Young visitors to the Children’s Discovery Centre at this year’s Royal Highland Show were delighted to take part in Seafood Scotland’s ‘seafood experience’.  During the four day event, nearly 2,000 children, including school groups, had the opportunity to learn about and taste a wide variety of different seafood products donated by SSMG, Macrae, Orkney Herring, International Fish Canners, and Nairns.

A fresh seafood display featuring cod, saithe, haddock, whiting, herring, monkfish, sprats, langoustine, crab, mussels and oysters, was the starting point for children to find out where fish and shellfish come from.  Visual display cards were used to explain how these species are fished or farmed, and how they get from the sea to the plate. 

An exciting ‘come dine with me’ session followed, in which the young visitors were encouraged to try mussels, smoked mackerel, crab pate, hot smoked salmon, cured herring and brisling sardines, and to rate them good, bad or indifferent.  There were some surprising results!  Singled out for special praise by the children, many of whom were trying seafood for the first time, was hot smoked salmon and hot smoked mackerel.  They also loved mussels and sardines, but were more wary of crab and herring.  

“The event was voted a complete success by the children and by the Royal Highland Education Trust who operate the Discovery Centre, and we have been invited back next year,” said SFS marketing manager Clare Dixon.  “We also enjoyed the opportunity to engage with so many young people, and to help them understand where their seafood comes from and why they should be eating more of it.  The experience will help us with the development of our new ‘Seafood in Schools’ education project, which we will be running throughout the new school year.”