Queenie festival 2015 a 'celebration of the sea'

Hundreds of people are expected to attend a two-day "celebration of the sea" in the Isle of Man this weekend.

The Queenie Festival, which takes its name from the Queen Scallop, has been running since 2008 and is centred around the Alfred Pier in Port St Mary.

Organiser James James said: "The event aims to bring together people with an interest in marine life."

It is held in the fishing village of Port St Mary and involves water sports, cookery demonstrations and live music.

James Gale said the festival brings the whole community together "whether you are a fisherman, wildlife enthusiast or just someone who enjoys living near the sea".

He added: "The emphasis is on having fun while learning how to preserve our rich marine heritage."

The Queen Scallop is one of the Isle of Man's most popular exports which in 2012 was awarded the European Union Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) stamp.

It meant the scallop joined foods such as Gorgonzola and Champagne.

Queenie Scallop

The Queen Scallop (aequipecten opercularis) is a bivalve mollusc

It can grow up to 9cm in diameter and is found at depths of 100m

It feeds on plankton and swims by squirting jets of water

It is one of the Isle of Man's most popular exports, with local producers supplying to a number of top restaurants in the UK

The first commercially caught Queenies were landed in Peel in 1969

In ancient times, the scallop shell was a pagan fertility symbol