Monday morning - biggest market this year.

A tad misleading with the netters Britannia V, Ajax, Lamorna, Little Pearl  and  New Harmony missing off the landing board...

as Monday's market is by far the biggest for the year...

top quality inshore fish from the Lizard...

numero uno megrim soles from the beamers...

along with monk - megs and monk make up the bulk of any beam trawl trip...

along with smatterings of Dover sole - the boats would land many more of these fish but under the present rigid quota system the boats are forced to dump tons of Dovers almost every trip - and it is not a fish easily avoided...

every ray has a unique, QCode like mark...

plaice come with orange and red spots

none of your £40,000 landings of cuttles in Newlyn needed to break port records, all eyes will be on the St Georges when she lands to see if Billy can wrestle the record back from relief skipper, Juicy, no pressure Bill ;-) ...

the frilly brill...

the not so frilly thornback ray's tail...

ahead by a short nose...

what to look for in fresh fish, bright, shiny eyes and blood-red gills...

black bream beauty...

Roger must have been smiling when these guys dropped out of the cod end on to the deck...

along with these cracking red mullet...

the other end of the market with nearly 1,500 boxes of big white fish...

so much fish that some of Ajax's trip was squeezed between the two market ends...

and the rest helped fill the rest...

and a good run of larger sizes was evident...

even the fridge was packed...

 with mainly handline mackerel...

cod is often referred to as 'green', not hard to see why when it is this fresh...

and added bonus for the beam trawlers are big prime flat fish like these turbot...

not a breath over the harbour this morning...

and, apart from the sad and sorry Excellent,  the only boats in port are those between trips...

as one of the shore crew make their way down the quay...

signs of an industry with enough faith to invest in new builds for the future, with the port's largest sardine boat nearing completion in the foreground for Stefan Glinski and Rowse's latest big crabber being fitted out and all lit up...

Newlyn is one of the port's who pioneered recycling old fishing nets - though a new startup company, @FishyFilaments is developing some amazing technology to convert these old nets into the raw materials used by 3D printers - you can do your own bit to help the environment by supporting the venture via their crowdfunding page - a great cause championed by a local business with the support of the fleet...

a step nearer the bus pass for Rose!

BTW this was fishing news from the far west of Cornwall post 6,500!

It's not just fishermen who get bullied by NHOs and those not qualified.

Bashing experts is not new. But, in this era of post-truth politics more and more of us are becoming increasingly unaware of the 'truth', largely as a result of personalised news feeds via social media, or simply denied access in seeking the truth behind any story as every mainstream source of news becomes increasingly exposed for bias of some sort.

This is not helped by our mainstream media largely controlled by a handful of men keen to see the global companies and regimes who provide the advertising revenues and other income needed to run their operations - even the BBC, for many the gold standard of unbiased newscasting is increasingly being exposed for supporting western, especially US viewpoints or closer to home, suporting the right. NGOs, especially the Greenpeace will nuance any story or situation to help rattle the collecting buckets in order to raise funds for 'good causes'. As a result, some journalists and editors see fit to increase or maintain their readership (more readers = better NRS figures = attracting more advertisers = more revenue) through using sensational headlines where the sensation matters more than the truth

Even the Sunday Times (sistership to the 'Thunderer', as the Times was often referred to) once independent but now owned by Newscorps - Murdoch's global media empire generally sway their allegiance to the governing elite of the day. In 2012 the fishing industry felt the full force of thier biased media attention when the Sunday Times' front page ran with the headline, "Only 100 cod left in the North Sea".  This was particularly galling for many of the North Sea fleet who had long since realised that they could control stock levels by fishing responsibly and the signs were there even than that cod stocks, far from consisting of 100 geriatric examples were in fact growing year-on-year.

More recently, Greenpeace used the plight of small (Under 10m) fishing boats - who between them catch just about every species of fish available in the North Atlantic - and matched it against the might of the largely British flagged but Dutch owned freezer trawler fleet who only catch mackerel, scad and herring in huge quantities - by using the tonnage as the statistic of comparison for very low value fish, little of which goes for human consumption - eg the Cornelis Vrolijk catches 23% of the UK fish quota - in reality, there is little connection between the two fisheries so to compare them is meaningless - other than to sensationalise the story with inappropriate statistics when the situation came about after fish quotas were awarded monetary value in the UK by dint of the licensing system based on individual track records for fish caught - and, of course, through owners who sold their licences to fish out of the UK.

In recent years fishermen and scientists have begun to enjoy the positive results of a better communicated world thanks to the internet - it is easier for scientists to talk directly with individual fishermen using social media - and it is easier for fishermen to join in the debate at every stage of development through open forums - some organisations are at last making use of largely free technologies to livestream meetings and conferences to widen participation and inclusivity.  As a result, more fishermen and more members of the public are becoming more aware of how organisations like PEW and the Oak Foundation fund and influence directly or indirectly the activities of NGOs (like Greenpeace, WWF) to meet their own ends.

While science is not everything it would like to be it is there to give confidence by supplying evidence based on data gathered in a scientific way and letting the numbers do the talking. Fishermen supply their own catch data from vessels over 10m - live, via satellite for every vessel over 15m and this is potentially a far more powerful source of data to lobby compared with that gathered by a handful research vessels constrained by budget and opportunity.

So it is important, as this article from the USA elaborates, to be mindful of the interests and lobbying power of those environmental organisations that are all too ready to use rather than the industry when it serves them. As the writer Dr Sally Lutcavage says;

"How do you react to false, deceitful accusations from non-experts, from unethical individuals, from persons or NGO’s with books to sell, or a point of view to peddle to an unsuspecting public or community, or politicians. Points of view, that when challenged by facts and data, get in the way of fund-raising campaigns, messages to the media, book sales, rich donors, and perhaps the most insidious - attempts to influence US fisheries and ocean policies."

This is typical of the sort of abuse shown by non-experts:

The more open the debate, the more accurate the data and the more the industry will develop its scientific credibility with all sectors - aside form a handful of over-zealous activists of the kind you can find in any sphere of human activity.

Should the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) be primarily focussed upon environmental factors?

Should the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) be primarily focussed upon environmental factors? 

Click here to take cast your vote ahead of the official vote to be cast in June.

Policy ID number : A7-0008/2013 | EU Parliament date : 02.06.13

Today fishery is a sector in crisis. Since several years, European authorities note that the fishing stocks in the European seas are in bad conditions.\nThe reformed common fisheries policy, an agreement originated in 1983, has since undergone two big reforms. Now it needs to be reviewed to meet the workers’ demands better, but also the consumers’ needs. The European objectives are, according to the Irish minister of agriculture, to « maintain the sector, to enforce a better management of stocks whilst targeting jobs creation.\nVote at the EU parliament is due after the February, 5th debates at the commission. The final agreement is in turn scheduled for next june.\nIs the reformed common fisheries policy ready to take a drastic environmental shift?'

http://www.thebrusselsbusiness.eu/

Reform of the CFP organizes the dismantling of the Breton fishing.

Press the Collective Fisheries and Development 1 Avenue de la Marne 56100 Lorient 


Upon the passing of the Reform by the European Parliament, two examples of analysis have confirmed that which we constantly repeat since the launch of the project. One of the leaders of Pew says in the New York Times that takes policy reform implementation in the United States. 

Maria Damanaki, for her part, came to praise blue growth policy for aquaculture, marine energy, extractions of all kinds, which are well known for their impact on the environment. 

We know the results of American Politics: mass privatization of fishing rights, wilderness setting under the supervision of ENGOs and oil companies, such as California. If the majority of stocks are not overfished, this is due to a massive reduction in fishing effort more than privatization per se, there is no growth in landings where these policies are implemented, against by the number of fishermen has collapsed, ports have disappeared in New England especially, where this policy is totally unsuited to multispecies demersal fisheries of the same type as those on the Bretons (and many Cornish boats .ed). 

This eco-liberal policy has been prepared by the Pew Oceans Commission.

Pew and various foundations from the large U.S. multinationals, the most powerful, Walmart, well known for his outrageous social practices, have decided to promote this type of policy in Europe. Why they created a fake nose, Ocean 2012, a coalition of ENGOs and some fishermen, entirely under the control of Pew. They baited the world of small-scale with the support of Greenpeace and WWF to give masking their social liberal and socially destructive projects. They hired a huge propaganda campaign hundreds of millions of dollars, creating from scratch NGOs, funding studies, public relations agencies, journalists, film. The goal was to create a sense of urgency and disaster to the oceans empty, looted by destructive fishing unable to manage. There is a part of reality, but it was mostly mobilize the general public with shock images and movies to put pressure on elected members of Parliament, subject them to intense lobbying, who are unable to resist because of their absolute ignorance of the subject and finally, glad to give a green cheaply at the expense of fishermen totally marginalized. It worked in the United States and it worked in Europe.

This victory gained at the cost of shameless manipulation of the public and elected officials is a step towards the generalization of more stringent policies of dispossession and put under supervision of fishermen. These policies are already operating in Northern Europe, Sweden (2/3 fishermen brutally eliminated) and Denmark. This country has the luxury of appearing as a model of virtue while practicing the most destructive industrial fishing which accounts for nearly 20% of European catches, fishing for fish meal. Elected officials have managed to completely forget this practice, it is true that there is no discharge!!! 

In France, the report organizing the implementation of ITQs is ready. Cameras will be installed on ships, paid for by the fishermen, MCZ areas will be increased, the oceans delivered to new investors in the blue growth, without consultation or recognition of the rights of fishermen. We organize "humanely" massive elimination of fishers says project reporter Rodust,even if Parliament also promises that by 2020, the reform will land 15 million tonnes and create additional 30,000 jobs.

Next came the challenge of fuel tax rebates, research the maximum yield economic, beyond the maximum biological yield and therefore even fewer fishermen. We'll also research to the integrity of marine ecosystems with bans on trawling.

This reform comes as the stock situation improves in the Atlantic and Mediterranean - even for bluefin tuna. All fishermen say, the most endangered species is the fishermen burdened with a multitude of constraints more or less consistent. Fishermen have measured the impact of overfishing and proposed management measures effective when they are left in the possibility. There is still some way to go to match the fishing resources and new realities (energy, biodiversity), but a coherent reform should strengthen the adaptive capacity of fishing accompanied by scientific field and trust and respect ENGO rights of fishermen. 

Instead, reform has cleared the way for all appetites mobilized for the conquest of the new maritime border and blue growth. The defense of a small fishing necessary, but confined within 12 miles, can only serve to hide a liquidation of artisanal fisheries on the rest of the EEZ.

Collective Fisheries and DevelopmentFebruary 8, 2013

‘KILLING WAVES’ – NEW SAS FILM FROM GENERATION CHANGE!

Check it! Rad film about Surfers Against Sewage. Who they are and what they are about! If you are not a member yet then you need to join, in the knowledge you are contributing in the defence of your coastline, beaches and waves. 
www.sas.org.uk and www.protectourwaves.org.uk.

TOMS and Dazed Digital Announce Exclusive Screening of ‘Killing Waves’ from Generation Change winning filmmaker Carlos Carneiro.

Carlos Carneiro has been announced as the winning filmmaker of the ‘Generation Change’ film project partnered by One for One philanthropic company TOMS and pioneering style site Dazed Digital.

Having launched in July 2012, the ‘Generation Change’ film project aimed to discover truly inspirational individuals or groups that share TOMS philosophy of starting something that matters. The competition posted on the Dazed website, encouraged UK- based filmmakers to submit a proposal for a three-minute film that told an inspiring story with the winner receiving £5,000 to create their film. The winning clip was then chosen by TOMS, Dazed and acclaimed British director Lucy Walker (Waste Land and The Tsunami And The Cherry Blossom).

Fast forward to six months later and ‘Killing Waves’, the three-minute film from Carlos Carneiro will be given an exclusive Dazed Digital screening on the 22nd January 2013. The documentary tells the story of Surfers Against Sewage, an environmental charity based in the North Cornwall coast villages of St Agnes and Porthtowan. Established in 1990 by a group of passionate, local surfers and beach lovers the charity works to protect the UK’s oceans, waves and beaches so that everyone can enjoy them safely and sustainably. Their start-up campaign led to water companies investing £5 billion in sewerage infrastructures and the charity have since continued to build its catalogue of environmental successes targeting issues affecting beaches including marine litter, sewage, pollution, climate change, toxic chemicals, shipping and coastal development.

‘Killing Waves’ by Carlos Carneiro provides an insight into the individuals behind Surfers Against Sewage, set on a back-drop of the wild Cornish coast exploring their combined passion for surfing and campaigning for a better coastal environment that everyone can benefit from.

The Exclusive Screening of ‘Killing Waves’ by Carlos Carneiro launched on Dazed Digital on the 22nd January 2013.

Marine reserves: oceans grabbing and dispossession of fishing - and the concept of wilderness