One of Britian’s tastiest, most sustainable and yet underappreciated delicacies, features in a new national campaign to encourage consumers to enjoy more sustainably caught seafood, in order to protect the nation’s favourite seafood dishes for generations to come.
Brown shrimp from The Wash, caught and enjoyed for centuries by the people of King’s Lynn in Norfolk, became the first UK shrimp fishery to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification in 2020. It is now being showcased in the MSC’s annual Sustainable Seafood September campaign, as a leading example of sustainable fishing in action. The MSC is the world’s most recognised ecolabel for sustainable seafood.
Last month, the fishery was recertified to the MSC’s Standard for sustainable fishing, highlighting that it is a well-managed fishery that meets global best practice. There is a comprehensive monitoring programme to ensure the shrimp stock is healthy, and cone-shaped nets are used to direct bycatch into an escape hole, to help avoid the capture of larger fish.
The fishery, managed by the Shrimp Producers Organisation Ltd, is a major local employer, with a fleet of 55 inshore boats ranging from 8m to 18m long. The annual catch of around 1,000 tonnes is processed by the two Kings Lynn-based shrimp buyers - Lynn Shellfish and John Lake Ltd.
Steven Williamson, Managing Director of Lynn Shellfish which employs about 50 people, spells out the importance of the fishery locally and its sustainability credentials.
“The shrimp fishery is the most important fishery in The Wash,” he says. “It’s something you can fish all year round - not always in vast quantities, but it gives fishermen a reliable option.
“MSC certification is absolutely vital. Without it, we couldn’t sell shrimp. And if we couldn’t sell shrimp, we couldn’t fish shrimp. Without shrimp, Lynn Shellfish wouldn’t be viable - it would be the end of the company.”
Historically, Norfolk brown shrimp would have been transported and sold in fishmongers all over the UK. Now, 95% of the local catch goes to the Netherlands, while convenience seeking UK consumers are drawn to imported peeled prawns, says Steven’s colleague and daughter, Abbie Williamson, the company’s manager.
“To get shrimp onto more plates in the UK, I think there needs to be a push with recipes, and chefs need to get involved,” she says “In King’s Lynn, people have them in sandwiches, salads, tarts - all sorts.”
The MSC is doing just that, featuring the story behind this delicious homegrown delicacy in its annual campaign, now in its sixth year, urging people to buy, cook, order and enjoy certified sustainable seafood to ensure they and their children and grandchildren continue to enjoy their favourite dishes, using the slogan Buy Blue, Protect Dinner.
George Clark, Programme Director, MSC UK & Ireland, said: “Whether it’s tucking into fish and chips on the harbour wall, a warming fish pie with the family gathered round the dinner table, or seafood pasta on a date night, we want to preserve our favourite fish dishes well into the future and so we have to make responsible choices now.
“I love potted shrimp on toast but there are so many other new and exciting ways to enjoy this amazing delicacy. This September is all about celebrating sustainable seafood, trying something new and enjoying it into the future.
“The Wash brown shrimp is a fantastic example of a fishery that’s thriving, and since achieving the MSC’s blue ecolabel, it’s a fabulous product we’re able to enjoy for generations to come.”
Sarah Marsh who’s worked for 38 years at Donaldson’s, the sole surviving fishmonger in Kings Lynn, is certainly doing her bit to engage customers in the heritage and provenance of the town’s prized asset.
“Local people want their own, and we’re proud to provide it. You don’t get brown shrimp like ours anywhere else. Most local customers already know where the shrimps come from, but we explain it to visitors. We tell them about the boats, when the tides are, and encourage them to watch the landings. People like knowing where their food comes from - it builds trust.
“People also buy shrimps for salads, potted shrimp in butter, or just to eat straight with bread and vinegar. All generations enjoy them from small children to people in their 90s.”
Fish lovers can find more information about Sustainable Seafood September as well as recipes using Norfolk brown shrimp as well as for seafood pasta and fish pie here. The story behind the Norfolk shrimp can be found here.
For more information or for interviews please contact:
Karen Attwood, Senior PR Manager UK & Ireland
About the MSC
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organisation which sets globally recognised, science-based standards for sustainable fishing and the seafood supply chain. The MSC ecolabel and certification program recognises and rewards sustainable fishing practices and is helping to create a more sustainable seafood market. For more information visit msc.org/uk.