Impact - End of the Line

For the first time a UK TV programme has had its social impact measured in a comprehensive study - read on........

THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF THE END OF THE LINE



In the last 10 years documentaries and TV are increasingly being recognised as a key medium for communicating social justice issues and inspiring social change. But no-one has ever produced a detailed analysis and methodology to assess this impact. Until now.

Today the Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation is releasing a detailed report into the impact of over-fishing documentary, The End of the Line - the first of its kind for a film. It is intended to contribute to the growing and important field of work on media impact assessment. We hope it can be a template for other film projects giving best practice examples of gathering and presenting quantitative and qualitative data.

Download the report for free on our site here.

MOD abandons the privatisation of SAR - Gove announces this morning!

A Sea King from RNAS Culdrose lands at Penzance Cricket ground with a casualty.

The MOD has abandoned plans to privatise the SAR services in the UK following irregularities in the tendering process it was announced this morning.


The move would have seen the privatisation of Sea Kings at air stations throughout the UK including Culdrose on the Lizard.

Newlyn Harbour Commissioners give public presentation in Cornishman forum.

The Cornishman newspaper hosted a very well attended public forum on the future of Newlyn at The Centre.

The new team of commissioners, under the chairmanship of Gilbert Macabe, were introduced by editor Jacqui Walls and given the opportunity to spell out their vision of the port's future. An upbeat presentation was followed by a comments and questions from a wide range of harbour stakeholders, as members of the local fishing community are now deemed!

In the short time they have been together - remembering that the posts are voluntary - the commissioners have made significant changes to the running of the port - though many of these are not visible. These include the formation of a number of sub committees:

• Finance (Chaired by Gilbert McCabe)
• Assets (Chaired by Juliet Taylor)
• Human Resources (Chaired by Ray Tovey)
• Harbour Management and Operations (Chaired by Kevin Bennetts)

These have all been busy reviewing the current harbour operations which were understandably in need of a major overhaul after the previous regime.

Many of the comments from the floor were still concerned over the lack of concrete plans for the much needed new fish market - though these were countered by an assurance from the chairman that far from being shelved new plans were being considered. Glen Caplin, Cornwall Council representative, reaffirmed the Council's pledge of £500,000 of capital project grant funding - agreed in last December's chamber - good news for the port indeed.

One thing is for certain, Newlyn is ripe for development - and, although the harbour does not want the appearance of any large national chains appearing on the scene, they will be mindful of the fact that St Austell can pin its demise as a major shopping centre and the subsequent meteoric rise in Truro's fortunes down to refusing the first Cornish Marks and Spencer's store in the town back in the early 70s!

In Newlyn's case, perhaps well known industry relevant retail outlets would be a better bet in giving tourists a reason to visit the port and not just to see the fleet. As things stand, despite being Cornwall's largest port and the second largest in the England, its sole remaining fish and chip shop is currently up for auction - an big opportunity for someone surely?

One important role for the community or stakeholders to play in the port's fortunes is to support the NPHC's Advisory Board which is currently being formed. Ideas from interested parties or suggestions for additional representatives should be forwarded to the commissioners via their web site where all the contact information needed is available.

Creeping in the Bay.

Looks like the Billy Rowney is out in the Bay trying to creep back her port side gear from where she dropped it last week. Friday's marathon session to creep for the starboard side took from 1030 in the morning till seven at night........

Working on the starboard side gear after retrieval on Friday.

a few hours later and she has picked up the gear and taken shelter in Penzance Harbour against the quay where there is a enough room to sort the trawl in relative comfort.

Penzance promenade in winter weather.

 With the winter weather making its mark, Penzance promenade is awash at high water as gale force winds sweep across the South Western Approaches......

 under the shelter of Newlyn market where things are a little quieter, ray wings from the Sapphire.........

 and red mullet......

 and Dover soles and as she's the only decent size trip of trawl fish up for auction as gales keep the boats in port all sure to make good money this morning.......

 with a handful of bass thrown in for good measure.......

at the other end of the market, literally, there's a ton and a half of quality hake from the gill netter Govenek of Ladram, good to see some of her fish back on the auction floor..........

at present, the only Newlyn boat at sea is the flagship of the Stevenson fleet, the Cornishman, seen here recorded on the VesselTracker AIS tacking software some 70 miles SSW of Newlyn in the 'deep water' on Sunday.

Chine New Year - Crackling Roast Pork Ken Hom style.

With it being Chinese New Year on Thursday it seems only fitting to indulge in a non-fish dish and go for roast pork of some sort (rather than bush conger - it being the year of) - so it's off to Ken Hom's most excellent , Foolproof Chinese Cookery the book that accompanied the BBC series of the same name in 2000 has become something of a collectors item (keep an eye in your local charity shop cookbook section)........

Pierce the belly pork all over (a carving fork is good fork this) and mind what is underneath........

hang the meat above a large pan of boiling water and use a ladle to scald the skin.......

prepare a rub of 2 tbsp coarse sea salt, 1 tbsp of  ground roasted Sichuan peppercorns, 2 tsp of five spice powder, 1 tsp of ground black pepper and 2 teaspoons sugar - these need heating in a wok for around 3 minutes being careful not to burn! - rub the seasoning into the flesh side of the belly.........

Cornish pasties for a Chinese New Year? - not so! -these are Ken Hom's party specials, pork potsticker dumplings, easy to make for any self-respecting Cornish kitchen........

the belly pork (skin side up) sits on a wire rack in a roasting tray with half an inch of water into the oven at 200° for 30 minutes then for a couple of hours at 180° - some ovens work better using a lower rather than higher shelf to prevent the skin burning rather than going crisp.......

cracking crackling cooked to perfection the Ken Hom way......

a couple of dips to accompany the 'pasties'.........

and then all that remains is to settle the arguement over who gets the last piece of pork!

Shapeshifter.

 The sea has its own way of leaving a mark.......

 and keeping these little chaps fed.......

 bet the makers of reinforced tubing never envisaged what use it might be put to........

 from the top of the gear down to the deck, one set of gear being put back in order........

 while over on the port side there's a big space, let's hope Charlie D and the boys don't have to spend from ten in the morning till seven at night creeping for that side too!....... 

 or he won't have quite the same smile..........

 the current gales have pushed pretty much all the fleet back in through the gaps......

 with the biggest of the netters in to land alongside the market.......

 which means a few days enforced leave for vintage Kawasaki K900 owner.........

 put the word about, there's a need for some of those deep Newlyn voices needed to accompany the boys from Port Isaac.......

 not forgetting the open meeting at the Centre on Monday evening.......

 says it all........

 pots downstairs and pots of........

 coffee upstairs at the Newlyn Orion Gallery on the Green........

 all action with the giggers........

 let's hope they don't run into this piece of flotsam.......

 the strong winds keep those tiles on the move.