Why Hayle’s penguins now eat fish caught 10 miles away

It started with a fisherman overhearing one sentence by the penguin pool. It has ended with the birds at Paradise Park in Hayle dropping frozen fish shipped in from the Netherlands in favour of fresh Cornish sardines landed just down the coast.

A chance remark by the penguin pool

Sardines had long been the dish of choice for the park’s penguins. Then the local supplier of many years retired, and the park switched to importing frozen sprats from the Netherlands instead.

That might have been that. But on a visit to the park, local fisherman Tom Lambourn overheard a keeper mention how much the penguins loved sardines, and that the park believed it could no longer get them. He thought he could help.

“When I heard the penguins loved sardines but that the park thought they couldn’t get them, I thought, ‘Well, I might be able to help with that,'” Tom said.

A local catch, 10 miles away

Stocks of sardines have been depleted in the wild where Humboldt penguins come from, but Tom knew they were landing in good numbers around Cornwall and that a steady supply could be arranged. The idea was welcomed, and the park will now take around two to three tonnes of Cornish sardines a year from him.

The fish come in on Tom’s boat, the Lyonesse, caught roughly 10 miles away rather than trucked across Europe. David Woolcock, Curator at Paradise Park, said the change had been simple to make and easy to love.

“We’re delighted to be sourcing sardines locally for our penguins,” David said. “It’s a great example of how a simple conversation can lead to a really positive change. The sardines are caught just a short distance away and the penguins absolutely love them.”

Tom agrees the birds have made their feelings clear. “It’s great to see a local catch being used locally, and even better knowing that the penguins are clearly very happy with the arrangement,” he said. “They’ve got excellent taste!”

Why fresh, local fish matters

Sardines are a nutritious meal for people as well as penguins, packed with omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamins B12 and D, and minerals including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, potassium and zinc.

Gus Caslake, Industry Engagement Manager for South West England at Seafish and Chair of the Cornish Sardine Management Association, said the arrangement showed off the quality of the local catch.

“This is a brilliant example of a local catch staying local, reducing the need to transport fish long distances and showcasing the quality of the Cornish sardine,” Gus said. “Cornish sardines are Marine Stewardship Council certified which verifies seafood has come from a fishery which meets strict environmental benchmarks and is fully traceable throughout the supply chain. With sardines being primarily for human consumption, this means people can be confident they are eating the highest quality, sustainable and healthy seafood from UK waters.”

📷Credit: Nick Jobson

A new board by the pool

Visitors heading to see the penguins will spot a new information board next to the pool, created by Seafish in partnership with Cornish sardine fishermen. It carries fun facts about the health and other benefits of feeding the penguins the locally caught fish, from the omega-3 oils that keep their feathers glossy to the short journey the sardines take from sea to sanctuary.

The 38-year-old with a taste for sardines

The park is home to a colony of 26 penguins, among them a famous old girl called Spneb. At 38 years old she is believed to be the oldest Humboldt penguin in the world, and when she marked her most recent birthday she did it with a plate of her favourite dish, some Cornish sardines.

A penguin named after the boat

The park has found its own way to thank the man who made the switch happen. Becky Waite, Head of Softbills at Paradise Park, said one of this year’s penguin chicks has been named Lyonesse after Tom’s fishing vessel.

“We were delighted to name one of this year’s penguin chicks ‘Lyonesse’ after fisherman Tom Lambourn’s fishing vessel,” Becky said. “When you visit you can look out for her flipper band number 10329 which is on her right flipper.”

📷Credit: Nick Jobson