Fascinating. Never heard of Oyster fishing around these parts before but it must have been significant at one time. Did we have Amble Oyster boats?
In modern times I think we did have some scallop fishing from Amble but not anymore? The Norwegian lobster (scampi prawn) was the mainstay here for a while (correct me if I'm wrong on that). I think the prawn factory [Border Lairds, Amble Industrial estate], where they processed them has closed and reopened again with a smaller workforce so perhaps not the priority species anymore? I'm not really up to date on the local fishing industry, today or historic - someone that is familiar with it should start a thread on it to get us up to speed*.
Anyway, I'll have to keep a lookout for oyster shells on the shore now - even if they died out a hundred+ years ago I bet shells are still about?
[*I should ask the father in law - Eddie Armstrong, he's an Amble lobster fisherman.
]
Anyway I've strayed you away from the Customs topic. Sorry. Do carry on.
