Seafood From Norway has confirmed all winners of the National Fish and Chip Awards 2024 will be offered a place on a once-in-a-lifetime study trip to Norway in June.
Combining inspiration and education, winners will enjoy an action-packed itinerary on the two-day trip where they will experience firsthand how Norwegian cod and haddock is responsibly harvested from Norway’s cold, clear waters.
This includes sailing on the state-of-the-art Østerfjord, a combined longliner and Danish seine fishing vessel, where they will learn how the vessel was carefully designed using world-leading technology to minimise energy consumption, and ensure that fish is quickly frozen at sea to lock in freshness and quality.
Attendees will also meet industry stakeholder and leading experts to find out how Norway’s fisheries keep fish stocks sustainable as well as chart the ocean-to-plate journey of Norwegian cod and haddock including how it is expertly caught and prepared.
Victoria Braathen, UK director of the Norwegian Seafood Council, commented “Norway is a proud supplier of sustainable seafood to the UK, and fish and chip shops have been skillfully creating the nation’s favourite dish with Norwegian whitefish for many years. We’re delighted to host these talented friers to see where and how their produce is caught. What better way to understand the importance of origin than getting onboard and joining our fishing crews?”
Talking about last year’s winners’ trip, John Lavery, co-owner of Fish City in Belfast and winner of 2023 Fish and Chip Restaurant of the Year Award and Environment and Sustainability Award, said: “This was my first time in Norway and I’ve been hugely impressed by everything I’ve seen. From witnessing the beauty of this country and seeing how the Norwegians fish, to discovering the passion they have about doing it sustainably was just incredible to witness.
Thanks to this trip, I now have a connection with Norwegian whitefish, the people and the method behind it all. That in turn works its way into our business. If we are passionate about what we do, and the people that supply our fish to us, that will feedback to our customers.”
Winners will be announced at the National Fish & Chip Awards at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London on 28th of February.
