How to celebrate fishing and the industry!

When it comes to staging big events we might have the edge on pomp and circumstance over other nations - but when it comes to revelling in the sheer delight of something - whether that be celebrating the beheading of the entire ruling class, playing a rugby match or just fish - the frogs can teach us plenty.

Comme chaque année, la foule s'est invitée nombreuse à la fête du port. Photo Pascal Couillaud

This was the scene over the weekend at La Rochelle's Fish Festival - not a burger van or hotdog stand in sight (they'd probably be thrown in the harbour - or beheaded).

Here is a translation (slightly corrected) from Sud Ouest, the regional newspaper that ran the story:

On stage, the atmosphere is electric as a trip at sea in heavy weather. At the helm, Jean-Marc Desbois endorses the habit of the captain. Intones an inevitable sea shanty, "Santiano. "People on the port side, we raise our hands. To starboard, you clap your hands! "The most motivated dance already. An atmosphere that Didier Level and his family, relgiously, love. Each year, they put the cap on Pallice. "We have since 2003! We like the atmosphere around the sea, at the bar, it rocks, it is pitching. The bars are dry. 240 cases of wine in 13 hours elapsed. On the podium, the skippers of the Velux are entitled to their share of light. "Today we celebrate the sea in all its dimensions. The fishermen, boaters, adventurers, Mayor Maxime Bono launches. This sea that has made ​​our city! "

take note Newlyn!

Azab - Azores and back race and they're off from Falmouth.

The leading yacht in this years Azab (Azores and back) race from Falmouth to the Azores and back can be seen heading SSW about twenty miles south of the Lizard on VesselTracker's AIS map......

the race can be followed in detail by using the AZAB web sites tracking page with live vessel tracking and race information on each yacht.......

another screen grab 24 hours after the start of the race shows La Promese in the lead  making a good 11 knots heading 225º with 990 miles the finish.

This year there are a number of boats keeping blogs so that you can follow individual stories as they are reported direct from the boat. Here's an extract from one of the blogs with a reminder just how much AIS has improved safety at sea - especially itsability to identify small boats like fishing vessels and yachts in crowded waters and busy shipping lanes like those around Land's End.

"1st night

Submitted by ninjod on Sun, 05/06/2011 - 02:42 the start was very slow.. little wind and i found myself wishing i had a bigger headsail. slowly the wind built and backed and we are now making reasonable speeds towards the azores. the wind gen seems to take its toll on my boatspeed but on the plus side it makes a nice noise.
am in the company of some other competitors.called a ship up after looking at ais and the chap kindly changed course for me. AIS rocks..
all well on board
thanks again for all the messages.
current situaltion .
15 knots tws
7 knots bsp
1092 nm to go.."

Stay away from the hard stuff with a wooden bottom.

Another Fred Yates up for auction soon.......

maybe one of these guys will have their work in a sale room one day......

 and next week will see a new set of Newlyn School art work go on show at the Penlee Gallery in Penzance......

 ice please, but not Jelberts this time.......

 LT1192, a one hundred year old side trawler from Lowestoft, Keeywadin is currently in Newlyn after touching the bottom while sailing around the Scillies - all hands must be cursing her misfortune as she was due to be one of the stars of Looe Luggers this weekend............

 just to let them know......

 as more butt gear goes aboard the big ship........

 on the prowl, one of the local scavengers.......

another advantage of using the insulated tubs complete with dual purpose anti-gull lids.......

 where two worlds collide.......

 from another perspective......

a must-attend meeting for the Under 10 metre fraternity.

Visualise the sea and fish stocks.

Using a wide range of data, scientists at the University of British Columbia have created a dramatic view of the NorthAtlantic that compares fish stock levels of today with those of 100 years ago just published in a research paper.


Today sees the start of European Fish Week with dozens of events planned throughout Europe to publicise all aspects of the industry and fish ecology - many of which are looking to support a workable and viable reform of the CFP

Fishy Friday II

 Let's hear it for hake! goujons, dipped in egg and rolled in panko breadcrumbs......

 along with mackerel fillets, dipped in egg, dredged with flour and a few pots of mayo+one finely chopped gherkin+one crushed clove garlic+lemon juice.........

 shallow fry pan for both  lots of fish........

and an end of meal sloe gin treat.

Let's hear it for the spiders!

Extract form an article in the Independent - and Newlyn has its fair share of boats that fish for those sweeter-than-sweet meat spiders.

"Seek out spider crab in Britain, though, and you'll probably struggle. Unless you've eaten at specialist fish restaurants such as Mitch Tonks' Seahorse in Dartmouth, Nathan Outlaw in North Cornwall or Tom Aikens in London, most Brits are as likely to have tasted the sweet tender flesh of spider crab as they are to have eaten jellied eels or snails".  All three chefs are no strangers to Newlyn of course.

As the article go on to say; "Although the waters around our island are teeming with these crustaceans, we seem to prefer to stick to the imported tuna and farmed salmon to which we're accustomed. More than half of our spider crabs are whisked straight to Spain and France while they're still alive, without even touching British soil" - as can be sen from the lorry above, bound for Portugal.

Tiz a fishy Friday tiz is.

There's more than one way to catch fish, it's high water and a local angler chances his arm for bass on the beach......

while one of three seals patrols the area just in front of the fish market looking for scraps.......

good to see slipper-skipper Don willing to turn his hand while the good ship Filadelfia is away in Holland having a new winch.......

destined for the London restaurant scene no doubt - follow those tags........

time for a smile from Mr Thomas and Mr Tonkin........

before getting back to collecting bass scales........

and recording overal length.......

the Scillies are in the news today........

and a very busy market scene with many of the small boats landing to the market.......

make 'em smile and they might just pay more for your fish......

looking more like koi carp, red mullet and not enough of them for the inshore trawler Jessica Grace......

who have put out wanted notices at sea for big John Dorys too........

plenty of data collecting from CEFAS this morning......

best pollack in the West........

not forgetting the finest stripey mackerel.