Business

Kilkeel boat builders' boost

Simon Rimmer
Simon Rimmer Simon Rimmer

TWO Kilkeel boat-makers are among the finalists in the ‘Best New Boat of the Year’ category in the Fishing News Awards, resurrected after eight years and which celebrate the men and women who work long hours in often extremely difficult conditions to put healthy and sustainable food on our tables.

Raymond and Samuel Patterson, along with G Smyth Boats, are both in the running for the prize.

Other Northern Ireland nominees across the other categories include Dick James, the long-standing chief executive of the NI Fish Producers’ Organisation, who is nominated for the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Ardglass in included in the ‘Port of the Year’ section.

The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Aberdeen on May 26, the evening before the popular Aberdeen Fishing Expo, and will be hosted by Sunday Brunch co-presenter Simon Rimmer, a professional chef and restaurateur, and who is chef patron of two award-winning restaurants in Manchester.

He said: “It’s no secret that Irish seafood is some of the best in the world, so it’s not surprising to see so many nominations for these prestigious awards. The dedication shown by everyone in the Irish seafood industry to maintain such a consistent, high quality product is certainly worthy of recognition.”

Fishing remains one of the UK’s most challenging occupations, with almost 12,000 fishermen still setting out to catch the 756,000 tonnes of seafood landed by British vessels each year.

To see the full short-list and vote for your favourite before the closing date of Tuesday May 10, go to www.fishingnewsawards.co.uk