Samways pledges support for healthy seas campaign (From Dorset Echo)

Samways pledges support for healthy seas campaign

3:00pm Thursday 7th March 2013 in News By Anne Bell

BRIDPORT’S Samways sea-food wholesaler is putting its weight behind a campaign to protect the health of Dorset’s seas.

Samways, Dorset’s largest fishmerchant, has signed up to Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Great Dorset Seafood (GDS) campaign.

Samways has pledged to label all seafood supplied by fishermen working a Dorset port, demonstrating provenance and traceability to customers.

Mark Machin, a trained chef from Samways’ sales and marketing team, said: “Samways supply hundreds of customers, ranging from village pubs serving Lyme Bay crab sandwiches to Michelin stared restaurants cooking hand dived scallops.

“The Great Dorset Seafood campaign fits in really well with Samways’ other work, contributing toward a sustainable fishery here in Dorset demonstrating some amazing produce on our doorstep from Lyme Bay.”

Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Great Dorset Seafood campaign, started in 2011, aims to restore the health and productivity of the sea by giving customers choices and information about sourcing.

Peter Tinsley, living seas manager at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: “This partnership shows we are standing up for local inshore fishermen and for local marine wildlife by putting our seal of approval to seafood that is fresh and locally caught, using more selective capture methods.

“These fishing practices are sensitive to the environment and provide high quality seafood, so it's good for you and it’s good for Dorset and its wildlife.”

Monday saw the annual revision of the Great Dorset Seafood Fish Guide. Seafood that gets the green light includes mackerel and black seabream caught using rod and line, crabs and lobster caught using pots and diver-picked scallops.

Further details at greatdorsetseafood.org.uk or samwaysfish.com