The Seafood Awards are a Seafish initiative designed to encourage enterprise, innovation and best practice across all areas of the seafood industry.

Whether you are a processor, retailer, frier, fishermen, restaurateur, fishmonger or any other member of the industry, there is an award category to represent you.

Created in 2005 as a bi-annual event to recognise excellence and promote sustainable practice across the seafood industry, the Seafood awards consistently attract a high calibre of entry and this year’s crop of winners has proved to be no exception.

Our judging panel is composed of a diverse cross-section of the most senior figures in the seafood industry.  The panel is completely independent and expert in their respective areas of the industry, so an authoritative overview of all nominations is guaranteed.

At the awards ceremony held in London’s Grosvenor Square on the 22nd May, Seafish announced the winners of the 2009 Seafood awards.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Seafish Chairman Charles Howeson said, “This has been the most successful Seafood Awards since their inception in 2005, with over 170 entries in the fourteen award categories – a testament to the innovation and determination to win that exists in this industry.”

Howeson also noted the contribution the seafood industry makes to UK plc, with more than 86,000 jobs and £5 billion of Gross Value Added contributed to our economy by the seafood industry.

The full list of winners is as follows.

Catching for the Market Award:
Ian Wightman, Skipper of the Eilidh Anne, Ayrshire, Scotland

Technical Innovation Award:
Mark Greet, Falmouth Fishing Company, Devon, England

Training and Development (Fishing) Award:
Sam Cumming, Whitby and District Fishing Industry, North Yorkshire, England

Training and Development (Processing) Award:
Louise Matheson, Aquascot Ltd, Ross-shire, Scotland

Training and Development (Retail) Award:
ASDA Stores Limited, Yorkshire, England

Aquaculture Producers Award:
Marine Harvest (Scotland) Ltd, Inverness-shire, Scotland

Sustainable Futures Award:
M&J Seafoods, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England

Best Independent Campaign – Seafood Fortnight:
The Hilton Hotel, Cardiff, Wales

Best Retail Campaign - Seafood Fortnight:
ASDA Stores Limited, Yorkshire, England

Seafood Retailer of the Year Award – Multiple:
Waitrose Limited, Bracknell, Berkshire, England

Seafood Retailer of the Year Award – Independent:
Haymans Fisheries, Oxford, England

Seafood Restaurant of the Year Award:
Captain’s Galley Seafood Restaurant, Scrabster, Caithness, Scotland

Seafood Pub of the Year Award:
The Swan Inn, Barnby, Suffolk, England

Seafood Chef of the Year Award:
Rob Green, Green’s of Whitby, North Yorkshire, England

Encouraging Children to Eat Seafood Award:
South-East Food Group Partnership, Hampshire, England
Busy Bees Children’s Nurseries, Burntwood, Staffordshire, England

Best New Seafood Product Award – Whitefish:
Brakes – Cod, Smoked Haddock and Leek en Papillotte
Joseph Robertson, Aberdeen

Best New Product Award – Shellfish:
Ugo Foods Group
Del’Ugo Handcrafted Crab and Crayfish Ravioli

Best New Seafood Product Award – oil rich fish:
Marks and Spencer
Raw Scottish Lochmuir Salmon with soy, ginger and lime, The Seafood Company

Outstanding Contribution to Industry Award:
Tim Oliver, Editor, Fishing News – London

For more information on the award winners from your region, the winners brochure is available on request.

Pictures of the winners are available here.

For more information please contact:
Nikki Hawkins
Seafish
t: 01889 271604
e: n_hawkins@seafish.co.uk