Our Story

A family business started by the owner Les Salisbury who has been fishing for shrimps etc since he was a lad, going out on the horse and cart.

Fishing for shrimps was the main part of the business, and supplying local Hotels and Restaurants throughout Cumbria and North Lancashire with Potted Shrimps and all types of Fish and Game has increased over the years, with a reputation for quality and service.

Furness Fish Poultry and Game Supplies sent all their own shrimps to be processed at the factory in Flookburgh, under the brand name of “Morecambe Bay Potted Shrimps”.

The Business thrived in Ulverston, so much so, we outgrew the building and built a modern purpose factory in Flookburgh.  These new facility includes:

EC approved plant, 100% veterinary inspection, Cold storage and freezers, Customised map for retail, Overflow packing, Refrigerated and frozen delivery

This new building is next door to the original old Flookburgh Fishermen Factory which has been modernised and mechanical shrimp peelers are installed to peel shrimps in a hygienic environment.

History Of Fishing

Morecambe Bay Brown Shrimps have been caught by local fishermen from Flookburgh, Ulverston, Bardsea and along the coast road to Rampside for hundreds of years.

Shrimps in Morecambe Bay are found just off the fast running water of a channel, and also in “Gutters” and “Dykes” that feed into the channels. When the tide goes out the width of these areas decreases and the shrimps gather together.

Brown Shrimps were traditionally fished using a “hand net” between three to six feet wide on the end of a pole, which fishermen pushed out in front of them into shallow water. This method produced only small catches and meant that the deeper channels couldn’t be fished as there was a danger of being swept away by the strong tidal currents. Horses were then employed as they were both much stronger and heavier, allowing them to venture into the deeper channels. They would pull a cart with a shrimp net behind, which could be now 10 feet wide or more.

In the mid 20th century tractors started to take over from the horse and a trailer was attached to a rope up to two hundred metres long. The wheels were set so that when the rope was pulled with the tractor running along the waters edge, the trailer would go into the water at depths the “Hand Net” on a horse and cart could not go. The tractor could also pull two nets, up to 15 feet each, at the same time, giving a much larger catch.

Morecambe Bay Potted Shrimp

The freshly caught Brown Shrimps are peeled and cleaned and then boiled in butter with a secret combination of spices until they are tender. They are then sealed with more local butter and packed into pots.
This regional delicacy can be either eaten warmed through, where the butter starts to melt, or at room temperature. They are traditionally enjoyed with crusty bread or hot toast.

Our potted shrimps are dispatched fresh and will keep fresh for up to 10 days in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen down for up to 3 months.

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