World Fisheries Congress - Common Fisheries Policy - 6 th World Fisheries Congress in Edinburgh

Reducing discards at sea ‘vital’ for success of CFP reform CFP proposals tackled by international experts at World Fisheries Congress Panels comprising international industry experts and politicians have debated Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform at the 6 th World Fisheries Congress in Edinburgh. 


Debate was fuelled specifically by regionalisation and the potential for devolving certain powers to member states; subsidies; Transferable Fishing Concessions and discards. Contributors reached the unanimous view that reducing unwanted catches and discards is vital for the success of fisheries reform. The ‘Question Time’ style debate, facilitated by WWF and SeaWeb, addressed proposed policy reforms and examined imminent challenges and opportunities for the industry. 


Contributors including UK Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon MP; Scottish Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead MSP; Tony Long from WWF; and Lowri Evans, DirectorateGeneral for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries for the European Commission, took part in the session. Emily Howgate, Programme Manager at SeaWeb, facilitated the panel debate. She said: “The year ahead will be a decisive one for CFP reform. “The debate held at the World Fisheries Congress brought together leading figures from European politics and the fishing industry to examine policy issues and delve into the challenges and opportunities for science and supply chain operators. 


The session confirmed that collaboration between government and industry will be crucial to ensure positive implementation of the reform, with fishermen and other stakeholders assisting to inform policy.”

Maggie's gone nautical

Window dressing in Causewayhead, Penzance.

Cod questionnaire - your chance to put a case for quota change.

Cod from Cornwall on Newlyn market this morning from the beam trawler Aaltje Adriaante

As talked about before on TtG, Cornish cod make for poor PR with regard to sustainability and quotas. For many years cod have been caught and tagged - and never once has a tagged cod been returned from any area other than the waters in which it was tagged - 'Cornish' cod are home-loving, unadventurous bottom dwellers who like nothing more than gorging themselves on small crab and langoustine if they can get them. They are not part of the cold water crew that inhabit the North Sea and beyond - they are southern softies who enjoy basking in the warmer climes of the Gulf Stream. So when the hue-and-cry over depleted cod stocks hits the headlines all those catchers of locally caught cod are tarred with the same brush - foul we cry!


Today, the Countryside Commission are asking for all hands to complete a short questionnaire - step up guys and complete the paperwork and tell 'em how it is!


Take the survey here: CCRI Cod Survey


See below:


The Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) has been commissioned to undertake some research for the North Sea Regional Advisory Council (NSRAC) to explore the impact of different management approaches on fishing activity and to explore the ways in which vessel operators might
adjust to the different management measures.

The cod's little goatee beard lets him keep his chin from touching the bottom and  stops him getting a sore lip as he scours the sea bed hunting for his shellfish supper.

As part of the review process, the CCRI has been asked to contact vessel operators to explore their experiences of the Cod Recovery plan, and their views on a small range of alternative management approaches for fisheries.


Take the survey here: CCRI Cod Survey

Signs of summer - line caught mackerel.

Top of top Irish chef Richard Corrigan's most underrated fish list - the mighty mackerel is at last showing signs of arriving in numbers around Cornish shores. 


With a solid day's work stacked on the quay, skipper Phil Lockley aboard the Amanda J tops off his last box of these beautiful fish - and when it comes to meeting your daily Omega3 dose they don't come much better!

Cornish Sardines come to Countryfile

Countryfile will be screening thier story on Cornish Sardines this coming Sunday - BBC1 at 1825. See Headland's Hotel chef Sanjay Kumar in action aboard the White Heather. Watch it now - available for the next week.

Who stole the grading machine?

Just what you'd expect to see on the way to the fish market..........a pair of peacocks posing or is it posting at the pillar box........

a chance for anyone living in the Newquay/Wadebridge area to Come Dine with Me!........

there's extra room on the fish market this morning........

as someone appears to have stolen the grading machine.......

fish of the moment, these megrim soles are good value and looking for a new home.....

as are these happy looking ray........

a couple of beamers put full trips ashore........

including the Twilight III.........

off for the day........

the biggest of the Cornish Sardine fleet wait patiently for the sardine season to start......

overshadowed by some heavy cloud........

the biggest wooden fence in Penzance finally succumbs to the attention of a local graffiti artist with something to say.

Peppered Ray from Nathan's British Seafood

As luck would have it, a ray wing made itself available for a first time quick dip into Nathan Outlaw's new British Seafood book.....

a handful of ingredients make up the butter-based mustard sauce, with shallot, whole lemon chopped, garlic, 50-50 of red wine and red wine vinegar........

and, as tarragon is in short supply, a quick trip to the herb garden for a few leaves of lemon balm......

a good dollop of grainy mustard complete the sauce along with the ray wing.......

which is first given a few minutes to brown one side on top of the stove......

when it is then flipped over, peppered, and popped in a pre-heated oven at 200˚......

serve the ray topped with the sauce and, as this was a very quick dish,a handful of veg including some local new Cornish pots. Good to see this first dip into the book produced an excellent dish at such short notice. Sweating some white or even purple onion could have made a substitute for the shallot if needed I guess. A more in-depth look at the book will accompany the next,less hurried dish - when consideration will be given to the remaining recipes, layout and usefulness - looks very promising so far!