Jewels of the sea

Scallops and oysters are returning to Yorkshire waters, reviving a bygone industry and bringing cheer to gourmets, as Bethan Andrews discovers

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More than a century ago, the Yorkshire coast and oysters were as famous as fish and chips are today.

The Humber was a centre of trade for the oyster industry, with the largest oyster fishery in the country, employing thousands of people across our county. It was commonplace to find oyster sellers outside of pubs and manning stalls along the coast.

Then disaster struck. In 1904 an outbreak of typhoid was linked back to Cleethorpes and the oysters were deemed unfit for eating.

Hundreds of acres of seafront ponds, which at their height cultivated many millions of oysters, had to be closed by their owner the Earl of Yarborough because of the contamination risk. It was a sad end to the industry.

But today oysters and scallops are being reintroduced to the waters. The Humber Estuary is internationally important for wildlife and is a designated Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area under the Habitats Regulations. ,