The Menai Seafood Festival, now in its third year, is fast becoming a signature event in the Anglesey food calendar. This year is no exception as it teams up for the first time with Anglesey Marine Week (17-23rd August) to champion and celebrate the very best of local seafood, marine conservation and north Wales’ coastal heritage.
The Festival, which is free to enter, takes place in Menai Bridge, Anglesey, on Saturday 22nd August and brings together local fishermen, farmers, producers, restaurants and hotels to display the amazing variety of seafood and other produce sourced from the area. Over 80% of all food exhibited at this year’s Festival will be produced locally. There will also be a fish auction at the end of the day allowing visitors an opportunity to bid for their seafood supper.
As the event’s main funder, the Gwynedd and Anglesey Fisheries, part of four Local Action Groups (FLAGS), hopes the Festival will help support the sustainable development of the region’s fisheries. The FLAGS support measures to promote economic diversification and an improved quality of life in areas affected by a decline in fishing activities.
There will also be a range of FLAG cookery demonstrations with art and craft, music and children’s activities. Other attractions include the AquaRoots Flat-Pack Fish on display on the Princess Pier. The innovation is an exciting, accessible and engaging learning resource for primary school age children that makes use of an integrated growing technique called aquaponics – a method of growth of both fish and plants in a single, closed system.
Phil Austin, on behalf of Menai Seafood Festival, said, “We are seeing record interest in the Festival this year from the local community and producers which is fantastic. We will be holding a pre-opening concert on the Friday night by Ensemble Cymru and will soon launch an amateur choir competition in the run up to the event. We want this Festival to be as much about promoting seafood as it is about celebrating the unique sense of place associated with this wonderful island.
“Through linking up with the Anglesey Marine Week for the first time we hope also to celebrate our close connection with the sea whilst also helping to raise awareness of the need to improve awareness of the need for marine conservation around our coasts.”
Anglesey Marine Week is organised by Kathy James owner of local wildlife tour operator, Naturebites and Sightings Officer for Sea Watch Foundation. She says, “We are so lucky on Anglesey to be surrounded by the sea, it offers us such resources, for pleasure, for business and for wildlife. Teaming up with the Menai Seafood Festival is an exciting addition to this year’s educational week of events.
“For me, Anglesey Marine Week is about asking people to experience a side of our marine environment that they haven’t considered before, whether that’s it’s artistic value, it’s incredible value as a habitat or just as a place to have fun!
“Each day of Anglesey Marine Week is based around a different locality on the island in order for events to be accessible to as many people as possible.All events are free or at reduced cost and many of the events are raising funds for Anglesey Marine Week’s chosen charities; the Marine Conservation Society, the North Wales Wildlife Trust, the RSPB and Sea Watch Foundation.”
Menai Seafood Festival is a not-for-profit event run by a committee of local residents and businesses from Menai Bridge and the surrounding area. The event has secured funding and support from a number of organizations including: Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG), Cywain; Isle of Anglesey County Council; Welsh Government Food Festival Fund.
The aim of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) is to support the fishing industry and associated communities in both counties through the delivery of a range of actions and activities. The FLAG is representative of the sectors it supports and will encourage a bottom up approach in order to develop viable and sustainable projects.
The FLAG for Anglesey and Gwynedd will contribute towards achieving this aim by pursuing the following objectives:
· Adding value to fishery products
· Encouraging diversification of economic activity
· Preserving and enhancing the environmental, cultural and social welfare
· Empowering the local fishing communities.
