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Diving for oysters in Sweden - 23 April 2021

Lotta Klemming is a diver from Grebbestad, Sweden. She dives for oysters. She finds oysters with her hands. Lotta’s father and uncle taught her this special skill. She’s the only woman oyster diver in Sweden.

Lotta: "We are on the west coast of Sweden, very close to the Norwegian border. And we have wild oysters here so instead of farming oysters we actually pick them by hand through diving all year around."

At first, Lotta worked in fashion. She left Grebbestad. She worked in Gothenburg city.

Lotta: "Before I started oyster diving, I worked in the fashion industry for big chains in Sweden and I also travelled around the world. Maybe I didn’t see myself doing it because I connected it very much to a very manly job."

Lotta missed the sea. She came home to Grebbestad. She started oyster diving.

Lotta: "The first time I picked oysters, I felt very good at it and that gave me a very fulfilled feeling that I never had before."

First, Lotta finds oysters. Next, she cleans them on the beach. Then she can sell them. These special oysters make lots of money. Lotta doesn’t think about the money. She thinks about their flavour.

Lotta: "What makes our oyster, the Swedish oyster so special is probably first of all because of the taste - they have a very intense taste. It’s not like a new beginner’s oyster and just because our ocean here is so clean, it's A-classified."