A FAMILY in Maryport has made the best of the coronavirus pandemic finding a new way of selling their produce.

People of Maryport are queuing up to take home the fresh fish and prawns brought in by the Silverfern trawler.

John Macavoy, owner of Silverfern Fresh Fish, said: “It’s just been sparked by the pandemic with the markets being closed down and nothing being sold abroad. One of the other boats started doing it before us.”

John’s daughters Amy and Katie are taking part in the family-run business.

He said: “They help take the orders online and they sell it to the customers on the quayside.”

John’s ingenuity has kept the business (which is run out of his boat) sustainable despite the challenges of the Covid-19 outbreak.

John said: “The crew needed a wage. A lot of people have lost their jobs through the virus, but luckily we’ve managed to keep going and make a living.”

Under normal circumstances, produce caught by the crew would be sold at Cumbrian markets but instead they have been making they have been doing a good trade on Maryport’s quayside.

“We sometimes get a good queue coming down to the boats,” said John.

“People have been coming from Carlisle, Keswick, all over Cumbria. We’ve even had people from as far away as Manchester. There are about 3,000 members on the Facebook group.”

Customers queue up along the quayside outside the fishing co-op at a given collection time with two metres between them.

The Silverfern Fresh Fish page takes orders and provides updates on the produce available as well as collection times.

The public are also sharing their positive comments about the produce on the page as well as recipe ideas.

One customer said: “Utterly delighted – amazing large langoustine today and beautiful skate wings.

“I order every week and I am never disappointed.”

Prawns, queen scallops and tails are available and John added that the public have enjoyed trying new kinds of fish, including monkfish.

Full prawns can be purchased at £10 per 2kg bag and tails at £14 per 2kg bag, while skate wings are £5 per kg.

Markets are back up and running following an easing of lockdown restrictions, providing another source of Silverfern’s fresh produce to the public. However, selling fresh produce from the boat will continue in the future as the family have struck on a successful trading idea.

“The markets have come back but we’ll still offer it to the public.”

The produce that is not sold from the quayside will be on sale at Fleetwood Market.

Maryport residents are used to seeing John’s boat taking part in the town’s popular Trawler Race.

The outbreak of Covid-19 called a halt to the summer charity event which never fails to draw a crowd, however Maryport Trawler Race looks set to take place in 2021.

We want to hear about business going above and beyond for their customers. Email gareth.cavanagh@newsquest.co.uk or news.ts@cnmedia.co.uk