Turbot (Psetta maxima) is a much prized flatfish in Europe, and is second only to halibut in terms of the price it fetches at first landing and on restaurant menus. Its high value is due to the low annual quotas set by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, and in the past few years landings into European ports have been between 4,500 MT and 6,000 MT, with a quota uptake of around 90 percent.
A number of European enterprises have tried farming turbot, as they are one of the fastest growing flatfish, and these have met with varying degrees of success.
One successful if small farm is hidden away in a most unlikely premises; a World War II German gun emplacement and bunker at St Catherine’s, on the island of Jersey, which lies in the English Channel between the United Kingdom and France.
The business is operated by former fishermen Dave Cowburn and his family, who have been rearing turbot for sale to local restaurants and the public for the past fifteen years. It has also turned into a unique and popular tourist attraction, and Cowburn has done wonders for the farmed seafood industry, by educating his visitors about how good practice in fish farming can produce an excellent product.
The bunker runs deep into a hill, and the narrow tunnel houses concrete raceways sectioned into tanks along either side.
“I originally built the raceways as vivier tanks when I was fishing, to store lobster and crab,” explained Cowburn.
“When I left the sea, I decided to see if I could turn my hand to fish farming, and turbot, being in short supply, seemed like a good bet. I now have up to 6,000 fish at any one time here, ranging from 5g juveniles, to four-year-old turbot weighing several pounds.”
Juveniles are generally purchased from France, with several intakes a year. Fish are kept with like-sized individuals and regular checks means that larger ones can be moved to another tank. “This avoids competition for food, and stops any fighting,” said Cowburn.
Water is pumped in from the adjacent ocean, and enters a recirculation system without being filtered or treated in any way, which means that tasty morsels of live seafood often find their way into the tanks and are eagerly snapped up by the turbot. The remainder of their diet comes from a proprietary feed, which is fed to appetite, once every day.
The fish grow well in the stable environment provided by the tunnel, and Cowburn explained that he has very low mortality rates and only minor problems (5 percent) with pigmentation, which can be a big issue for fish farmers, and reduce the value of the harvest.
Jersey Turbot’s fish take around three and a half years to grown to market size of 2.5 – 3 pounds, which is the most popular size, and at GBP 15 per kilo (USD 23.33, EUR 21.17), they are highly popular with the island’s chefs. Harvested early in the morning, they can be on restaurant tables by lunchtime.
“At this size, the ratio of bone to flesh is good and the fillet size is just right for a portion. They are raised entirely naturally in fresh seawater and fed on a natural food, and this shows in the quality and taste,” said Cowburn.
He is proud that his fish have been praised by no less a chef than Marco-Pierre White, who is not usually known for his love of farmed fish.
Cowburn has no plans to grow his business, preferring to keep it low key and manageable, and is pleased to retain his links to the sea.
“My family has fishing in their blood; my wife’s grandfather fished for cod off Newfoundland, my son and daughter are involved in the business, and my young granddaughter knows everything about the turbot and has given tours to her class, so the business should have a bright future,” he said.
