Monday morning - with a forecast looking less than promising for the week.

Big moon means a big tide as the netters look forward to a week ashore.......

and big tides mean big squids........

and even, it seems,big bass fishing at the Stone.......

enough to keep the big boats and big buyers happy.......

paying big bucks for these monk tails.......

getting plenty of interest from a few market visitors........

fishes view through the hand grip of a harbour box.

Ajax lands at the end of another neep tide.

Skipper talk, discussing the forecast for the coming week........

as the first of the boxes exit the fishroom.......

ready for Monday's market.......

with an extra pair of hands to make things easier......

it's time for the Ajax to get her fish ashore......

steady as she goes.......

before heading for the market fridge......

looks worse than it is.......

the rub marks on the stern give an indication just how much she rolled her way home from west of the Scillies.......

Tom texts the news ashore.......

before heading up top........

to haul a few tiers of nets ashore......

then it's time for a visit from the monk-man.......

just the paperwork to do........

back on the harbour, the fender production line is in full swing.......

someone's set Debs off again!

All in a day's work.

An AIS shot of three boat's tracks. The top boat is a gill netter working gear on some inshore ground before moving off and stopping at a couple of wrecks. While the bottom tracks show two inshore trawlers, both shooting in an area known locally as 'the Westen Ends' before towing out towards the ground known as 'Nor'west of the Wolf' (as in Wolf Rock Lighhouse).

Christmas lights and shiny new marine electronics.

One set of mackerel feathers washed up minus the hooks, must have been down there for some time......

an evening of fun and entertainment for all the family, young and old alike, the Mission's Christmas special this Friday - in the Mission, all very welcome........

contact 0785504497 for more info on this Cygnus 19 for sale.......

Nigel has a few soft eye parlour pots for sale.......

just arrived despite the snow from the far north.......

clean and calm enough this morning, good to see the sky is still blue up there........

even though the clouds look a little menacing........

ready for the off, engines running on the Sparkling Line........

long shadows over the marina pontoons........

the harbour workhorses for the Stevenson fleet sit quietly........

all smiles despite the early hour for crab king, cap'n Harris........

bits of gear going down the quay with haker Andrew Stevens.......

early finish for the baby of the Ocean Fish ring net fleet.......

a few gallons of zinc has gone on the hull of PZ1001..........

despite appearances, the remaining timber on those worm-eaten fenders is still in top condition - amazing stuff wood.......

down comes a shower........

plenty of buffs for plenty of gear........

proud of the Irish connection, the Stevens can race their roots back to Irish antecedents, most likely shipwrecked when skipper Elijah failed to keep a good lookout........

top quality job on the engine and electrics box aboard the Benediction........

with easy access to the important engine bits....... 

ice time.........

good to see two trees gone in place this morning.......

and a third just gone up........

under the watchful eye of harbour lights stalwart George, next year's lights will be in doubt as the cost of insurance rose to over £4,000 this year!

Peter Neale 13th January 1947 - 29th November 2011

Yet another fisherman from Porthleven has gone to the great wheelhouse in the sky - anyone hoping for tea and buns at his wake in the Blue Anchor stands about as much chance of doing so as seeing Peter the Greek walk in wearing guyliner!

David Cameron's Xmas mesage to the EU!

Must have made Grimmy's day!

Succorfish win high praise from government for 'groundbreaking' tracking device.

L-R   Succorfish Managing Director, Richard Hooper and Commercial Director, George Henricks

Environment Secretary, Caroline Spelman, and Fisheries Minister, Richard Benyon, have hailed a new hi-tech vessel monitoring system that has been designed by North Shieldscompany, Succorfish, as ‘groundbreaking’ in a bid to improve commercial fishing whilst saving marine protected areas.

Government officials visiting local fishermen trialling the device in Lyme Bay, Dorset, saw first

hand how Succorfish’s SC2 global tracking system can allow fishermen to monitor their position to within one metre worldwide without breaching protected zones which would otherwise endanger marine habitats and damage the seabed. Trials funded by Defra and carried out by the Marine Management Organisation have shown how fishermen can prove exactly where their vessel is operating minute by minute via satellite technology, a requirement being introduced under EU legislation in Jan 2012. This will allow them to work alongside environmental groups such as Natural England to potentially open up ‘closed waters’ in sensitive areas.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman commented, “This groundbreaking equipment proves just how innovative the UK fishing industry is. By embracing new technology, it shows that the sector is ready and able to respond positively to the need to protect the marine environment while continuing to make a living from the sea.” Following the Marine Management Organisation’s evaluation of this trial, expected in Spring 2012, the Government hopes that fishermen around the country will be able to adopt this new technology to help ensure that fishing can continue without damaging sensitive marine habitats.

George Henricks, Commercial Director of Succorfish which developed the SC2 system added, “In essence, we are bringing together three parties within one industry and giving them one solution to a major problem, not just here in the UK but worldwide. Commercial fishermen need to sustain and boost their livelihoods and the SC2 will allow them to do so legally whilst improving overall fishing methods.

“Similarly, marine authorities and environmental groups need to monitor and protect vast areas of water from damage or overfishing and must have a means of doing so effectively and within EU guidelines. The SC2 will allow them to work alongside commercial fishermen to gather invaluable fishing and environmental data to support a sustainable fishing policy whilst controlling fishing grounds from illegal practices. “It is a bespoke, low cost device designed specifically for the marine industry and we are delighted with the response from all those involved.”

Succorfish has worked closely with UK industry authorities, Seafish, and CEFAS, and received

funding from Defra as part of its remit to undertake economic and social research in the marine environment, to design and develop the SC2. It was recently launched in front of local fishing administrations, naval enforcement representatives, government bodies and members of regional fishermens’ associations.

Demonstration of Succorfish system from pyxle on Vimeo.

Chairman of the South West Inshore Fisheries Association and vessel owner, Nick Prust, is one

of many commercial fishermen now hailing the system as a possible answer to a worldwide industry problem. He explained, “Fishermen, in general, are working in a tough and often challenging environment therefore when a product becomes integral to the way that you operate, regardless of your methods, it makes a huge difference.

“Having taken part in the trials, it has proved to give much greater access to fishing grounds

and report back instantly. It solves a huge problem for the industry.” The SC2 uses real time satellite and mobile phone technology, as well as online tracking software to relay data back to a password protected website. For vessels 15m and over, it is also e-log ready and directly interfaces with a specialist, state-of-the-art catch reporting software system via a global satellite network.

To order SC2 or other Succorfish products, please contact Andrew Masson at UK distributor,

Selex Elsag, on t | 01346 518 187 or e | andrew.masson@selexelsag.com

Twitter: succorfishvms