Cornish Native Oysters - gathered by hand hauling, no engines and no winches

Your 'Fal Oysters' are naturally harvested on the Port of Truro Oyster & Mussel Fishery

Gathered by hand hauling traditional small dredges onboard the 'Alf Smythers' and oyster punt 'Moyana'

They're graded to perfection by eye, purified in an approved environment and packaged personally by the crew

Ordered by phone or online and delivered to you in sealed packaging by reliable overnight couriers

Photo: Ranger
Falmouth Working Boats on a 'drift'

For centuries, Cornish families have derived their livelihood from oyster dredging in the Carrick Roads and surrounding rivers. Many of the oyster boats, known as Falmouth Working Boats were built at boatyards around the Fal, with some of the oldest boats in the Oyster Fishery dating back as far as 1860. Alf Smythers was infact one of the last wooden boats, designed by Percy Dalton, specifically for use on these oyster beds.

Photo: Mike Thomas
Sailing back to the start of a 'Drift'

Fal Oysters grow naturally on the sea bed within the fishery area. This is a natural and wild fishery where the oysters are not cultured or bred. There is a small amount of husbandry of the wild and natural beds as during the process of fishing the substrate (cultch) is moved by the dredge which keeps the fishery in good heart, and also occasional extra dredging of the beds without harvesting (described as harrowing) further improves the oyster beds and encourages a good spatfall (young oysters to settle).

Frank Cock
Photo: Courtesy of Image Dalivery .co.uk

Peter French, Colchester oyster buyer & Franck Cock, counting April purchase for transfer to East Coast beds (1980)