Marine reserves - is one coming your way soon?

As the winter nights draw in thanks to the clock going back this weekend more time might be spent on catching up with what is happening in the maritime world. Sure to make the headlines in the coming months is news that more marine reserves like the no-take zone around Lundy Island are in the offing - read this, one of many stories that have appeared or found air time in the media this week.

The recently published final report for the Fisher Map makes an interesting read and also provides an invaluable insight as to how organisations work in partnership with other agencies and the fishing industry. A look at the Finding Sanctuary web site reveals a few familiar faces in the team.

Sunday sights

The decks of the Marie Clare are given a dose of running sea water.......
just checking the catch before......
landing beam trawl fish to the walk-in fridge on the market.....
an unusual hull shape on the Catherine-Anne.......
it'll be mayhem in the office tonight if Ben has his way.....

relief boat Beth Sell speeds off on exercise towards Mousehole.

Gry sea trials

Battery Rocks swimmers forced to do their thing inside the safer confines of the harbour when the weather prevents them from their normal route......
sometimes she does, sometimes she doesn't, the bow thruster on the Gry finally does what it should and pushes the bow away from the dockside.....
making her way out of the wet dock having just completed a refit in the dry dock.....
the Gry Maritha helmed from the port side wing of the bridge..... passes the Scillonian III busy taking on goods for this year's penultimate Saturday Island run......
waiting for Harvey's lorry to arrive, the Emma Louise is all set to land her crab.....
a question of function over form for this workhorse vessel......
the working deck of the Forth Sentinel from Briggs Marine......
sports a decidedly blunt bow, ideal for pushing......
on the long-term visitor Tranquility, it's time to run off the combination bridles down the quay......
and re-splice the ends.......
landing in progress aboard the Emma......
up by the Fishermen's Arms a dedicated bunch of volunteers begins the annual task that is.....
erecting Newlyn's now very well known Harbour Christmas Lights......
the Crystal Sea is about to finish landing to a wagon from Ocean Fish......
as skipper David swings the last of the boxes towards the waiting transport.....
Harvey's crab wagon passes by bound for the storage tanks......
a hand aboard the Carol H gets in more practice for the Indian rope trick.....
while Nova Spero skipper Shaun Edwards demonstrates the correct way to push boxes on the quay.....
and can't resist showing off a two-handed spin move to the three-striper.

The iceman cometh

These days an early start means walking down the quay in the dark....

Taking ice aboard the Sapphire.......
and you can see the sweat on ice man Charlie's brow as he helps 5 tons of the Cornwall Ice Company's finest vintage flake ice on its way down the chute.......
green boxes ready to back aboard the boat for another trip


how most small cove boats get their fish to market, safely packed in an insulated tub on the back of a pick-up truck......
ealry tea drinkers in the Harbour Cafe.....
big black conger on its own in a box - when many in the fleet were longlining it was common practice to put these black congers in a box or washer with the rays and leave them all sliding around together - the rough skin of the rays would help 'whiten' the conger thereby making them look more presentable.

Free fertiliser anyone?

Another clean up required along the promenade, even today in Brittany this seaweed is still collected and used as fertiliser on farmland.......
the youngsters aboard the Dom Bosco prepare for another day at sea....
just ahead of the Admiral Gordon from Plymouth......
with only the George Johannes and a couple of other big beamers at sea the market was almosr devoid of trip fish this morning apart from the St Georges.....
with a good selection of these beautiful, uniquely marked ray - the splits between the 'eyes' allow the belly cavity to drain of water in the fishroom......
boxes of monk tails wait for the Ocean Fish forklift.

Upwardly Mobil

Just creeping upwards according to the chartlet on the right side of the page, the price of crude oil is currently showing a continual rise as we head for the chilly season.

"It's the EOTL as we know it"

End of another line, an artic full of fish from two trawlers bound for Plymouth market leaves the harbour at Newlyn. Some of the catch may find its way to wet fish shops around the UK where hard pressed fishmongers may be putting on a brave face in dealing with customers whom, having seen the film 'End of the Line' on More4 last night, are now experts in the field of overfishing and conservation - and probably wanting to know from said fishmongers what they intend doing about 'it'! - London fishmonger Matt has some answers.