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Kirkcaldy couple’s creel boat supplies top restaurants with fresh seafood

The MFV Tina Louise delivers high quality, local shellfish to high-end restaurants in Fife and Edinburgh.

MFV Tina Louise owner Ross Coventry hard at work on his creel boat. Image: MFV Tina Louise
MFV Tina Louise owner Ross Coventry hard at work on his creel boat. Image: MFV Tina Louise

For the last 15 years a family run firm in Kirkcaldy has been supplying high quality shellfish to some of the best restaurants in Fife and Edinburgh.

Operating a single creel boat, Ross and Tina Coventry have built a business that delivers live, sustainably caught seafood.

Through their business MFV Tina Louise, they deliver freshly caught lobsters and brown crabs to high-end restaurants in the area.

“Since Covid there has been a greater demand for sustainably sourced seafood,” Ross said.

“The restaurants want to know where it’s come from, who caught it and how it was caught.

“They want good quality, live seafood, ethically and locally sourced. They want that story on the plates.”

Getting started in Kirkcaldy

Even before the birds start singing Ross is prepping the MFV Tina Louise – a small creel boat named after his wife and younger sister – for a day of hauling lobster and crab pots from the Firth of Forth.

Ross handles the fishing, while Tina manages shore-side operations: logistics, liaising with chefs and ensuring smooth delivery of the freshest catch.

They specialise in creel fishing, a method involving baited pots left on the seabed to catch live shellfish. This method is more selective and lower impact than trawling or dredging.

MFV Tina Louise owner Ross Coventry after a day of fishing. Image: MFV Tina Louise

Originally from Edinburgh, Ross has been an avid angler since childhood, an interest he furthered developed by studying marine biology in Edinburgh.

After spending many years abroad, he and his wife decided to return to Scotland and by luck they managed to get their hands on licensed vishing vessel.

He said: “We came back with nothing, and we just went for it. Being a fisherman has always been a dream of mine.

“We didn’t know anything about the business at first, but we learned on the job and kept improving.

“From paperwork, to fixing engines, to fixing gear you have to be a man of many talents.”

The life of a fisherman

Running a one-boat business is not for the faint of heart. Ross works long hours in all weather, leaving well before dawn and returning late.

“It’s hard work,” Ross admits. “But I enjoy it.

“It is less of a job, more a livelihood. It would be impossible if you didn’t really want it. The job becomes your life.”

On top of the physical demand the company faced a serious set back in July 20203, when the boat was deliberately sunk while docked at Methil Harbour.

“We were looking at £50,000 worth of damage.” Tina said at the time.” We were out of business for months.

“It was devastating, we were in absolute shock.”

The pandemic marked a turning point for the company. When restaurants closed, Ross kept fishing while Tina adapted quickly, launched a direct-to-home delivery service.

Tina and Ross Coventry at he docks in Kirkcaldy. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

“We thought it be a short time thing,” Ross explained.

“But it really helped us build a new customer base and relationships that lasted. Once the restaurants opened again.”

Despite the growth of demand, the couple remain cautious about expansion.

In an industry as changeable as the sea, their approach is simple: stay small, stay sustainable, and build trust over time.

“There is always an interest in growing the company,” Ross says. “But it’s got to be done right.

“We wont compromise on the quality of our products.”

Conversation