Mahon Point Farmers Market – Ummera will be there!

I didn’t realise until today that no one was selling smoked salmon at the Mahon Point Farmers Market; I knew that someone had been and I presumed was still.  But Ralph came back from the Kinsale market today telling me that there wasn’t any smokey fish there, so a quick phone call to Rupert Hugh-Jones, the market manager, and Ralph is on for an early start to get set up on this Thursday morning.

I don’t think that he quite appreciates the  trauma of getting to Mahon Point in rush hour from West Cork! Anyone with any tips on the rat runs please let me know!

London Tasting

Feels just like winter today in West Cork!

However, if you are in London tomorrow and anywhere near Battersea Rise, do drop into the re-launched No. 53 (formerly Mise enPlace) at 53 Battersea Rise, London sw11 and meet Simon Richardson of GS Foods who will be giving a tasting of some of our products, primarily our Gold Award winning Smoked Organic Salmon.

 

If you are in the area tomorrow Saturday, do say hello to Guy Wolley and Simon; I’ve told them that I will arrange the rent-a-crowd!

 

Our new online ordering pages are up and working, so if you can’t make Battersea, go online and browse through our web site.

National Organic Week

As part of our participation in the National Organic Week, we are having a sampling of our Smoked Organic Salmon at Scally’s SuperValu in Clonakilty on Saturday morning from 11.00am.

We will also, of course, be featuring it at the Bandon Farmers’ Market on Saturday as well.

Come and see us!

Drift Net Ban to hit salmon producers – Press Extract

Sunday Business Post 5^th November 2006 – Extract from article by Adam McGuire

…But some producers are supportive of the new legislation.

Anthony Creswell, owner of Ummera Smokehouse in Timoleague, Co Cork, said he welcomed the government’s decision, but said that if it had followed scientific recommendations before now, a ban on drift-net fishing might not have been necessary.

‘‘It’s probably the best thing the department has done in a long time. The government has spent too long taking political, rather than realistic, decisions,” said Creswell.

He said his company had put more emphasis on organic salmon long before now, due to the inevitable decline of salmon stocks. Over the past three years, the company has slowly shifted its production to organic. He said the ban would have little impact on business.

End Quote

By way of clarification, we have do have smoked wild salmon available, and we very much hope to be smoking Irish Wild Salmon in the years ahead – but only from sustainably caught stock.

The Three Wise Men

The recommendations of the Three Wise Men on proposals for the wild salmon fishery that have been adopted by the Irish Government can be read/downloaded at:

3 Wise Men!

It is 100 pages in length, but the Executive Summary (7 pages) is worth a read. The rest will be of interest to those more closely involved.

Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre

Last Thursday a Food Community met at Cork Airport at 6.15am to catch a flight which would take them to the Lingotto Centre in Turin, Italy to participate in Terra Madre, a gathering of 6,500 people from 150 countries of the world.

This group consisted of a cheesemaker, salmon smoker (me!), a food writer, a farmers’ market stallholder, a distributor of fine foods, a couple of academics (who clearly enjoy food!), a charcuterie specialist or two, and a seed saver/farmer plus a representative of Bord Bia and the “leaders” from West Cork Leader Group
At Terra Madre, a logistical marvel, we broke up into various work groups where discussions and debates were held on many topics. Do have a look at the Terra Madre web site for images and details of an amazing few days. Needless to say, the food was brilliant, the wine great and the weather ideal- and we were NOT on holiday!

And we did return on Monday night, maybe not all but one quarter did!

A Sustainable Salmon Fishery – Yes!

Last October at Slow Fish in Genoa, Italy questions were asked about why Slow Food were apparently supporting a fish product which was being caught in an unsustainable fishery. The product was Irish Smoked Wild Atlantic Salmon. The unsustainable part was all about the interceptory and multi-stock nature of the Irish Drift Net Fishery.

Today, November 1st 2006, will be regarded by all interested in the conservation of Wild Atlantic Stocks as being the day when commonsense eventually prevailed and the Irish Government agreed to the ban of the Drift Net fishery around the coasts of Ireland. Ever since mono-filament nets appeared in the 1960’s, the wild salmon have been under threat. During the 1970’s and 80’s millions of salmon were taken by these invisible ghosts.

Governments of all persuasions have prevaricated over decisive action for fear of losing coastal votes. The facts have been there for all to see, certainly in recent years, but still the politicians have delayed. Catches of Wild Salmon have dropped by half in the last five years.

It has taken the threat of heavy fines from the EU to persuade the Government to take this action, nothing to do with the preservation and conservation of the wild salmon. Is it simple cynicism on  my behalf, but am I not wrong in believing that it is only votes which politicians think of, not conservation, not preservation, not making the place a better place to live, just simply votes?

And only the threat of fines or brown envelopes make them think otherwise!

But back to the title – with today’s decision, the Irish Wild Salmon fishery will be sustainable and Ummera will buy wild salmon again. Not many, but they will be from sustainable stocks, from rivers which have a surplus to their spawning capacity.

Dublin & Shop 2006

Day one over! Feet sore from standing up all day, head tired from being awake since 5 this morning!

A good show, with a diverse selection of products well displayed. If you are in the business and in Dublin on Monday or Tuesday you really should call in. And visit us on Stand K7.

Ummera at Shop 2006, Dublin

Crack o’dawn on Sunday morning, courtesy of RyanAir (and we won’t go down that route right now) will find me up in the skies en route to the RDS in Dublin for the Shop 2006 Fair at the RDS. On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday I will be at our Stand K7 from 11:00 to 18:00hrs.

Call by and say hello!

Bandon Farmers Market – This Saturday

Two weeks doesn’t take long to come round! Soon the market will be weekly so it will be even more frequent. Hopefully the wind will drop, the rain will vanish and the customers will be out in force!