Skippers and vessel owners in Northern Ireland are being asked to take part in a major research project to better understand the UK’s fishing fleet and its economic performance.

Researchers from Seafish, the public body that supports the £10bn UK seafood industry, will be visiting local ports from 29 July to 4 August to talk to skippers and owners of fishing vessels to collect data on the financial and operational performance of vessels.

The results of the annual survey play a vital role in painting a picture of the UK fishing fleet, its economic performance and the challenges it faces as it prepares for life outside of the EU.

Commenting on the survey, Barrie Deas, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO), said: “I would encourage every skipper and vessel owner to assist Seafish by taking part in the UK fleet survey. By sparing the small amount of time required to take part, you will be helping to create the most accurate picture possible of the UK fishing fleet, across boats of all sizes and the entire country.”

The survey interviews should take no longer than 15 minutes for skippers and vessel owners to complete and all responses are treated as confidential, with no figures from any individual vessel revealed in any outputs.

The full report from the 2018 UK fleet survey is expected to be published in the next few weeks, but provisional figures released earlier in the year suggested a solid year for the fleet. Annual fishing revenues stood at £978 million, a slight increase on the previous year, as a 4.8 percent decrease in the volume of fish landed was mitigated by a 5.3 percent increase on the average price per tonne landed. The rising price of fuel was considered to be a particular challenge, with total spend on fuel estimated to be 20 percent higher than in 2017.

Steve Lawrence, Economics Project Manager at Seafish, said: “Considering the potential changes, challenges and opportunities on the horizon, it has never been more important for us to produce an accurate picture of the UK’s fishing fleet and the pressures it faces.

“The UK fleet survey is the major piece of research into the health of the sector touching on both the economics of those that make a living from it and its social impact on communities built around it. The results are always poured over by industry, as well as those looking to understand how management measures and policies play out practically.

“We spoke to around 400 skippers and vessel owners last year and we hope to build on those numbers as well as ensuring representation from all sectors of the fleet across every type of vessel and throughout the whole of the UK.”

Vessel owners who take part can request a free financial performance benchmark report, which provides an indication of how well their vessel is performing compared to similar vessels and can help to inform business and financial decisions. Reports from previous years are available on the Seafish website as is Quay Issues, the magazine which takes a deeper dive into the stories behind the numbers and explores examples of innovative ways to make the industry more profitable, efficient, safe and sustainable.

Food NI board member Peter Hannan, founder and managing director of multi-award winning Hannan Meats in Moira, has been named among the 20 Icons of the Industry by the Speciality Fine Food Fair, Speciality Food magazine and English Heritage. He is the only Northern Ireland food entrepreneur on the prestigious list.

The three organisations have partnered up to celebrate 20 years of the Speciality and Fine Food Fair in London and the biggest icons in food and drink.

Peter Hannan is lauded as being responsible for “Britain’s finest steak”. The citation continues: “Peter has well and truly put Northern Ireland on the fine food map through his iconic business, Hannan Meats, giving lovers of incredible quality meat across the UK access to some of the very best.

“He is driven, he says, by “a true desire to produce great food, and to feed people well” and relishes “being a member of a great team, who share that passion and continuously strive to make good things even better.”

The 20 icons were named at a recent event in London by Speciality and Fine Food Fair, held every September at Olympia in London, Speciality Food magazine and English Heritage

The organisers said: “While every industry has its icons, the fine food and drink industry can boast some of the most passionate of them all.

“Some of them are driven by a mission – to change the face of food and drink, to promote sustainability or to secure a positive future for the evolving sector – while some are driven simply by a love of what they do.”

The list is based on the views of people throughout the industry “eager to see their icons receive the recognition they deserve”.

Each of the icons will be celebrated at Speciality and Fine Food Fair, taking place at Olympia London on 1st-3rd September. Speciality and Fine Food Fair coincides with the final stage of the annual Great Taste Awards, a competition in which Hannan Meats has won the Supreme Champion title twice and has more gold stars than any other food business in the UK.

Other icons listed include Bob Farrand, chairman of the Guild of Fine Food and founder of the Great Taste Awards, Paul Hargreaves, managing of Cotswold Fayre, Patrick Holden, founder of The Sustainable Food Trust, Bruce Langlands, director of food at Selfridges, John Shepherd, chief executive of Partridges, Fiona Richmond of Scotland Food and Drink, Guy Tullberg of Tracklements and Ros Windsor of Paxton and Whitfield.

Dale Farm, the largest UK farmer-owned dairy cooperative, has boosted its cheese range with the addition of cheddar cheese in a new distinctive rectangular format, Dromona Cracker.

Designed to fit perfectly on a cracker, Dromona Cracker was created to suit consumers’ busy lifestyles and increasing demands for convenience.

Speaking about the new product launch, Darren Hughes, Senior National Account Manager, Dale Farm said:

“At Dale Farm, we are dedicated to crafting only the finest cheeses, produced locally at our world-class cheese plant in Cookstown. Our newest addition to the range, Dromona Cracker, with its innovative new format, is conveniently packaged for cracker-sized slicing without any hassle.

“Dromona Cracker has already hit supermarket shelves across the country and can already be found in a wide range of supermarkets and convenience stores, making it easy to enjoy the taste of high-quality cheddar every day.”

Having invested over £20M into its cheese production facilities in recent years, Dale Farm produces 45,000 tonnes of Cheddar per annum. The company is renowned for its award-winning cheeses.

“We use only the freshest, highest quality milk sourced from our 1,300 farmer-owners. The skill and craftsmanship of our cheesemakers and graders helps us to create our distinctive Dromona flavour consistently across each range.”

The launch of Dromona Cracker will be supported through the brand’s ‘Great Food Moments’ campaign, showcasing its cheese products as inspiring and wholesome ingredients to elevate every dish.  For more information visit: https://www.dromonamakesit.com/range/

Dromona Cracker 200g cheddar cheese is available in Tesco, Spar, SuperValu, Centra, CostCutter and Nisa stores.

Mark Wright, joint owner of Ballylisk of Armagh Triple Cream Cheese with brother Dean, were “thrilled” when food and drink organisers for The Open ordered 60kg of their award winning cheese for corporate hospitality meals during the tournament.

Ballylisk was among an extensive group of local artisans who benefited from the return of the historic event to the spectacular Royal Portrush course after 50 years. “We were absolutely delighted when La Rousse Foods placed an order for our Triple Rose cheese for meals at the prestigious event on behalf of international caterer Sodexo,” Mark continues. “It means VIP guests from across the world were able to enjoy our unique single herd cheese.

“It was a marvellous boost for a small producer like Ballylisk to be part of such a wonderful event showcasing the very best of Northern Ireland to an amazing global audience. It was tremendous for Northern Ireland and for Ballylisk of Armagh in particular to be part of such a wonderful event,” he adds.

The brothers launched Triple Rose, their first cheese, in 2017. The family has been farming in the Ballylisk area since 1820.

And his enthusiasm was shared by the sizeable cluster of artisan producers part of The Open. Most benefited from work by promotion body Food NI in developing opportunities for artisan and smaller food and drink producers with Tourism NI, caterer Sodexo and the local Causeway Coast and Glens council. Food NI, furthermore, worked with Open organisers Royal and Ancient and Sodexo for a year to develop opportunities for local processors.

There was also a Food NI showcase of a broad range of local produce during the event. And other products featured in a Made in Northern Ireland section in the Royal and Ancient shop.

In addition, the council organised a ‘Taste the Causeway’ food market in Portrush during the Open.

Chocolatier Geri Martin of Coleraine’s Chocolate Manor created a bespoke gift box of chocolates featuring unique photo chocolates of Royal Portrush for the ‘Made in NI’pavilion in the R&A shop.

“I was first approached by Jonny McDowell of Indie Fude deli in Comber and introduced to the Royal and Ancient team behind the event about my products. “The Open team came up with a suggestion about designing a limited edition box of chocolates for the event. I was delighted when an order followed,” says Geri.

“Given our workshop is located just three miles from the fabulous course, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to have our products on display and available to thousands of international and local visitors,” she added.

Allison Abernethy, founder of the farm-based Abernethy Butter with husband Will, the butter maker, revealed the couple’s delicious butter also featured in meals: “We were invited by Food NI to attend a big food showcase at Windsor Park in Belfast and were successful in our pitch to Sodexo. “It was a very exciting business opportunity for us,” adds Allison.

Morelli’s in Coleraine, the UK’s leading ice cream and sorbet producer, created seven bespoke flavours for patrons and VIPs dining at the Open – Irish Black Butter, clotted cream, seabuckthorn, rhubarb and creme fraiche as well as elderflower and strawberry sorbets

Managing director Arnaldo Morelli continues: “With having our roots here on the North Coast, we were very proud to be supply our products for the Open on its historic return to Portrush. It was an amazing boost for everyone here and, of course, for Northern Ireland abroad.

And Wayne Adair of Longbridge Drinks in Belfast supplied his unique Belfast Ginger Ale enjoyed with Gerry White’s Jawbox Gin in after match celebrations.

Wayne revived Belfast Ginger Ale from an original beverage created in the 19th century by a local chemist in the Cromac Street district. “It was marvellous to have this golden opportunity to reach out to a global audience. I appreciate greatly the support from the organisers, Tourism Ireland, Tourism NI and Food NI in working alongside the caterers on our behalf,” he says.

Alastair Bell provided his innovative Irish Black Butter for use on the menus at the event as well as for Morelli’s for ice cream. Alastair says: “I was delighted that Irish Black Butter was on the menu. As a Portrush business, it is fantastic that such a high status international audience enjoyed our award winning product. To have our innovative Irish Black Butter on the menu was a great honour. It was a sensational opportunity to spread the love of an old traditional recipe and a great new taste of Ireland with a global audience.”

Handcrafted charcuterie from Alastair Crown’s Corndale Farm in Limavady was another product that was enjoyed at the event. He provided a broad range of award winning cured meats. “The caterers sampled our products are were very impressed. We are excited by the business that could result from such high-profile exposure,” Alastair adds.

Leona Kane of Broighter Gold culinary oils, also from Limavady, supplied her famed oils to chefs in the VIP hospitality marquees to cook with at the event. “It was a superb opportunity to show my oils to an international audience that could, in time, lead to further exports,” she adds.

Other smaller businesses that contributed products to The Open include Burren Balsamics, Keenan Seafoods and East Coast Sea Foods.

This all added up to an exceptional business opportunity for many of our artisan producers to reach out to a huge and influential audience helping to  boost exports of our food and drink.

“There was tremendous collaboration by all the organisations behind the exciting event including Tourism NI, Tourism Ireland, Sodexo, the Royal and, of course, the local council,” adds Food NI’s Michele Shirlow.

Food NI member Dale Farm, Northern Ireland’s largest dairy business, increased pre-tax profits of £12 million in the year to the end of March, a 19 percent jump on the previous year.

The company, headquartered in Belfast and with processing operations in Ballymena and Cookstown as well as England and Scotland,also reported record turnover – of £509 million – and return on investment of 15.8 percent.

The group, which processes milk into butter, yoghurt, cheese and a host of other products, also said it paid the highest price of all milk buyers in Northern Ireland.

A stronger global milk market helped, and Nick Whelan, chief executive of Dale Farm, said a positive culture within the business has also been behind the performance.

He said: “Our consistent profitable growth is the result of our people working together on an ambitious strategy in a culture of continuous improvement, a focus on product and process innovation and building partnerships with major customers across the UK, EU and beyond”.

Meanwhile, Dale Farm has invested over £30 million into the business over the last four years.

He added: “We continually assess and reinvest into every step of the production process to increase our operating efficiencies and in doing so, have achieved a return on capital well above the industry average. Our cooperative ethos is underpinned by a long-term vision to support dairy farming across Northern Ireland and Great Britain and that will remain the driving force behind our development going forward. The number farmer members and suppliers has also grown”.

He said: “Success for Dale Farm means success for every dairy farmer within our membership as we look to strengthen our balance sheet, while at the same time paying the best milk price possible. This ethos has attracted a significant number of new members and suppliers over the past financial year with growth of over seven percent in our milk pool”.