Enhancing and protecting Scotland’s lobster population for over a decade

How it all started…

The idea for a lobster hatchery in North Berwick was the brainchild of three local lobster enthusiasts who aimed to create a local, sustainable project to protect the fishing heritage of lobsters in the Firth of Forth.

Jack Dale

Fish stocks were declining and pressure on the lobster population was growing; work was needed to strengthen the marine ecosystem, support the local environment and economy, while protecting lobster populations for years to come.

David Grubb

  • Our education container in North Berwick Harbour opens so people can learn all about what a hatchery does, and our long term plan to repopulate the Firth with a sustainable source of lobsters.

  • We receive funding from the Coastal Communities Fund to buy a state of the art recirculating aquaculture facility from North Bay Innovations with the potential to hatch and grow thousands of juveniles lobster for release each year.

  • The hatchery wins the 2016 Scottish Rural Award in the Aquaculture category.

  • The hatchery goes from strength to strength, breaking our record of juveniles released in 2019 at over 15,000 – it was also our 10th birthday!

In 2021 and 2022 we have been sharing the lobster love by sending juvenile lobsters to other organisations for research, or to support other projects like ours that want to open a hatchery and contribute to the wild population of lobsters.

Jane McMinn

We rely on kind donations of the public to allow us to continue our important work, if you would like to support us click the button below.

“At least one third of the world’s assessed fisheries are overfished and pushed beyond their natural limit.”

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations

  • Jake Norton

    DIRECTOR

  • James Milton

    VOLUNTEER

  • Pippo

    HATCHERY DOG

  • Elle Jenks

    VOLUNTEER

  • Ellie Stacey

    VOLUNTEER

  • Lesley Scott

    DIRECTOR

  • Jane McMinn

    DIRECTOR

  • Sophie Shaw

    Hatchery technician intern

Want to join the team?

Visit us

Hours
Daily (May-August)
12-4pm (Weather dependent)

 

Address
North Berwick Harbour
45 Victoria Road
North Berwick, EH39 4JL

North Berwick harbour beach huts

Alongside the hatchery and our education container you will find our hatchery shop at the first red beach hut. Come and visit us and our neighbours selling local handmade products. Open every day between 12-4pm (weather dependent).