Family business Lyme Bay Fish Shack, based at Millers Farm Shop in Kilmington, has been nominated twice in the Fishing News Awards 2021.

The awards are organised by The Fishing News, a weekly newspaper and website which has been providing the latest news, features and nostalgia from the commercial fishing industry since 1913. 

Lyme Bay Fish Shack has been nominated in two of the 15 categories, including Independent Retailer of the Year and Trainee Fisherman of the Year, and the public are now invited to vote for the winners.

Lyme Bay Fish Shack is run by husband and wife team Nigel and Corinne Birt, who started the business in 2012.

The team has its own boat, KT-SAM E 10, run by Nigel and their son Sam, which works out of Lyme Regis. They pot for lobsters and crab, use static nets for Dover sole, plaice, etc, and rod and line for bass, pollack and cod. 

Over the years they have expanded to a new shop and prep room at Millers Farm Shop in Kilmington, which was built in 2019.

Having been nominated for Independent Retailer of the Year, Nigel and Corinne said: "We are extremely proud of our shop, fish and staff, and in the past 12 months have assisted one of our fishmongers to achieve his Master Fishmonger recognition.

"We purchase our fish direct from Brixham market, and other local fishermen also supply to us."

Son Sam has also been nominated in the Trainee Fisherman of the Year, sponsored by Sunderland Marine.

Now aged 17, he has been involved with the fishing industry since the age of 10, woking on his father's boat KT-SAM and completing several trips on the day-boat trawler New Seeker. 

Sam has passed his Seafish skipper's ticket, completed work experience at Coastal Nets, and now rigs all the nets for his boat and other local boats.

He currently divides his time between fishing on the family boat, making gear and helping out with processing in the fish shop at Millers.

Voting is now open until midnight on May 20 at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BL6VVBV