19 June 2009
Shetland-based Blueshell Mussels won three impressive
awards at last night’s (Thursday 18 June) prestigious Crown Estate Scottish
Marine Aquaculture Awards in Edinburgh, including the coveted ‘Best Marine
Aquaculture Company’ prize, presented by Environment Minister, Roseanna
Cunningham. The company, described by the judges as ‘a very worthy torchbearer
for Scottish marine aquaculture’ is also taking home both the ‘Innovation’
and the ‘Best Shellfish Farm’ awards.
The Crown Estate’s Scottish Marine Aquaculture Awards recognise the best
of the best in the industry and highlight the achievements of Scotland’s
marine aquaculture businesses. So, it is a tremendous coup for Blueshell Mussels
to achieve such impressive results.
‘Fish farm innovation in the raw’ is how judges described Blueshell
Mussels’ entry for the ‘Innovation’ award as they demonstrated
how the determination to improve combined with the confidence to try something
new can produce a great idea. Judges were particularly impressed by the production
benefits that the company has realised.
It was the attention to detail in every aspect of its operation that impressed
the judges about Blueshell Mussels’ site. The continuous fine-tuning of
practices to ensure production efficiency, teamed with a wealth of knowledge
on the local environment and its influences on their product quality, combined
to provide an outstanding example of shellfish production at the cutting edge,
worthy of the ‘Best Shellfish Farm’ award.
From a very distinguished field, the judges finally chose a winner for the ‘Best
Marine Aquaculture Company’. For the sheer drive that Blueshell Mussels
displays in the growth of its business, the development of its product and markets,
and the desire to improve, the company – described as a very worthy torchbearer
for Scottish marine aquaculture – walked away with this highly sought
after accolade.
Judges commented that Blueshell Mussels is a company that refuses to stand still
in any aspect of its activity and the success that it has achieved bears testament
to this.
Managing director of Blueshell Mussels, Michael Laurenson, said: “We are
delighted to win three awards including ‘Best Marine Aquaculture Company’.
These accolades reflect the growth of the company since we started harvesting
in 2000.
“In that time we’ve gone from being one of the smallest to the largest
rope grown mussel producer in the UK. In fact, we were the first rope grown
mussel farmer to produce 1,000 tonnes – this year we have surpassed this
with a production figure of 1,200 tonnes.
“Our achievements are a direct result of the innovation, hard work and
dedication demonstrated by all the team at Blueshell Mussels.”
Further information from:
Michael Laurenson, Blueshell Mussels, tel 01595 522555 or
Louise Rosie, Shaw Marketing and Design Ltd, tel 01595 692465, email louise.rosie@shaw-online.com
or visit www.shaw-online.com