and a mere 20 boxes of fish from the Resurgam on the market.
Wednesday 12 January 2011
Slack - 20 boxes.
Hugh's Fishfight campaign on Channel 4.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittinstall's hard-hitting film documenting the 'mad' EU regulated quota system (which came about in the wake of the Common Fisheries Policy) hit the screens last night. Hugh learnt just how bad what are known as 'discards' - the fish that fishermen catch but then have to throw back, dead, into the sea as they do not have quota to catch them. With fish consumption of cod, salmon and tuna around 50% of total the UK fish sales the series' targets these fisheries in particular, both here and around the world.
His first trip aboard the Seagull from Scrabster NE Scotland skippered by Gary Much saw him witness haul after haul of cod and coley going back over the side of the trawler as she worked off the Shetlands. After one haul, Hugh asks for all the fish that should be discarded to be kept in baskets - the fish represent around £30,000 worth of fish for the course of a single trip!
"I canna put a sign up on ma nets saying, 'no cod today'" says skipper Gary Much, resigned to work in a "mad" system out of his control.
Hugh then moves to the South coast of England and the beach boats of Hastings where skipper Paul Joy has seen the local fleet dwindle from 44 boats to 11. These beach boats are typical of the under 10m sector that make up the bulk of the UK's fleet yet only have 10% of the national quota. The local fleet fish primarily for cod, plaice and sole with a total daily quota of 13kg - obviously unsustainable. They have been given a huge pollack quota but, as skipper Paul points out, totally pointless as the last time he saw a pollack in his nets was five years ago!
In an attempt to show the people of Hastings just how much fish is dumped as discards by the local fleet, Paul and the other skippers left throwing back over-quota cod from their day's fishing until they were just off the beach - thereby allowing Hugh and the assembled crowd to wade in and pick up the discarded fish - Grimmy Mike in Newlyn would have been proud as he long argued that, as it was illegeal to dump anything at sea, fishermen forced to dump ocer-quota fish at sea were "damned if they did and damned if they didn't"!
You can catch the programme again on 4OD here.
Tonight's episode sees Hugh in warmer waters looking at tuna.
His first trip aboard the Seagull from Scrabster NE Scotland skippered by Gary Much saw him witness haul after haul of cod and coley going back over the side of the trawler as she worked off the Shetlands. After one haul, Hugh asks for all the fish that should be discarded to be kept in baskets - the fish represent around £30,000 worth of fish for the course of a single trip!
"I canna put a sign up on ma nets saying, 'no cod today'" says skipper Gary Much, resigned to work in a "mad" system out of his control.
Hugh then moves to the South coast of England and the beach boats of Hastings where skipper Paul Joy has seen the local fleet dwindle from 44 boats to 11. These beach boats are typical of the under 10m sector that make up the bulk of the UK's fleet yet only have 10% of the national quota. The local fleet fish primarily for cod, plaice and sole with a total daily quota of 13kg - obviously unsustainable. They have been given a huge pollack quota but, as skipper Paul points out, totally pointless as the last time he saw a pollack in his nets was five years ago!
In an attempt to show the people of Hastings just how much fish is dumped as discards by the local fleet, Paul and the other skippers left throwing back over-quota cod from their day's fishing until they were just off the beach - thereby allowing Hugh and the assembled crowd to wade in and pick up the discarded fish - Grimmy Mike in Newlyn would have been proud as he long argued that, as it was illegeal to dump anything at sea, fishermen forced to dump ocer-quota fish at sea were "damned if they did and damned if they didn't"!
 |
| Staunch anti-CFP activist, Newlyn's Mike Mahon who long campaigned for the right to retain on board fish that were caught rather than senslessley dump over-quota fish at sea. |
Tonight's episode sees Hugh in warmer waters looking at tuna.
Falmouth Coastguard co-ordinates yet another international rescue off the isalnd of Sri Lanka.
Overnight, Falmouth Coastguard are co-ordinating the rescue of two British yachtsman aboard their 14m yacht Bacchus as they are caught in storm conditions off the island of Sri Lanka. This is the second time in a week that the service has been directly involved in co-ordinating the response to sailors in international waters far from the coast of the UK. Jeanne Socrates aboard her dismasted yacht off Cape Horn is now safely round Cape Horn thanks to Falmouth. Below is a story from nearer home involving the team at Falmouth.
In the summer of 2008, Tim Garratt, Joby Newton, Chris Jenkins and Wayne Davey, christened The Scilly Boys, had hoped to beat the current Atlantic crossing record of 55 days 13 hours. But the Scilly Boys' vessel capsized 13 days after leaving New York ending their bid to break the 100 year old record.
Here is Wayne Davey's recollection of that event and, in particular, the crucial role that Falmouth Coastguard played in their rescue:
"On the 13th June 2008 at approximately midnight BST I, along with 3 Scillonians was sat inside my capsized rowing boat the 'ScillyBoys' some 800 miles east of New York, to the east of the treacherous Georges Bank, in 40kts of wind and 20-30ft seas. I managed to contact Falmouth CG via Satellite phone, and spoke with Jimmy Miller, who was over 2000 miles away at Falmouth CG. I explained to Jimmy who I was and what had happened to us and that our cabins were flooding. He reassured me that help was on the way, as he had alerted the US CG, and gave me advice. I was then passed to Watch Manager James Instance. The reassurance and advice that was given was what I needed, and the immediate co-ordination with the US CG meant that we were picked up from our liferaft by a 290 metre oil tanker the Gulf Grace approximately 8-9 hours later.
Without doubt, if it wasn't for Jimmy Miller and James Instance and the rest of the team working through the night at Falmouth CG, then myself and the other 3 men would have drowned in the North Atlantic.
As a crew member aboard the Penlee lifeboat I have experienced the professionalism and knowledge of the Watch Team at Falmouth CG on numerous occasions, this time from the right side of the rescue, and the skills and organisation of the men at Falmouth are second to none. I think that it is ridiculous to day-man the station, especially with the TSS off Lands End and the Lizard."
Doubtless, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of other seafarers who owe their lives to the truly international role that Falmouth Coastguard plays in maintaining a watch over the world's oceans. Sailors Jeanne Socrates and Wayne Davey are two of many who are eternally grateful that FCG were there when they needed them.
 |
| Wayne Davey and the Scilly Boys' boat, Gulf Grace in Newlyn in 2008 prior to her attempt to break the 100 year old trans-Atlantic record. |
Here is Wayne Davey's recollection of that event and, in particular, the crucial role that Falmouth Coastguard played in their rescue:
"On the 13th June 2008 at approximately midnight BST I, along with 3 Scillonians was sat inside my capsized rowing boat the 'ScillyBoys' some 800 miles east of New York, to the east of the treacherous Georges Bank, in 40kts of wind and 20-30ft seas. I managed to contact Falmouth CG via Satellite phone, and spoke with Jimmy Miller, who was over 2000 miles away at Falmouth CG. I explained to Jimmy who I was and what had happened to us and that our cabins were flooding. He reassured me that help was on the way, as he had alerted the US CG, and gave me advice. I was then passed to Watch Manager James Instance. The reassurance and advice that was given was what I needed, and the immediate co-ordination with the US CG meant that we were picked up from our liferaft by a 290 metre oil tanker the Gulf Grace approximately 8-9 hours later.
Without doubt, if it wasn't for Jimmy Miller and James Instance and the rest of the team working through the night at Falmouth CG, then myself and the other 3 men would have drowned in the North Atlantic.
As a crew member aboard the Penlee lifeboat I have experienced the professionalism and knowledge of the Watch Team at Falmouth CG on numerous occasions, this time from the right side of the rescue, and the skills and organisation of the men at Falmouth are second to none. I think that it is ridiculous to day-man the station, especially with the TSS off Lands End and the Lizard."
Doubtless, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of other seafarers who owe their lives to the truly international role that Falmouth Coastguard plays in maintaining a watch over the world's oceans. Sailors Jeanne Socrates and Wayne Davey are two of many who are eternally grateful that FCG were there when they needed them.
Tuesday 11 January 2011
Now Falmouth Coastguards needs you - just as Jeanne Socrates needed them!
Below is an extract from the recently published consultation document from the MCA - in a nutshell Falmouth Coastguard will become a day-time only centre - and in the process lose its present centre of excellence status which it enjoys around the world as international coordinator - which was in action but a few days ago when 67 year old solo English yachts-woman Jeanne Socrates was knocked down off Cape Horn. Here is an extract from her web log:
"To cut a long story short, the Chilean Navy and Falmouth CG both got involved - it was lovely to get the friendly, helpful Falmouth phone calls - an English person at the other end of the phone - no language problems!!! Helping with all that was Bob McDavitt initially - deeply appreciated, Bob - and the American Maritime Mobile Net on 14300 kHz - Bill (KI4MMZ) in particular, with Fred (W3ZU) helping with relay. Good for my morale was chatting to the Pacific Seafarers Net also."
If you make use of FCG's services then be sure to read the consultation document in full - especially be mindful of the fact that - despite the importance of Falmouth's current role - at no time was the station visited and staff interviewed by the team of consultants who put this together!
The document can be viewed and then downloaded from here.
How to Respond
The consultation period began on 16 December 2010 and will run until 24 March 2011; please ensure that your response reaches us by 5pm on that date
To ensure all views are accurately and consistently recorded, the consultation response form is the required form of response.
To make the response process as accessible as possible, responses are invited electronically by the completion of the online questionnaire
Alternatively, you can download and complete the consultation response form provided on our web site http://www.mcga.gov.uk and return by e-mail to: Coastguard.consultation@mcga.gov.uk
Written response forms can be sent to:
HM Coastguard Modernisation Consultation
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Spring Place
Bay 2/13
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
When responding, please state whether you are doing so as an individual or representing the views of an organisation. If responding on behalf of a larger organisation, please make it clear who is being represented and where applicable, how the views of members were assembled.
To ensure that all those who respond to the consultation are able to do so with the same access to information regarding the proposals, we will not be responding to individual questions. If you have a query, please ensure that you record it on the consultation response form. Answers to frequently raised queries will be posted on our website http://www.mcga.gov.uk for clarification, during the course of the consultation, if necessary.
During the consultation period there will also be a number of public consultation events. Details of dates and locations for these will be published on our website and advertised locally.
If you would like a paper copy of this consultation document, it can be ordered at the address shown above, or by telephoning our message line on 02380 839 587.
"To cut a long story short, the Chilean Navy and Falmouth CG both got involved - it was lovely to get the friendly, helpful Falmouth phone calls - an English person at the other end of the phone - no language problems!!! Helping with all that was Bob McDavitt initially - deeply appreciated, Bob - and the American Maritime Mobile Net on 14300 kHz - Bill (KI4MMZ) in particular, with Fred (W3ZU) helping with relay. Good for my morale was chatting to the Pacific Seafarers Net also."
If you make use of FCG's services then be sure to read the consultation document in full - especially be mindful of the fact that - despite the importance of Falmouth's current role - at no time was the station visited and staff interviewed by the team of consultants who put this together!
The document can be viewed and then downloaded from here.
How to Respond
The consultation period began on 16 December 2010 and will run until 24 March 2011; please ensure that your response reaches us by 5pm on that date
To ensure all views are accurately and consistently recorded, the consultation response form is the required form of response.
To make the response process as accessible as possible, responses are invited electronically by the completion of the online questionnaire
Alternatively, you can download and complete the consultation response form provided on our web site http://www.mcga.gov.uk and return by e-mail to: Coastguard.consultation@mcga.gov.uk
Written response forms can be sent to:
HM Coastguard Modernisation Consultation
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Spring Place
Bay 2/13
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
When responding, please state whether you are doing so as an individual or representing the views of an organisation. If responding on behalf of a larger organisation, please make it clear who is being represented and where applicable, how the views of members were assembled.
To ensure that all those who respond to the consultation are able to do so with the same access to information regarding the proposals, we will not be responding to individual questions. If you have a query, please ensure that you record it on the consultation response form. Answers to frequently raised queries will be posted on our website http://www.mcga.gov.uk for clarification, during the course of the consultation, if necessary.
During the consultation period there will also be a number of public consultation events. Details of dates and locations for these will be published on our website and advertised locally.
If you would like a paper copy of this consultation document, it can be ordered at the address shown above, or by telephoning our message line on 02380 839 587.
All set for tonight's Fish Fight - as Tesco wades in on the positive publicity.
On the eve of the start of Hugh Fearnley-Whittinstall's FishFight campaign Tesco took the timely opportunity to announce that they were moving to source their own brand tuna from 100%pole and line fisheries as reported in this Guardian Online article. Of course, within the industry, many will recognise that targeting a fishery like tuna is an easy way of gaining green kudos points in comparison to promoting fisheries targeting white fish like cod, whiting and haddock. The range of sentiments and opinions a story like this engenders is all too evident from the comments at the foot of the online Guardian's article.
Melissa Pritchard from Client Earth who spoke on the Radio Cornwall this morning elaborated on a recently published ClientEarth report citing that retail outlets used terms in the promotional material associated with fish products that where often misleading or unsubstantiated as regards their provenance - similar to the made up Scottish place names supermarkets use to promote smoked salmon and other products - terms that suggest they come from some sort of officially accredited catching methods are alluded to and not backed up with the kind of formal certification that is enjoyed by Cornish Sardines, Line Caught Bass, Pollack or Mackerel. A spokesperson from the consumer association mentioned the lack of clarity and level of agreement within the industry with regard to the management of certain fish stocks. The story was picked up by the Guardian and some of the reaser's comments at the foot of the page make interesting reading.
Locally, the range and scope of scientific fisheries research is not sufficient to cover the range of species involved. Thirty years ago there was a substantial mackerel fishery as huge shoals worked their way around the South West during the winter months. On yesterday's market there was half a box of mackerel in total. Historically over the years, big changes in the appearance of pelagic fish like mackerel and pilchards have been recorded in Cornish waters.
Round one of the FishFight programmes will be screened on Channel 4 tonight.
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| Quentin Knights holds a tagged albacore tuna on the market at Newlyn. |
Locally, the range and scope of scientific fisheries research is not sufficient to cover the range of species involved. Thirty years ago there was a substantial mackerel fishery as huge shoals worked their way around the South West during the winter months. On yesterday's market there was half a box of mackerel in total. Historically over the years, big changes in the appearance of pelagic fish like mackerel and pilchards have been recorded in Cornish waters.
Round one of the FishFight programmes will be screened on Channel 4 tonight.
Mackerel mission!
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| Slack fishing for the handline fleet - the one solitary box of mackerel on Newlyn's Monday morning market. |
Despite there being a local shortage of mackerel at the present time other areas are looking to promote the humble mackerel. Consigned by many to the bottom of the menu as a second class fish as a scavenger of the seas, the mackerel is these days much lauded as a means of providing essential Omega3 oils so valued by doctors and nutritionsists.
Channel 4 is currently encouraging not only wet fish shops but your local chippy to serve up mackerel as an alternative to cod on their menus.
Monday 10 January 2011
Just the two trips.
a reminder that the local Penlee lifeboat boys are turning out later this month for another of their fund raising efforts.
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