Bend it, don't weld it.

Straight from metal specialists Teagle near Truro rolled sections for the scallop handling system wait to go aboard the Jacoba.
The Star of the North from Ullapool
Mount's Bay Lugger Association's Happy Return rests for the night.
Wonder if this is the way forward for the big beamers? One of the biggest operating from Newlyn has burnt approx £42,000 worth of fuel for three full 8 day trips!
The Jacoba's scallop gear on the quay.
All hands on the visiting lifeboat, Douglas Currie relax in the evening sunshine.

Newlyn Cornish tuna auction sale debacle

What was supposed to be a celebratory landing for the Nova Spero and skipper/owner Shaun Edwards and crew turned sour this morning. Nearly 600 of the finest, pole-caught Albacore tuna were withdrawn from sale after failing to reach an acceptable price. The withdrawn fish were later sent to Plymouth for auction.
Cornish Tuna founder, Quentin Knights checks the weight of an 11+kg tuna.......
and demonstrates to the camera the much valued 'blue' hue that only pole caught tuna possess.
a handful of sharks keep an eye on the tuna prior to the sale....
as the final final tallies are written for each box....
names to faces - of blog fame, meet Ben......
tuna sporting the new individual tags that only these accredited fish can carry....
Quentin demonstrates the correct way to steak a fish....

Despite the fatigue, let's hope the familiar smile returns to skipper Shaun's face when some more lucrative UK markets are found for this unique fish!

Watch a short video of the boys grading and weighing the catch.

The art of handlining for mackerel in St Ives Bay

A box of shining mackerel aboard the SS225 Provider....
conjoured from the depths by 'Boy' Stuart McClary.....an artist at work!
Meanwhile Barry on the Boy Brax relies on a stripper for the job....
Dan Downing steams the Josephine with her haul of 300kg of mackerel at approaching 20 knots for the harbour sands....
chased down by Traz aboard the Dignity.....
the Josephine is beached and then hauled out of the water by Dan's ever faithful Land Rover so that the boxed fish can be landed.....
under the gaze of some up-and-coming fishermen, handlines at the ready - good to see the next generation watching and learning!

Big mending job

The boys on the Valhalla have their work cut out looking at the damage to the trawl here!
Andrew Pascoe passes a dive boat on the way in aboard the Lamorna.
Closely followed by father in his punt, their big, the Huers is on the slip.

IRB launch

This time of year the yachts are bigger - serious sailors!
Off goes the IRB.....and the transporter gets an immediate scrub down courtesy of Jake and co.

Tom's Place or yours?

After a hectic meeting schedule, London chef Tom Aikens and crew retired to the Sworfish - unusually when talking fishing, he seems to be stressing how high this one was!
Mackerel and inshore lobster man, Dick Ede also seems to have 'how high' on his mind!
Aboard the Ripple, no sign of John Lambourn and the paint crew!

Plate steel sits on the quay ready to construct a new set of bulwarks and scallop dredge handling system on the Jacoba - will Jacky J be down to lend a hand?

Through the gaps goes to God's country

Two of the biggest vessels in the St Ives fleet, SS693 and Andrew (Traz) Treloar's Dignity, SS161 which replaced the Keriolet II last year.
Out in the bay a small trawl is being hauled by hand.
Top mackerel man Stuart McClary's, Tudor Rose stands out amongst the crowd.
Back in Penzance harbour the Sospan Panama has just come out of the drydock.
In the wet dock, the Admiral Gordon hangs her trawls out to dry.