Published: April 15, 2020 | Updated: 15th April 2020
Two businessmen have launched a new venture aimed at supporting local fishermen and also encouraging people to cook freshly caught fish.
BH Fish has been created by Jon Morgan of Dorset Cruises and Rob Milton of Othniel Oysters.
The coronavirus crisis has seen restaurants in the UK and most of Europe closed leaving local fishermen with no trade and the population in lockdown.
The fish for BH Fish is wild caught in Poole Bay and Poole Harbour using sustainable, low impact fishing methods.
Lobster and crab are caught in Poole Bay and the oysters, cockles and clams from inside the harbour.
Each day the fishermen return to Poole Quay with their daily catch.
The details are then uploaded to www.bhfish.co.uk as well as Facebook and Instagram pages.
The ‘Catch of the Day’ can be seen at the top right of the home page and shows daily availability.
Fresh fish and shellfish can be ordered and delivered straight to the door.
Deliveries are made on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, between 1pm and 5pm.
Under the current social distancing measures, the delivery drivers phone on arrival and leave the order on the doorstep.
Collections can also be made seven days a week from The Crown Hotel, 23 Market Street, Poole, BH15 1NB.
Jon said: “On Good Friday we completed our first deliveries of 50 orders and we’re delighted to say we had 50 happy customers!
“The orders included lobster, crab, sea bass, sole, mullet and more, all caught locally.
“We’re already working with some local businesses and we’re inviting anyone else who wants to join forces with us to do so, during these times of uncertainty.
“We’ve already got Sean Cooper and Denise Wedlake from The Crown Hotel on hand to fillet fish and pre-cook lobsters and crabs, prior to delivery.
“Dorset wines from both English Oak and Furleigh Estate, as well as BH1 Gin and Conker Gin, are also available to order and there are filleting knives, fishbone tweezers and shellfish crackers available to purchase from the website as well.
“We are adding easy to follow recipes, and the plan is to add ‘how to’ demonstration videos, to teach preparation and cooking tips for your freshly caught seafood.
“We are going to add a forum to the site, so everyone can share their recipes and ideas. We hope to add more to the site in due course.
“We look forward to seeing how our customers get on with re-creating their own quality dishes at home, while maximising the use of local produce and their love of cooking and having fun.
“For us, a major part of our mission is to help the local community.
“We also want to ensure that the UK recovers from this pandemic, by working together and by trying to ensure that isolation can be more bearable.”