Directors, Chris and Steve

JERSEY Oyster Company, the largest grower and exporter of oysters in Great Britain, has been nominated for a prestigious 2007 Aquaculture Today - Fit for the Future Award, which will be announced at our event in Edinburgh this April.

Chris Le Masurier and Stephen Luce, the company’s directors, have been recognised for their contribution to the farmed shellfish industry. Indeed, during 2006, their production levels reached 523 tons, equating to over 14 million individual mouthfuls.

When Chris and Steve took over the Jersey Oyster Company in 1998, exports were around 30 tons. Just two years later, the company was the largest grower and exporter in Great Britain.

In broad terms Chris grows the oysters and Steve runs the company, with the mutual understanding that neither could operate as successfully without the other. Both men are “hands on” employers and are fully aware of the various challenges faced by their staff.

After trading solely with France for the first few years, in 2001 the decision was made to actively return to selling to the UK market, which now accounts for about 20% of production. At the outset Chris and Steve identified “quality” as the single overriding aim. Their efforts to produce oysters and mussels of the highest standard is the reason why demand consistently outstrips supply, and why they now receive regular calls from both France and the UK enquiring about their particular methods of oyster and mussel farming.

A major investment for the company in 2006 was the purchase of their own small freight boat, and this has meant the streamlining of yet another one of the many processes involved in getting the shellfish from “production to plate”.

Commenting on receiving the nomination, Steve said: “All Chris and I want to do is produce top quality oysters, so this nomination is really encouraging for us. It's great that someone out there thinks we are doing a good job; it makes all the hard work worthwhile”.

The awards cover four categories: Finfish (supported by Landcatch Natural Selection); Shellfish (supported by The Sea Fish Industry Authority); Innovation (supported by FISHupdate) and Contribution to Aquaculture (supported by Fish Farmer).

Commenting, Aquaculture Today chairman Bob Kennedy said: “The response to our awards has been tremendous and is a graphic illustration of both the diversity and increasing maturity of the aquaculture sector. The nominees are an impressive representation of an industry that is going places.”

The winners will be announced at our special gala industry awards dinner on April 18. At this special event, the Crown Estate will also announce its annual salmon fish farming awards shortlist.

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