St Ives fisherman Simon Rouncefield - text my fish!

Inshore hand line fisherman, Simon Rouncefield who puts his fish on to the market at Newlyn is making use of the latest communications tools to boost sales of his top quality fish to local customers. Fresh fish from his punt, Jen can be bought over the phone direct from the boat while still at sea. Customers can give their mobile number to Simon who will then text them his catch as he heads for port. Arrangements to pick up the fish are agreed beforehand to ensure that the day's catch gets to the customer direct from the boat, often still alive!

Here' Simon talking to Radio Cornwall's breakfast programme this morning explaining how he has joined the 21st Century and the technology available to exploit more opportunities for sales to customers. Later on in the audio extract you can hear the Harbourmaster at Looe commenting on the feasibility of selling fish direct to customers and the possible consequences for bigger vessels if they follow suit.

Sound recording courtesy of BBC Radio Cornwall Breakfast Show.

Mid-week and a relatively quiet market.

Just the one beam trawl trip this morning......

though there's a good selection of inshore fish from the finest line caught bass........

which always flies off the market floor........

as will these stiff little mackerel.......

then there's plenty of cuttles.......

that need shifting.......

from the man himself........

it's a wrap.......

one crabber all set for the off........

a few days off for the gill net fleet.......

outside its fronbt door, the Mission's 'resuss' kit is ready for action - let's hope the cobwebs gather on it!

Happy New Year - of the Dragon!

 

Potsticker pork pasties........

 haddock steamed with ginger........

served with spring onions, drizzled with smoking coconut and sesame oil and a dash of soy sauce .

Monday's market with megrim and mixed netting trips.

Any colour you like as long as it is black, plenty of cuttles with the Cornishman this morning......

Gary M, one of several netters to put their fish ashore at the end of the year's first neap tide

there's still plenty of bass around the reefs and rocky grounds.......

for the big netters, a good run of ground fish like cod, ling and pollack to go with the hake........

piped fuel aboard by the thousands of litres.......

a tale of three cats........

just time to check the megrim sales........

a reminder for anyone catching one of these at sea, there's a restriction on landing undulate ray - more information is available about shark, skate and rays from Seafish and the MMO.......

heavy cloud over the land, light enough out to sea.

A SUPPORT fund has been launched for the families of the crew of the Tit Bonhomme

Tit Bonhomme trawling- photo courtesy of Niall Duffy

Niall Duffy

A SUPPORT fund has been launched for the families of the crew of the Tit Bonhomme which sank in heavy seas at the entrance to Glandore Harbour early on Sunday morning. The account is held at the AIB branch at Bridge Street Skibbereen and the name of the account is ‘The Union Hall Trawler Support Fund’. 


Donations can be made to account number: 1000 9183, Sort Code: 93-63-75.

Harbour pretty full this morning.

 Despite the best intentions of the local council, it doesn't take long for nature to find its own course, the Wherry Town river now runs straight out to sea once again.......

a discarded hydrostatic release for a life raft washed up on the beach........

 after taking ice the netter Britannia IV makes her way back to her berth past busy quays with many of the big trawlers and beam trawlers trips finished and now home for the weekend.......

 plenty of working deck on the ex-landing craft.........

 likely showers this morning as a solitary gull wheels over the harbour......

 the old harbour crane doesn't see much action these days.......

 no end of unusual visual combinations to be found around the quayside.......

THV Patricia, taking a break from servicing the nation's buoyage system.

Penlee lifeboat escorts French trawler.

Penlee lifeboat was called out to escort a French trawler with a fouled propellor at the weekend. In these instances the lifeboat is called on to provide additional security - in fresh southerly/sou'easterly conditions entering Newlyn can be difficult - fickle changes to the strong currents in the gaps can force an incoming vessel to veer hard to port - as Thierry, the skipper of the Breton trawler Kristel Vihan found out!




Here's the full story courtesy of cox Parch harvey: 

"The volunteer crew at Penlee RNLI lifeboat station had a busy day yesterday (Sunday 15 January) with three incidents in seven hours. Their weekend activities were disrupted to assist two separate French trawlers and a surfer in difficulties. The crew onboard the Penlee all-weather lifeboat Ivan Ellen first launched at 2.30pm to assist a sixty foot French trawler that had a fouled propeller and was making little headway in the poor weather conditions in Mounts Bay. 

As the lifeboat approached the vessel Falmouth Coastguard informed the crew that a surfer had got into difficulties near Praa Sands so the crew immediately diverted. In 14 minutes the lifeboat was on scene, arriving at the same time as the Search and Rescue helicopter from Culdrose. They quickly spotted the surfer in the sea and winched him to safety. The Penlee lifeboat volunteers then headed back to the French trawler and escorted it into Newlyn Harbour arriving at 4.15pm. The pagers were to sound once again when at 7.20pm the crew of the Penlee all-weather lifeboat were launched to another French trawler with a fouled propeller that was being towed towards Newlyn by a second fishing boat. The RNLI crew escorted the vessels for two miles then secured a rope to the trawlers stern to act as a brake while the vessel was being towed through the gaps at Newlyn harbour. The lifeboat crew ensured the vessel was moored safely alongside before returning to station at 9.20pm.

Andrew Munson, RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager at Penlee, says; ‘The sea conditions were poor in Mounts Bay with a south easterly force seven and a rough sea. Towing any vessel through the harbour entrance is very difficult at the best of times, but the lifeboat crew and the French trawler crew that they were towing, worked well together and got the vessel through the gap without any problems. Today has proved the commitment of our volunteer crew members at Penlee, responding immediately to three shouts in one day and on a Sunday when many would have been planning to spend time with their families. I thank them all for what they do.’

Video courtesy of RNLI video.