Mid-week market at Newlyn

Two good full trips form the beamers almost fill the market...

so its eyes down in the bidding war...

Trelawney's tub gurnards are looking good...

as are Smart's rays...

and there are even some elusive mackerel for the shop...

proving just as elusive, more Omega III rich fish, this time Cornish Sardines...

the growing number of cuttles are leaving their mark...

known in the trade as a bight...

first light and lights on the prom.

A Glowing Net Helps Make Fishing More Sustainable

By helping direct smaller fish out of trawlers’ nets, the SafetyNet aims to help save fish by putting an end to by-catch.

Fish "discards" are a huge problem around the world. In parts of the European Union, fishermen throw back up to two-thirds of what they catch, either because the fish are the wrong size or the wrong species. Quotas, which dictate how much fleets can land, are part of the issue. But so too is the actual technology of fishing. Trawlers gather up most of everything in their path. And many fish die before they are returned to the water.

Campaigners are working on the EU’s quota system. But Dan Watson, a U.K. designer, is trying to update the technology piece as well. His SafetyNet system--which has just won the international Dyson design award--brings more selectivity to trawling, targeting the wanted animals, while letting more of the rest go free.

The invention is an illuminated ring that alerts fish to an escape route from the net. Fishermen retrofit their nets with the device. Power comes from a circular turbine within the plastic that collects kinetic energy from the water.

Watson says one of the main problems with trawler nets is that as they are dragged, the holes get smaller, stopping younger fish from escaping. So, one job of the rings is simply to keep the holes open. The second is to light the way, as fish often don’t know they are within the net, because it’s dark, and the net is enormous.

"The rings act like a beacon to show them where the ways out are," he says. "The fish investigate, and it kickstarts their escape reaction, because they are thinking 'this isn’t normal.' When they get close to the ring, they can feel the stronger flow of water through the holes, and they can use that as a guide to get out."

Since graduating from college, Watson has set up a company to commercialize the design. He is now in "advanced prototyping," and is testing the rings with partners in Norway, the U.S., and the U.K. He estimates the current cost at $32 a device, but he thinks he can halve that through mass manufacture. Ideally, he would like governments to subsidize the technology, either directly, or by having it accepted as part of a quota arrangement.

Effectively, fishermen would get more opportunity to fish, and make more money, if they could prove they were being more selective. "One of the main reasons for the trials is to establish just how effective the rings are, and then to decide what kind of incentive scheme could be built around them," Watson says. "Depending on how efficient fishermen are, it would determine how many days at sea they would get." The Dyson Award comes with a $16,000 first prize. Watson says he plans to use the cash for further development.

Looking for new doors, maybe Bison - can anyone help?

Pete Brooks

10 November 06:41

hi all,looking for abit of help, i'm looking to purchase some new doors and have been looking at the bison, i've spoken to john ashworth and he recommends the size 7 looe type, He did recommend that i try a set before i buy,but not knowing many fisherman i'm abit stuck cuz the ones i do have bigger boats,so,here's the crunch, i no its a massive ask and probably above and beyond, but at £1700 for a new set its a bit of a gamble wether they be right for me, so has anyone got a set lying around that i could borrow for a couple of weeks,or possibly buy if surpluss , anything from a size 6 to a 7+ would give me an idea of which way to go,i can collect from anywhare in the s w, many thanks ,brooksie,provider th 434

Sustainable fishing Spanish style - the Cornish Federation of Sea Anglers CFP response doucument.

After reading the CFP consultation document from the Cornish Federation fo Sea Anglers, enjoy these short videos of the Spanish fishing fleet - those that toil with pole and line and handlines, thse guys are not quite the villains that Spanish fishermen are often depicted!



and last, but not least, enjoy footage of Newlyn's last pole and line fishing boat the Ben Loyal. Hopefully, we may see her return to fishing for tuna again next summer when conditions improve.

Monday's market full of fish.

For a Thresher shark this is just a baby, the biggest in the world ever was landed a few years back in Newlyn...

another top trip from the boys on the Ajax, all hands glad to be back at sea after missing the last tide with a major gearbox repair keping the boat in dock...

more of those elusive granddaddy cod get the data treatment...

signs that the cuttles are getting thick on the ground...

topped up with megrim soles the grading machine doe s the business and sorts the fish in record time...

lest we forget.

HFW and MPAs - your country needs you and your comments!

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is in the process of launching a new campaign to highlight the discards issue.  He has commissioned a short video that explains what he wants the fishermen of the UK to tell him - read on for the full story:

My new series of Fish Fight is coming to Channel 4 in early 2013. I look at Marine Protected Areas in the UK and in other parts of the world, how they have benefited marine life and fish stocks, and what fishermen think of them. 

Now, I want to hear from more fishermen, from every part of the country. 

I want to know what you think about marine protected areas (also called 'marine conservation zones' in England and Wales). If you're a fisherman, do you support Marine Protected Areas? Do you think there are too many around the UK, or not enough? Do you have any questions you'd like the answer to? 

Please record a short video comment or question, and post it below by clicking 'Create a video response'. You'll need to create a Youtube account if you don't have one already. You can film yourself on a mobile phone, webcam, or camera. Please keep it short and snappy. Feel free to film yourself at sea, or with an interesting background, but make sure we can hear you clearly. Please state your name and where you are from at the start of the message. Videos will be moderated so please avoid swearing.  

Your video could make it into the new series of Fish Fight on Channel 4. I'm also going to be inviting a few of you to join me for a Google Hangout to discuss the issues in more detail. We need to be able to get in touch with you. 

Once you've uploaded a video, please send a quick email to 'hello@fishfight.net' with the subject line 'Video Response', including your name, address, phone number, and the title of the video you uploaded. 

You can also send me a comment or question by email if you are unable to upload a video. Thank you 

Please see our Privacy Policy here: http://www.fishfight.net/privacy-policy Category: Film & Animation License: Standard YouTube License

If anyone wants some adive or guidance on using Google+ which is a superb free service from Google - email me (Laurence Hartwell) at info@newlynharbour.co.uk

Yesterday's Blue Charity press conference held in Lorient.

Five members of the French media attended the meeting to publish the Blue Charity report held at the Pêche et Développement's head office in Lorient: - Ouest France - Le Télégramme - Le marin - Radio Bro gwened (Breton language radio) - a press officer of the Green Party EuropeGEcologie Les Verts.

 

First, an interview in French with Yan Giron, then in Breton with Alain Le Sann

Centre, Mrs Danielle Le Sauce, chair woman of the Collectif Pêche et Développement, on her right, Yan Giron and Alain Le Sann, authors of the report.