams flew in from Colonsay when his ferry was cancelled due to bad weather, so keen was he to take part. “I am delighted with this award and will be back next year to pick up a hat trick,” he laughed.
Douglas Wilson held up his award for delegates to see. “This will look great on my wall and make me proud every time I see it,” he stated.
Tristan Hugh-Jones said: “We are delighted to have won this award. This achievement is a direct result of the hard work and dedication by the team at Loch Ryan Shellfish, and is excellent news for our forthcoming marketing campaign.”
The winners were presented with prints of mussels, gigas oysters and native oysters by Richard Bramble.
Judges were Alex Needham, head chef/manager at the Waterfront Hotel, Oban, John Ogden, proprietor of the Shellfish Shack and the Seafood Temple, and Guy Denon, Category Manager for Fish at top Belgian supermarket Delhaize. Their decision was unanimous.
