Calum Greenhalgh, Port Isaac, Cornwall.

We have relied on Calum Greenhalgh for many years for his fresh catch of crab and lobster, which he delivers directly from the boat to our restaurants.

Calum and his wife Tracey, run Fresh From The Sea, a fresh fish shop and cafe selling Calum’s catch, as well as arguably the best crab and lobster sandwiches man can buy!

Brought up in Nottingham, Calum was originally introduced to fishing by Tracey’s family. It was her father who first took him out to sea, and later her grandfather, who Calum describes as ‘an old man of the sea’, took him under his wing and taught him everything he needed to know about fishing for a living. Calum enjoyed the life so much that he decided to make it his full-time occupation and he’s now been fishing for over 30 years.

In 2003 Calum made the ethical decision to work a single handed slow boat to reduce his carbon footprint and the number of lobster pots in the water, even though the trend at the time was for bigger, faster boats, he felt it important to work and live off the ocean in a far more sustainable manner.

The future of the fishing industry is always a concern and like many other fishermen, Calum tries to promote conservation of fish stocks. He has worked closely with the National Lobster Hatchery in Padstow since it opened and regularly supplies them with female lobsters carrying eggs (known as Berried Hens in the trade). The Hatchery nurtures the female lobsters until the eggs are hatched and then in a series of stages they grow the baby lobsters until they are big enough to be released into the sea (often by Calum). These efforts are in an attempt to promote lobster stocks and secure the fishery for future generations of Port Isaac Fishermen.

Around Port Isaac, Calum catches brown crabs, shore crabs, spider crabs and velvet crabs, all at different times of the year. And of course he catches lobsters and crawfish. Occasionally the odd triggerfish or cuttlefish gets caught in the pot too, all of which we make best use of.

Nathan on Calum:

“The premium quality of Calum’s crabs and lobsters is largely down to the way they are handled. Working alone, he is able to ensure full control over the fishing process. To start with Calum is more selective than many other fishermen, taking only those crabs and lobsters that are likely to be of the finest quality. He gauges this using his experience, taking into account their weight, colour and the firmness of their shell. Once landed, the shellfish arrives within minutes at our kitchens, and is not subjected to the typical lengthy storage and transport that causes stress. Having a fisherman like Calum on our doorstep means that our crab and lobsters are of a quality that cannot be matched by bigger enterprises.”