Toxin costs oyster farmer £1,000 a week

Jun 9 2008 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

A FAMILY which runs the region’s only oyster farm spoke last night of their devastation at losing £1,000 a week after they were banned temporarily from selling their shellfish.

Marine officials are warning people not to collect or eat any bivavle shellfish species – those with a two part shell such as oysters, mussels and cockles – gathered from around the Holy Island area of Northumberland until further notice.

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) says samples collected from Holy Island have been found to contain algal toxins.

CEFAS is warning that the consumption of shellfish containing the toxins can cause severe illness.

The presence of algal toxins – a blue and green algae – in bivalve shellfish at Holy Island is a natural phenomenon which occurs around this time of year because of warm weather.

Toxins were found in 2007 and warnings issued, but not during the three previous years.

It means Lindisfarne Oysters, which supplies to high-profile restaurants around the region and beyond, has been closed as a precaution.

Christopher Sutherland, of Ross Farm, Belford, Northumberland, and his wife Helen, have been farming oysters on the Northumberland coast for the past four years after buying the business from Christopher’s father.

The farm, which is endorsed by celebrity chef Rick Stein on his website, lies on the site of oyster beds established by the monks of Lindisfarne Priory.

But the couple, who operate the farm year-round, can’t supply to customers at the moment.

Tests will take place on the weekly basis until the presence of toxins has abated. The husband-and-wife team who have two children, estimate they will lose £1,000 a week.

Previously, they have supplied restaurants including the Gusto Group, which runs Secco and Paradiso in Newcastle city centre, and the Malmaison on the Quayside.

One of their best known advocates in the region is Terry Laybourne, so impressed with their produce he devoted a whole chapter to the North East oysters produced by Mr and Mrs Sutherland in his book, The Quest for Taste. Last night, Mr Sutherland said: “We’ve been shut down which is a bit of a problem.

“It will cost us about £1,000 a week in sales at the moment so it is quite an expensive problem now.”

Mr Sutherland brings oysters back from Holy Island and sells them on to a range of wholesalers at Newcastle’s Quayside, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Hartlepool, Whitby and London.

He can continue to keep oysters on his farm and will be able to sell them when given the all clear.

But his fear is customers will go elsewhere – and not come back.

Mr Sutherland said: “Customers will go elsewhere when we can not sell. It’s getting them back again when we start selling again.”

Steve Oldale, of Northumberland Mussels, based at Spittal in Berwick, also works from Holy Island.

But he is one of those who will be less affected as he makes allowances for the likelihood of toxins being found at this time of year and only operates from September to April.

Mr Oldale, of St Helen’s Terrace, would like to be able to operate over the summer months when he could sell his mussels to tourists.

But he does not take the risk for fear of supplying for sale products which would have to be recalled in the event of toxins being found – an occurrence he says would damage his reputation.

Mr Oldale said: “It is all part and parcel of being part in the shellfish industry.”

Scores on the doors - a success

FOOD safety officers at Newcastle Council have doubled the number of top-rated restaurants in the city.

The council has handed out five-star ratings to 181 venues since it started the "scores on the doors" scheme in January, which sees food hygiene results made available to customers.

More than 105,000 have used the council’s website to view a rating since the scheme started.

And as part of national food safety week officers from the council will be teaming up with catering staff from Newcastle United to teach primary school pupils some basic safety tips.

Newcastle City Council executive member for community safety and regulation Anita Lower said: "Initiatives like scores on the doors are drastically improving food safety standards in businesses across the city making Newcastle a healthier and safer place in which to eat.

"Food safety week also gives us the chance to get important messages out about food safety in the home where many food poisoning cases arise."

According to the scores on the doors website, www.scoresonthedoors.co.uk, 68% of food businesses currently in the scheme in the city are now rated as good, very good or excellent when it comes to standards of food hygiene.