Prawn fishermen invited to meet Laeso Fish
8th August 2022
Laeso Scotland is inviting prawn fishermen across the UK to an open day at its processing centre in Peterhead on Friday, 26 August, to learn more about the services the company can provide to support fishermen in obtaining premium prices for their catches, both whole and tails.
The small island of Laeso, in the Kattegat off the Danish coast, is surrounded by productive prawn grounds, and has built up a reputation for quality product. Celebrating its 60th year in business, the Laeso company is still owned by fishermen. It has always concentrated on the quality end of the market, expanding into Skagen, and more recently across the North Sea to Peterhead. The Danish CEO and CFO from the parent company will be coming over to Peterhead to engage with skippers in support of the local team there.
Laeso pays skippers on the quality of their individual catch, with emphasis on maintaining premium quality, and offers support to the growing fleet of
Scottish boats able to meet these quality standards. Transport options available to the company means it can now purchase prawns from across the UK, if the quality meets company standards.
Peter Overton (pictured above), the newly appointed general manager of Laeso Scotland, told Fishing News: “Laeso Fish has a name renowned for quality within the shellfish industry and especially in Scotland, and I was delighted to be asked to join the team in November 2021.
The new Celestial Dawn, which lands its prawns to Laeso Fish, loading boxes for its next trip.
“This team has a great sense of family as the majority live locally, have worked for the business for many years, and support good causes within the community.
“Sarah Urquhart, our office manager, has been with the business for 23 years, and Gary Park, our landing manager, for 19 years, alongside many of the staff having worked here for five years or more.
“Skippers are passionate and take pride in what they do, and they land to us as they know we share that same commitment to provide the highest-quality product to our customers, be they in Europe, the Far East, or locally to fine food companies such as Amity Fish Company in Peterhead and to other businesses in Aberdeen and the shire.
“As a member of the Scottish Seafood Association and Shellfish Association of Great Britain, our team’s voice is heard on sustainability and support for our industry throughout the entire supply chain, and on ways to help our industry markets grow.”
The company actively encourages skippers to dip product using Prawnfresh (the same dip that it uses in the factory), which is less harmful to the equipment it contacts than metabisulphate.
“This is not only about us providing the very best quality langoustine to our customers,” Peter Overton said. “A byproduct of this is that vessels working with us see none of the long-term damage that meta can cause to vessels over prolonged exposure. We have the experience to be able to help skippers maintain the best possible quality without its use, which can generate considerable costs savings over time.”
He added: “Our business celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2023 and continues to expand its markets, and we want more skippers to join our family.
“On 26 August we are inviting all those skippers in the UK who share the same ethos of passion, pride and quality to visit our site and see what we do to ensure their high-quality product reaches the end consumer.
“Please contact one of us to book your place.
“We look forward to hearing from interested skippers, and ask that those wishing to talk to us book ahead, so that we can confirm catering arrangements, letting us know by Monday, 22 August.”
Open Day for Prawn Skippers to see around facilities
Friday, 26th August 2022
10am-2pm
Laeso Fish Ltd: Damhead Circle, Peterhead, AB42 3GX
E-mail your contact details to: administration@laeso-fish.com or call Gary on 07817 783370 to confirm attendance by Monday, 22nd August
This story was taken from the latest issue of Fishing News. For more up-to-date and in-depth reports on the UK and Irish commercial fishing sector, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.30 here.
