MP says: protect Colchester Oyster
October 31, 2008 12:00 AM
As Colchester today (Friday) celebrates its annual Oyster Feast, town MP Bob Russell has taken the opportunity to make a fresh call on the Government to protect the name "Colchester Oyster" from the world-famous term being used to sell oysters from other parts of Britain.
This week he tabled a Question to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, asking "what progress has been made in having Protected Geographical Indication status granted to the Colchester Oyster."
Liberal Democrat Mr Russell has been pursuing for some time the need for a PGI protection for the name of the Colchester Oyster so that only oysters from the traditional waters from where they grow - near Mersea Island - can be described as "Colchester Oyster". The delicacy is known to have existed in Roman times with quantities shipped back to Rome.
Mr Russell said: "The last time I raised this question I was told that an application to register Colchester Oysters as a Protected Geographical Indication had been finalised in 2005, but objections were received and these had to be considered. I cannot believe that three years later a decision is still awaited, so hopefully my latest Parliamentary Question will lead to confirmation that the Colchester Oyster will be given official designation of Protected Geographical Indication."
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