Honiton: Combe Farm Shop welcomes new fish counter from Lyme Bay fisherman

A Lyme Regis fisherman has opened a stall named Fresh Fish at Combe, which sells fresh and sustainable local catch.

The stall offers a range of fish and seafood, including hake, haddock, pollock, mussels and scallops.

Barry Trevett has been a commercial fisherman in the Lyme Bay area for a decade. His father was also a fisherman and a keen angler, and it was his father's passion for the sea which led Barry to want to become a fisherman himself.

Before the pandemic, Barry sold his fish to Brixham market. However, he realised he could sell to customers directly, and this is how his new business came to be.

Barry started posting adverts for his fish on social media and he received a lot of interest. Soon, customer's demand was outstripping supply.

Barry explains: "It's this demand that led to me considering setting up the fish shop. Much of the demand was in the Honiton area so naturally this was where I began to look for a site."

The Combe Farm Shop seemed a good location as Barry's brother is the manager at the Combe Garden and he already had a relationship with the Combe Estate.

Barry is joined at Fresh Fish by his step-son Darcy, who will help run the stall whilst Barry is out at sea.

Barry said: "I spend my days at sea fishing using low impact methods that ensures minimal disturbance to the marine life and promotes sustainability.

Barry uses sustainable fishing methods such rod and line fishing wherever possible. These techniques are considered very low impact because they target specific species and sizes, and therefore bycatch is minimised.

Another method of fishing used by Barry is gill nets, which are laid and hauled vertically. This reduces drag and leaves sea fans and coral unaffected.

Although not all fish can be caught this way, Barry is keen that his customers know as much as possible, and therefore they can make an informed choice.

"I value my work and intend on doing my bit to ensure that we have a healthy fishery for years to come.

"We look forward to meeting new customers and offering some lovely fresh fish to the community of Honiton and surrounding areas."

Fresh Fish at Combe Farm Shop is open Tuesday – Saturday 9am – 4.30pm (5.30pm on a Thursday). It is closed on Mondays.

Fresh Fish at Combe can be contacted on [email protected] and on their Facebook page.