In December 2001 Cornwall Sea Fisheries Committee will be commencing a one and a half year study into the feasibility of growing the ormer at a variety of sites around our coastline. Practical assistance was given by South West PESCA to apply for European funding under Objective 1 for the project, which is aimed at producing a possible source of diversification for Cornish Fishermen.

The ormer, otherwise known as the ‘sea ear’ or ‘muttonfish’ is the European Abalone, a marine gastropod renowned as a local delicacy in the Channel Islands. The various species of abalone form one of the most highly prized gourmet seafood’s throughout the World – but it is little known on mainland UK. Many will have marvelled at the beautiful mother of pearl shells, frequently used in jewellery, one of the paua (the black lipped abalone) which is a relative of the ormer. However, relatively few people on mainland UK will have savoured the ‘steak like’ joy of eating abalone other than in exclusive oriental restaurants until now.

Wild stocks of different abalone species throughout the world have been fished to low levels encouraging the development of aquaculture or farming in the sea. The ormer is an ideal species for aquaculture and has been cultured in the Channel Islands and off the West Coast of Ireland since the 1970’s and has well known on-growing and hatchery techniques. The high market value and low mass, make the ormer an attractive product to culture by remote rural coastal communities distant from their niche market.

Although in the past workers at MAFF (now DEFRA) Conway Laboratory and at Portsmouth Hayling Island marine laboratory undertook a significant amount of research work in the early 1980’s, no-one has every undertaken specific trials of growing the ormer in mainland UK waters. However, in 1997 a MAFF sponsored study showed that the temperature regime for the South West England was similar to that where the ormers naturally occur in the Channel Islands and to Western Ireland where they were successfully introduced. This demonstration project aims to put theory into practice.

Trial sites have been identified offshore of Padstow, Penzance, Isles of Scilly and Falmouth with further related trials offshore of Beer in Devon and Portland Harbour in Dorset. In addition, tank based ormer culture is also being compared with another trial within the National Lobster Hatchery in Padstow.

If the project is successful we hope to consider setting up a small scale ormer hatchery, possibly in association with the National Lobster Hatchery, that can help support local fishermen who wish to consider ormer culture. The expertise generated within 5this trial will also be available to support future ormer farmers in years to come.