Identify this fish!

Trawled up by the Crystal Sea II, this deep water fish needs a name. The boat was fishing about 50 miles south west of the Scillies in 70 fathoms of water. When the fish first appeared out of the cod end it was quite a strong blue colour. Answers on a postcard, or even better email or add a comment at the foot of the post if you have any idea what this tubby looking chap is.


And there was me thinking that identifying the above as Schedophilus medusophagus - a Cornish Blackfish - was just ironic! We live and learn. So that's what was in the well.

Rock Oyster Festival - June 22nd to June 24th.

Will the Bees, the best band bar none hailing from the Isle of Wight, yes, the isle of Wight - home to the famous Bembridge Ledges, bring down the house on the music stage and put the Rock in this year's Rock Oyster  Festival?.........

Les Pauls, a Hammond C3 and Lesley Horn cabinet - the boys can't go wrong!

To find out more about this feast of fish, fun and sounds check out the really rather excellent Rock Oyster Festival web site - if the festival is half as good as the web site then it should be a good time for all!

Three fishermen missing off Dorset.

Three fishermen are missing, feared drowned, after their boat vanished without trace in the Channel. The Weymouth based, Purbeck Isle, disappeared in choppy seas off Portland Bill, Dorset. A major air and sea search was launched involving three navy ships and the coastguard helicopter, but they could find no trace of the boat or of any wreckage.


Full report and video here from the Daily Mail Online.


BBC News update @12:50:

The search for a fishing boat and three crew missing off the Dorset coast has revealed a vessel on the seabed.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said an uncharted wreck of similar size to the missing fishing boat, Purbeck Isle had been located.

It was discovered by a survey ship with sonar equipment involved in the search for the Weymouth-based boat.

Coastguards began an extensive search overnight after the crabber was reported missing at about 18:00 BST.

A fishy Friday it is too!

That's a big, heavy sky over the Mount this morning......

 ans, as the promenade will testify, the pounding from heavy swells has taken its toll this year...... 

 the eyes have it, but which eye is this guy?.........

 all eyes on the langoustine landed this morning, some boats working north of the Scillies........

 the western end of the market had a good selection of white fish and quality flats like brill and turbot......

just like a crop of mushrooms, overnight the new Marel grading machine has appeared.......

and by all accounts will be up and running on mOnday - no more handwritten fish tallies now then......

 signs of sardines........

 a celtic cousin, workboat Tremadoc Bay has stopped by.........

 old hand, Milford Mike checks out a beautifully converted charter boat the Choice, she used to be Dauntless II - the first Shetland fishing boat to have a refrigerated fishroom.

Harbour plan waits on consultants' report.

NEWLYN Harbour Commission has not yet submitted a plan to Cornwall Council that would give it access to half a million pounds to use for renovations at the port.


The council set aside £500,000 for the port authority in its 2012-13 annual budget, which will become available on receipt of an acceptable business plan and a display of good governance.


Harbour chairman, Gilbert McCabe told the Cornishman in March that a business plan would be submitted within a month.


However, speaking this week, harbour master Andrew Munson said nothing can be done until consultants come back to them with necessary information on proposed works.

Museums at Night - in Newlyn this coming Saturday night.

Salt

19 May 2012

Join Andrew Fielding in the garden as he extracts salt from sea water, using the ancient method of heating saltwater in ceramic troughs over a peat fire. Andrew’s aim will be to see how much salt he can produce in the 12-hour period.
We will also work throughout the night with Amanda Lorens to create an animation of tales in a salt landscape. To sustain our audience and participants there will be a variety of fruits from the sea, from the edible to the aural available, including a series of salty tales, told throughout the night.

Suitable for

• Any age
• Family friendly

When

8-9pm

Where

Newlyn Art Gallery

Website

http://www.newlynartgallery.co.uk/?Events

MSC Sardine report - keep fishing guys!

Cornwall sardine, UK MSC status Certified as sustainable in July 2010. 

Summary Species: Sardine (Sardina pilchardus) 
Location: ICES Management Area VIIe and VIIf. 


Fishing methods: Ring nets and drift nets Vessels: 13-14 vessels using ring nets and 12 vessels using drift nets 


Number of fisheries: 1 


More about sardine:


The sardine can be found throughout the North Atlantic eastern continental margin from Senegal to the British Isles and in the Mediterranean and adjacent seas. It is commercially exploited across its distribution range, with the most important fisheries occurring in upwelling areas. Sardine is a pelagic fish that forms large schools that off the Iberian Peninsula are distributed along the continental shelf of the Atlantic Ocean in depths ranging between 10 m. and 100 m. Sardine is not normally found off the continental shelf. Schools of juvenile fish tend to be separated from adults and are found closer inshore, typically associated with estuaries and rivers. 


More about the fishing methods:


The fishery uses ring nets and drift nets, operating in traditional areas close to the coast of Cornwall and within six miles of the coast. The Cornish sardines are brought aboard from the drift or ring nets. Once on board, Cornish sardines are iced to maintain quality and freshness. The vessels use insulated bins and some vessels use fish holds to store the fish chilled before being taken ashore at a Cornish port. The sardines are sold to merchants and fish processors either directly from the vessel or at an auction market. 


Fishery tonnage:


In 2007, ring nets caught 92% of the 1248 tonnes landed. Commercial market The fish is processed in several ways: fresh or frozen, head and gutted, whole and tinned. Fresh fish are packaged in ice and cool boxes for transportation to customers. Remaining fish are primarily frozen and packaged in boxes for frozen storage and then onward to customers.


Read the full report here: