My views are my own... Ranger

Claim about oysters needs to be corrected... April 01 2020

My favourite bit of this is 

"Could someone e-mail A Bojo and tell him that we have no Cornish Mafia, that same young fisherman told me that he has Cornish Pixies and Fairies at the bottom of his garden and that Elvis is not dead!"

So we entered the Oyster Festival Harbour Race aboard the Alf Smythers with the crew as Piskie's (Cornish for Pixie's) and me as Elvis 'Arhauh' and I went on stage to collect the trophy ha ha 

See I told you in an earlier post only 3 men supply the festival... How is that fair to the other licensed oyster gatherers? And ask yourself, how do 3 men get 20,000 oysters fished and processed in the first week of the season? 

Two Letters to Falmouth Packet

 

13th October 2010

"Claim about oysters needs to be corrected 

After reading a letter in last week’s issue of The Falmouth Packet that was critical of the way the oyster festival was run, I felt very strongly that some points needed to be corrected.

Firstly, as a licensed oysterman from a family that has been on the oyster fishery for five generations, I wholly support the oyster festival and the way it promotes our produce.

I spent the whole weekend of last year’s festival schucking out on the oyster stall with eight to ten other people at times, all going flat out. And I can assure your readers that all the oysters were from the Falmouth estuary.

The three oystermen that were present, including myself, had harvested the whole consignment. This year, the stall again is being supplied by the same source and run by oystermen.

This is a great festival and I hope this letter puts a more positive slant on things.

Tim Vinnicombe, Chairman of The Port of Truro Oyster Protection Association

13th October 2010

I want to put the record straight for oyster festival

In response to the E.Mail to the Falmouth Packet from A.Bojko in last weeks Falmouth Packet.

Here are a few facts to allay any confusion and put the books straight.

In the main Oyster festival tent only genuine native (from the Fal. Estuary) oysters have been and will be served.

Professional oystermen like myself, my brother and Les Angel have been supplying the festival for many years.

We have over a hundred years of experience between us. The oysters are especially caught, graded, cleaned and then have a period of 48 hours in special tanks where the water is filtered and treated under ultra-violet light .

They are also tested and have to be passed by the Falmouth Port Health Authority.

They finally reach the public in first class condition.

This young fisherman must realise that three buckets of oysters and a loaf of bread will not feed the 40,000 customers who come to the festival.

Could someone e-mail A Bojo and tell him that we have no Cornish Mafia,that same young fisherman told me that he has Cornish Pixies and Fairies at the bottom of his garden and that Elvis is not dead!

Les Angel and myself in conjunction with the St. Michael’s Hotel will be selling you our own oysters caught in the Fal Estuary,shucked and served by us,(the Professionals).

Marshall Vinnicombe, Penmere Crescent, Falmouth"


Call for council to cultivate oyster beds... April 01 2020

It was always the oystermen that looked after the beds, now it's just take take take with some of them...

 

Falmouth Packet 

31st March 2010

"Call for council to cultivate oyster beds

By David Barnicoat

SOME oyster fishermen in Falmouth area have called for Cornwall Council to maintain or cultivate oyster beds to help stocks.

The fishermen, who work in Mylor Creek and on the River Fal, said the clearing of weeds from beds was needed during summer months when the season was over.

They say weeds on beds prevent juvenile oysters – or spats – growing.

Cornwall Council said that although the county council last carried out work on the beds in 2006, cultivation was down to the fisherman.

Skipper fisherman Frank Vinnicombe, one of three full-time fishermen in the area who works during the winter oyster season, said: “We need a lot more summer cultivation.”

 


"Council taxpayers in Carrick will be underwriting the cost of the Falmouth Oyster festival by up to £4,650" April 01 2020

That is nice of them, do they know only 3 oystermen supply the private event on private land??

BBC News Last Updated: Saturday, 1 July 2006, 16:59 GMT 17:59 UK

 

Taxpayers to subsidise festival

 

"Council taxpayers in Carrick will be underwriting the cost of the Falmouth Oyster festival by up to £4,650.

For the next three years Carrick District Council will subsidise the event to the tune of £2,500 as well as losses up to the agreed figure.

The festival celebrates the River Fal's traditional industry.

The financial commitment will be reviewed annually with any profits ploughed back to reduce the subsidy in the next year.

This year's festival will be organised by the National Maritime Museum."

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/5137058.stm