Some like it hot -- European fish stocks changing with warming seas

Red mullet from an inshore boat, caught off the Lizard.

The first "big picture" study of the effects of rapidly rising temperatures in the northeast Atlantic Ocean shows that a major shift in fish stocks is already well underway. But it isn't all bad news. The research, published today (15th Sept.) in Current Biology, shows that some fishes' losses are other fishes' gain. The study led by Dr Steve Simpson of the University of Bristol in collaboration with researchers from eight other institutions, is the first to combine a suite of European datasets, which included more than 100 million fish, to explore how warming is affecting the commercially important European fishery. The researchers analysed 28 years of fisheries agency data from 11 independent surveys covering more than a million square kilometres of the European continental shelf.


The northeast Atlantic has been described as the "cauldron of climate change", with warming occurring at a rate four times the global average over the past 30 years. Dr Simpson, a researcher in the University's School of Biological Sciences, explained: "While a 1.3° Celsius change in mean annual temperature in the North Sea over the past three decades may sound trivial, temperature has a strong influence on egg maturation rates, growth and survival of fish larvae, and impacts on the planktonic communities that underpin the food webs that sustain commercial fisheries.


"We see many more southerly warm-water species faring well on the European shelf than northerly cold-adapted species. This means more small-bodied, faster growing species with shorter generation times, and potentially more diversity."


Indeed, the data show that fish in European waters have undergone profound community-level changes that are related to dramatic warming trends for the region. The vast majority – a whopping 72 percent – of common fish species have already shown a change in abundance that relates to the rising sea temperatures.

Red gurnards were sold by trawlermen as crab bait not so long ago, these days there is a market for them as eating habits change in the UK.

Of those, three out of every four fish species have grown in numbers with warming. Catches of cold-loving species, including haddock and cod, have dropped by half in the past three decades, whereas landings of warm-loving species, including hake and dab, have more than doubled. The results show that studies focused only on changes to where particular fish species are found – species ranges – will miss the far more ecologically and economically relevant effects of warming. They also suggest there will be an unavoidable change in what's for dinner.


Simpson added: "We may see a further decline in cold-adapted species, many of which were the staple for our grandparents. The flip side is a likely increase in species that for the UK may seem relatively exotic now, such as red mullet and John Dory. Over time, with effective management and an appropriate response in consumer demand, European seas have the potential to yield productive and sustainable fisheries into the future."


This will be good news for fishmongers like these guys in London who just can't get enough Cornish red mullet!

Longlining aboard the Kimbill (Bonny Mary) in 1979.

4.30 am after steaming one hundred miles west of Newlyn and flat calm about to shoot 24 baskets of long lines in the summer of 1979........

skipper Bill Tonkin (left) hurls a set of readings (a fish tally with the Decca numbers of the area the lines are set wrapped round a potato and held with a rubber band) watched by Porthlevener Billy Pyle.........

hopefully the huge French trawler, Mojenn CC291718 will acknowledge the position of the lines and steer her trawl clear - a big trawler could wipe out a longliner's entire set of gear in a matter of hours if you were really unlucky........

back to work and in such calm conditions skipper Bill just couldn't help but come out on deck and help out - on the hauler is George Richards who's uncle was a Titanic survivor.......

and get the gaff out to catch a 'floater'.........

bending down gutting is Pothlevener, 'Kipper', check out the size of the fish, especially the big ling 'a git louster' - selective fishing at its best.........

 the following are all saved from different trips aboard the longliner KimBill around 1979/80 - for those who don't know, the co-ordinates eg 32.0E (green lanes) and 62.08D (purple lanes) relate to the Decca navigation system in use at the time that pre-dates today's GPS........

 books of tallies were often used to make notes in the wheelhouse.......

 this tally records the fishing made almost 32 years ago this week - the 6-7 refers to the wind strength........

 this time it's January and the fishing is in handy off Mullion and Porthleven, probably for dogs, the readings joined with crosses indicate either end of the line shot - the KimBill used to carry 24 baskets and would work 2 sets of lines of 12 baskets or a 10 and 14, never a 13 and 11 as skipper Bill was superstitious........

 in the days when you could land red bream........

congering on Eric's ground - the best shot was 660 stone (4,000Kg) in one night!

Good news for Penzance Dry Dock.

Local vessel William Sampson Departs Dry Dock

Local fishing vessel William Sampson, owned by Newlyn fishing company W S Stevenson & Sons, has departed the Penzance Dry Dock following a four-week schedule of works and refit.

 The vessel left the dock on Wednesday (14th September) at approx 1800 hrs, with all the works completed on time and to plan, despite a number of changes to the work’s statement during the four weeks of refit (and adverse weather conditions delaying the painting).

Andy Manza, General Manager from W S Stevenson & Sons says “Penzance Dry Dock is a local facility that provides an easily accessible dry working environment for the refit of vessels. Earlier in the year we had a very rapid response to the docking of two of our vessels PZ 137 Twilight III and PZ 199 Algrie for refit and remedial works requested by ourselves, W S Stevenson & Sons. The work was carried out on time and to a very tight schedule of works drawn up at very short notice, following the successful refit of the two vessels.”

Jimmy Barnes “Skipper” added: “It was a pleasure to be back on board the vessel on its return journey to Newlyn”.

The Dry Dock offers a 365 day a year service with a dedicated docking berth for vessels, a drying-out berth and a range of workshops, including areas for fabrication, fitting, electrical work and carpentry. 

The Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, which took the lease on the Dry Dock on 1 September 2009 which has been based in Penzance for more than 90 years.

With experience in shipping and the marine industry through the company’s owned and operated ships, Scillonian III and the freight ship the Gry Maritha, the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company is well placed to maintain the high levels of service delivered as well as providing opportunities for future growth and expansion.

Jeff Marston, Chief Executive of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company added: “The Dry Dock has provided services to ships for many years and has a great reputation for efficiency, quality and competency, we hope to build on this and maximise our opportunities for servicing existing clients as well as attracting new business. 

Skinning skate made easy - nice one Duncan!

Skinning skate and ray is one of those jobs that many fishermen never attempt, now there's no excuse to not to have a go - watch fishmonger Duncan Lewis from Passionate about Fish make it look easy - should inspire anyone to take up the J-cloth and skin!

Visits to Britanny - Petite Cornouaille - Festivals and fishing.

Making the Breton connection, the ex-fishing boat Solveig was one of the few classic working boats to visit Newlyn in the late 1970s........

eventually, interest in such vessels provoked the organisation known as Chasse Marée to hold a working boat festival in 1988 after the success of a very small fête a few years previously, the '88 event was such a huge success - as much to the organisers surprise, well over the 500 invited boats turned up - from all over the world - some as deck cargo on merchant ships - and the number of musicians topped 1,000.........

many Cornish boats made the journey including the classic yacht, Providence owned for many years by the Minns family of Restronguet and built by Pascoe's in Porthleven for the designer Nigel Warrington-Smythe in 1934.........

she was just one of many boats that enjoyed an event which drew a quarter of a million visitors over three days at the end of that July.........

including the top Douarnenez fishing boat Le Royale that used to target monk, megrim and hake on the Great and Little Sole banks - renowned for her willingness to stick out any weather the boat was never seen in Newlyn until she changed hands in the early 1990s........

looking back across a crowded harbour - and not a safety barrier in sight - and, amazingly enough, no one fell in........

everywhere you looked there were masts - the event spawned the hugely successful boat festivals that now take place every two and four years in Douarnenez and Brest - next year will be the 20th anniversary........

also visiting Brittany on occasion was the Newlyn netter, Keriolet seen here making her way in to Guilvenec for a major engine overhaul in 1992........

crewman Billy Bunn asked one of the local boats for a feed of fish as the engine job was going to keep the boat there for well over a week.......

in which time some of the boat's Breton friends paid social visits, like Bruno the engineer from the Kas Dei........

alternativley, the Keriolet's skipper and crew ventured north to St Geunole to visit old friend Jean-Claude who treated the boys to an evening meal in the Crepsicule Restaurant........

where it seems much gwin ru flowed, judging by the ruby cheeks on skipper Traz and Mr Bunn........

yet another sojourn, this time to see good friend and skipper, Christian and his wife Sylvie along with Annie Le Palud (left) of Le Doris Bar in Kerity - Annie's brother was lost along with the rest of the crew when their boat capsized in mysterious circumstances while fishing for langoustine on the Smalls - a submarine was suspected to have dragged her under - shades of the Buagled Breizh many years later. The Keriolet was fishing in the area at the same time.

Under 10s clarification from a CFPO member.

The following was received from David Stevens regarding NUTFA's comments on quota management. Always keen to promote understanding between the various shore side groups that represent many (but by no means all) fishermen up and down the country.

"Hi Larry, would just like to point out that the local Cornish PO has over 100 under 10m members, and their views are well represented by the PO. 

One of the issue raised yesterday to the minister was for the local under 10 vessels to have their quota managed by the CFPO if they wished, rather than being managed by the MMO, as this would enable them to take their share of the quota as and when it suited them.It is wrong of NUTFA to say that, the under 10 have no quota, within English administered waters they have access to nearly 20% of the whitefish TAC for England.If you compare the monthly bulletins they have from the MMO for the under 10 sector, to those of us in the over 10 sector there is very little between the amounts available in both sectors. 

The greatest problem we have is that by the government creating a two tier system you have one sector which has gone through a huge consolidation process, as opposed to the under 10's who have seen an increase in effort over the last 10-15 years creating over capacity. Government is struggling to know what to do with the situation they have created, the under 10's are struggling to come to terms with working in a managed sector in the last 3 years, and this is has not been helped by the misguided policies of NUTFA.

What is needed is for the industry to come together as one, as it should always have been and sort the problems out in a sensible way. By allowing the CFPO to trial management for the under 10s in Cornwall and work together for the good of all of the industry is to me a sensible approach and one NUTFA should listen to.We have also put to NUTFA that the CFPO would be happy to help them set up a PO in the southeast, to help manage their healthy quota amounts in that area and it would also give them a strong voice in the industry."

D Stevens skipper Crystal Sea II 

Heading for the Autumnal equinox.

Two days after the Harvest full moon proper, the morning sky brings a spectacular sight with the moon is clearly visible in the sky 180° opposite the rising sun. 


In the wake of hurricane Katia, the South West seems to have avoided the worst of the weather unlike the rest of the coastline extending northwards to Scotland where heavy seas pounded the coast and winds over 80mph were recorded.