Ormer hunters make most of the moon and the sun

The permitted tides were on Tuesday, Wednesday and yesterday, 21/02 with Wednesday being the second lowest ormering tide of the year at 0.2m – the lowest will be on 22 March at 0.1m.

Roger Brookfield went to Herm on Wednesday with a friend, who was new to ormering, and collected 22 ormers as well as spotting a lobster and a dogfish during the search.

‘I saw two other boats yesterday in Herm, although they weren’t where I was,’ he said.

Mr Brookfield has also ormered on Belle Greve in the past and said he usually spends a couple of hours searching and takes a dinghy to two small islands just off the shore. He hopes to search around The Humps area in the future.

‘There’s sea birds there and I might see a seal pup,’ he said.

‘The puffins should be back soon.’

Mr Brookfield said he had always ormered. ‘Since I was a boy. I used to go with my dad and brother. My kids don’t like the taste of ormers though,’ he said.

‘Just to mooch about the rocks at low tide is good fun,’ he said.

Chris Dyer was among three ormerers out on the rocks of Belle Greve yesterday.

‘I haven’t been ormering for two years, the last time I went I got three around the bathing pools,’ he said.

‘I’ve found seven and I’m absolutely delighted.

‘If everybody took about a dozen there’d be plenty, but I think people can get a bit greedy,’ he said.

‘I’ve been finding mine on the small stones under the ones that have already been turned over,’ he said.

He had also seen flat fish, a large black shrimp and lots of crabs.

Mr Dyer said he was also keeping a lookout for tagged ormers, although he had not seen any yet.

The marine biology section of La Societe Guernesiaise has recently started a project investigating Guernsey’s ormer population and their distribution. It has asked islanders to let them know if they spot any ormers with small yellow tags on by emailing marinebiology@societe.org.gg.

Mr Dyer said he had also seen between eight and 10 small ormers during his search: ‘Quite positive, I think,’ he said.

Only ormers above 80mm are permitted to be taken so the population can be sustained, and Sea Fisheries advise that ormerers carry a proper measure with them.

The ormer code of practice also says that boulders and rocks should be returned to their original position to preserve the habitat and that searchers should take care not to damage marine and plant life or disturb any birds.

Care should always be taken of the incoming tide.

• The next ormering tides will be 6, 7 and 8 March.