Top award for drive to boost eel sales

A campaign to grow sales of Northern Ireland's unique Lough Neagh Eel has won a major award. The Eel-Eat campaign, which boosted sales of eels by around 30 per cent last year, won the Best Marketing Initiative at the annual Northern Ireland Tourism Awards.

The initiative was organised by the Lough Neagh Partnership in collaboration with Tourism NI, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, Food NI and the Lough Neagh Fishermen's Co-operative Society.

Lough Neagh is the biggest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland and among the largest in Europe.

The marketing campaign was supported by chefs and restaurants throughout Northern Ireland and increased sales in the Republic of Ireland.

It also influenced local restaurateurs and attracted the interest of international food writers.

Lough Neagh Fishermen's Co-operative has been amongst the fore runners of wild eel producers for decades and is recognised as the largest producer of wild caught eels in Europe, producing around 400 tonnes of eels annually.

The co-operative protects the livelihood of fishermen and seeks to build a sustainable, viable future for eel fishing on Lough Neagh. Lough Neagh eels are mainly shipped to Holland (for smoking) and Billingsgate, London (for production of jellied eels).

The remainder are processed in house for local sales and restaurant trade. The co-operative has also produced a smoked eel.

Lough Neagh Eel' was awarded PGI in 2011. This award recognises the heritage, tradition and authenticity of the best quality eels available in Europe. It is one of only three Northern Ireland products to have achieved PGI accreditation - the others being Comber Early Potatoes and Armagh Bramley Apples.

Pictured is Eimear Kearney of Lough Neagh Partnership.