Hopes for better ormering tides
DESPITE a modest tide, ormer gatherers were largely satisfied with the stocks available on the first ormering tide of the year this weekend.
There were several reports of 20 or so of the mollusc being collected around Lihou Island, though many of those who were out at Lihou said that the 2.4m low tide was not the best.
They looked forward to better tides later in the year.
Even though he does not like ormers, Ollie Handley routinely takes part in the fishing activity. This year he was collecting them for a friend who could no longer go themselves.
‘It’s not the biggest tide and ideally I’d be further round the reef.
‘I try to get as far down as I can,’ he said.
‘I don’t eat them myself but I come every time because I enjoy turning the rocks to see what I can find.’
Glenn Bourgaize went home with five ormers after nearly three hours searching. He said he lightly fries them in butter and batter.
Stood at the bottom of the Lihou slipway was a member of staff from Sea Fisheries, measuring catches to ensure ormers were of legal size. In Guernsey the minimum landing size for ormers is 8cm.
