From the Sea
It’s hard to match the seafood in Guernsey’s waters. Turbot, bass, brill and lobster: it’s all here in abundance and so fresh. If you choose to – and many do – you can dine on nothing but fish during your visit. That’s because the islands are home to a staggering variety of seafood. Whether it’s a cliff top picnic, a coastal barbecue or something from the charcoal grill of a world class restaurant, Guernsey’s got seafood to suit every occasion.
As you travel around Guernsey you will notice that there are many ‘Hedge veg’ stalls selling all sorts of produce and not just vegetables. In the parish of the Vale there is the Crab Cabin, which sells freshly picked spider crab and chancre.
On the fishing quay in St Peter Port Seafresh Fishmongers sell freshly caught fish and shell fish supplied straight from the fishing boats.
Alternatively, you could always hire a rod (or bring your own) and have a go at catching your own!
Why not try your hand at a recipe or browse our online seafood market to see what’s on offer or learn about a local delicacy the Ormer?
If you love seafood then this is the site – and the island – for you.
Catch of the Day
Bass
Known in Guernsey as barr or lubin and in France as loup de mer, the bass is one of the finest local fish. Islanders used to say that the end of the ploughing season was the time to make a good catch - ‘when the ox is weary, the bass is fat’. The bass is sleek and elegant, with a fine silver body, a darker back and white under belly. It has a delicate flavour and can be cooked in almost any way. A firm favourite with local diners!
BrillThis slender flat fish – known in France as barbue - is a smaller version of the mighty turbot. But the brill is much more than just a ‘runner up’: its superb white meat is well worth tracking down. Brill can be pan fried, grilled, baked or poached and goes particularly well with shellfish. It is also a good fish to cook with red wine. Available almost all year round.
Chancre (edible crab)With its terrifying claws and muscular shape, the edible crab, known locally as chancre (pronounced ‘shanker’) is a Guernsey staple, prized for its delicious flavour. Picking the succulent brown and white meat from the thick shell and claws is a bit of an art (not to mention longwinded), so why bother? It’s done for you here, which means that you have time to enjoy chancre throughout the island, in kiosks and cafés (in rolls and sandwiches) as well as in bars and restaurants (plain, with mayonnaise or in salad). Usually eaten cold, chancre is available all year round but is said to be at their tastiest in winter.
LobsterThis Epicurean crustacean seems to be a feature of the best summer days, sometimes in Sark, often for lunch and always with a crisp white wine. It would be madness to visit Guernsey and not indulge in lobster – whether plain boiled, cold with mayonnaise, thermidor or tossed with fresh pasta. Roll up your sleeves, pour another glass and congratulate yourself on a good decision. Holidays don’t get any better than this.
MackerelPossibly the quintessential Guernsey fish, the mackerel – or macro as it was known – has fed generations of islanders and, salted, was exported as far as Gascony. With its distinctive bluey-green back and long, slender lines, this really is a beautiful fish. Mackerel flesh is firm, oily and full-flavoured. Whole mackerel can be grilled, barbecued, braised or poached. For the ultimate treat, try cooking them fresh from the sea, over a driftwood fire on the pebbles, at sunset. Crack open a bottle of local cider and enjoy the timeless taste of Guernsey.
MonkfishAll in all, the monkfish is not a pretty sight - to be honest, it’s so scary that you seldom see one for sale complete with its head. But that’s not important when you order it in one of Guernsey’s many seafood restaurants, because the perfect, lobster-like meat has a taste that is out of this world. A voracious predator, Monkfish - or lotte as it is known in France - is available all year round. It’s great grilled or in bouillabaisse – in fact, it’s wonderful however you cook it.
MusselsJust across the water, in France, they are practically fast food, but islanders still take their time over mussels. A plate of moules means plenty of action and bags of flavour. Unlike our Norman cousins we tend to eat them with bread – rather than frites – but the effect is the same: noisy, delicious and fun.
OystersPrized by some as an aphrodisiac, the oyster is a treat in itself! Like the lobster, oysters are a luxury that can turn a perfect summer day into a vivid, lifelong memory. The west coast of Herm is home to oyster beds, which are always a welcoming sight as your aircraft banks round for its run in to Guernsey airport. A plate of oysters, your friend’s latest (endless) joke, a cold glass of white and sky the colour of a black bird’s egg: does summer get any better?
Red MulletThe Romans were crazy for this is little pink fish and it’s not hard to see why. The red mullet has a handsome profile, lean meat and a full-bodied flavour. It lives on small creatures on the sea bed and is available locally during autumn and winter months. Pan-fried or grilled, red mullet is always a good choice, particularly in Mediterranean recipes.
ScallopsThe star of the celebrated Coquille St. Jacques come in two varieties here in Guernsey – Great scallops (known simply as ‘scallops’) and the smaller Queen scallops. Both are equally good. This shellfish is renowned for behaving like its shell-less neighbours, choosing to swim through the ocean, rather than tunnel beneath it. There is certainly no shortage of ways – or places – to enjoy scallops, whose firm white meat and bright orange roe are always in demand.
Spider CrabThe spindly spider crab can sometimes be bought from roadside stalls out on Guernsey’s west coast. The spider’s meat is mainly in its legs and is prepared in the same way as the heftier chancre. It has a spiny shell with narrow claws, which are livid red when cooked. It is traditionally eaten with bread and butter. Don’t forget the vinegar.
TurbotPossibly not the most handsome thing in the sea, but the turbot’s superb taste and firmness more than make up for its lack of looks. This ‘big league’ flat fish – some can weigh up to 12kg - has been prized throughout Europe for hundreds of years. Whether poached or grilled, theturbot never fails to please. See what all the fuss is about in one of Guernsey’s many seafood restaurants.
The Ormer
The Ormer is a favourite with islander’s who can spend hours wading through rock pools on Guernsey’s coastline in search of the elusive abalone.
There are strict rules on collecting Ormers in order to protect future supplies, however, if you are lucky this single shelled mollusc can be found under rocks at very low tide but only on certain days of the year!
Ormers are collected on a handful of dates between 1st January and 30th April. The minimum size for retaining Ormers is 8cm, measured along the longest axis of the shell and breach of any of the regulations protecting Ormers can incur a fine of up to £5000 or six months imprisonment.
Further details on these and other Guernsey Sea Fisheries regulations, including collecting dates, are available by phoning 01481 234567 or e-mail
seafisheries@commerce.gov.gg For an Ormer recipe, please see the seafood section of the
Recipes page on this site.
Fishing Locally
The beach is not the only place to find the sea in Guernsey: it’s also in the blood. The sea is everything: often a friend, sometimes an enemy and always a rich source of fascination. For some, it is also a livelihood. Many say that the island’s fishermen are her finest sons, providing a living link with an industry that has existed for over 500 years.
The ocean was the mainstay of the local economy throughout the Middle Ages, when fish were caught, salted or dried throughout Guernsey and Sark before being shipped as far as Gascony. The same vessels returned home, laden with good wine. To experience time travel, spend a few moments relaxing on the worn granite slabs at La Salerie, just to the north of the town of St Peter Port. Little boats rock on their moorings, framed by a miniature granite jetty, in what was once a busy centre for salting fish. Today, this rugged little harbour is a haven of calm and an atmospheric reminder of a busier, bygone age.
Guernsey prospered for many years exporting preserved fish, until a new threat emerged over the horizon in the sixteenth century. Cod, caught in huge numbers off the coast of Newfoundland, flooded the market. Some intrepid Guernsey fishermen decided to seek their fortunes across the Atlantic on the Great Banks, but it was their counterparts on the island of Jersey that really profited from this new trade.
A regular fish market has always been part of life in St Peter Port. An impressive new building was constructed for the purpose in 1830 and, some 30 years later, the flourishing English railways delivered fresh Guernsey seafood straight to London.
The end of the nineteenth century saw the islands’ fishermen overtaken by the more advanced technology of mainland British fleets. Working their small, traditional sailing craft, locals struggled to compete with steam powered English boats, with their powerful new trawling systems. Many gave up the unequal struggle, turning to quarrying and horticulture to make a living. The golden age of Guernsey fishing was finally over.
Today, the local market for fish has evolved, but is as buoyant as ever. The Guernsey fleet still plies local waters, supplying the islands’ vibrant restaurant industry with an uncommon selection of seafood. The boats unload at the Guernsey Fishermen’s Co-op on the Castle Emplacement. To inspect their catch, get to the shop soon after 07.30 a.m. from Tuesday to Saturday each week. Seafood doesn’t get any fresher than this.
Whilst it may no longer be a major export, islanders’ appetites for fine fish are as healthy as ever.
The Guernsey Fishing Boat
The typical Guernsey fishing boat was a three masted, carvel hulled sailing vessel, carrying a powerful gaff rig.
The design evolved into an agile, seaworthy little craft, well suited to the islands’ rocky coasts and unforgiving waters. The boats were traditionally black, with green below the waterline. Inside the crew area was a paler green and, overhead, the masts were hung with tan sails. Sark crews identified themselves to their loved ones ashore by dyeing one sail red. A typical Guernsey fishing boat can be seen in the Maritime Museum at Castle Cornet.