Morse code

Looks like the Cefas Endeavour has some survey work to do off to the south of Mount's Bay - despite the weather being less than helpful. Although updates for the Endeavour's blog page appears to be a little thin on the ground so far this year. In the past not only the Cefas site but the JNCC team and others have done stirling work keeping all those interested in ocean research fed with excellent reports straight from the working deck and labs aboard the boat...

 

and found the time to shoot some of those moments that make all those poor weather days fade into the past.

Think big

It might look ugly - but the huge harbour - with its 550 berth yacht marina, fishing port, 2 story fish market and marine conference centre at Saint Quay Portrieux on the Cote d'Armor, Brittany suffered no damage in the recent severe storms - and all that with a tide of 27 feet (Newlyn has 19 feet max )...

Not an empty berth can be seen in the marina.

the original port can be seen bounded by the two inside breakwaters - unlike Penzance Harbour, the Breton planners and town council figured that extending the harbour and creating a new car park was probably a smarter move than filling in part of the existing harbour - with all the recent damage which will cost millions to restore to its previous glory perhaps now is the time to think bigger and better?

Monday morning's market is full of fresh fish and #openforbusiness in Cornwall

Looking very sorry for herself, the Children's Friend heels heavily against the quay on the hard in front of the harbour offices - work will resume today to make her watertight and re-float her...

a busy Monday morning market included a good shot of ray...

Cornish haddock which is in much abundance and the subject of a huge debate over the inability of the quota system to acknowledge changing stock levels - possibly through poor data collection in the first instance...

luuuuuvly lemons...

some thing s move just too fast even at this hour of the morning on the market...

while the bidding process is somewhat more sedentary...

evidence that a seal had visited the Gary M's gear - seals usually just take a huge bite out of the belly or loin of fish thereby rendering that part of the body unsaleable - hence these boxes of tail pieces up for auction...

a mixed box of odds 'n sods...

it's the time of year when fans of fish roe get moist eyes...

making a note of the last bid, auctioneer Ian conducts...

there are still a few tubs of cuttles to tempt the beamers to fill their boxes with black gold though nothing like as abundant as they were two years ago...

yet another damaged pot waits on the quay from the Rowse crabbing fleet - flagship Emma Louise will be joined later this year by a sister ship currently being fitted out 'up country'...

waning moon over Newlyn set off against a sky heavy with cloud.

Pair team progress - Lapwing and Budding Rose

The Peterhead pair team Budding Rose and the Lapwing are picked by VesselTracker's AIS - the track left shows that the two boats are clearly pair trawling - towing a single net between the two boats - this reduces the amount of drag on the seabed as the method does not require the net to be spread by the use of trawl doors - both boats towing a single net provides plenty of spread and allows longer sweeps or bridles to be used - generally, this method provides a much bigger catch return than simply doubling the catch for using lees fuel...

the boats are working grounds south south east of the Shetlands.

Big haul of haddocks - hoppers full with a lifting bag still hanging aft - one heavy list!!

No fish in the sea? the Lapwing taking on board a single huge haul of haddock on the North Sea - it seems legislation can't change fast enough to cope with ever changing fish populations - it's all about fecundity and viability.

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES (24.4.2013)

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES (24.4.2013)
for the Committee on Transport and Tourism on Blue Growth - Enhancing sustainable growth in the EU’s marine, maritime transport and tourism sectors (2012/2297(INI))

The Committee on Fisheries calls on the Committee on Transport and Tourism, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

1. Recalls the strategic importance of the fishing industry for ‘Blue Growth’ in terms of the supply of fish and the food balance in the European Union, as well as its considerable contribution to socio-economic well-being in coastal communities; recalls further that the EU imports over 60 % of the fish it consumes from third countries;

2. Acknowledges that the seas and oceans will increasingly play a key role in global economic growth in the future; considers that the ‘Blue Growth’ strategy, as part of the Integrated Maritime Policy, will encourage the development of synergies and coordinated policies in the fisheries and aquaculture sector amongst others¸ thus generating European added value and contributing to job creation in the marine sector;

3. Emphasises that aquaculture and fisheries should contribute to food production on a sustainable basis throughout the Union and to long-term food security and consumer protection; considers that the development and innovation of a sustainable aquaculture and fish processing industry should be encouraged, by cutting down bureaucracy and promoting employment opportunities in these sectors, improving the quality of life in both coastal and rural areas;

4. Recognises the advantages of growth in different marine sectors, e.g. the development of offshore energy installations and marine mineral mining and the importance of attracting investments in that respect; stresses, however, that when realising these activities the utmost attention must be paid to avoiding damage to the marine environment and to fishing grounds; supports, in this connection, the development of Maritime Spatial Planning and Integrated Coastal Zone Management as a means of achieving a coherent and effective use of marine space; maintains that these planning and management tools have to be applied at the practical level in order to gauge the cumulative impact of the numerous human activities carried out at sea and in coastal areas;

5. Welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for a directive establishing a framework for Maritime Spatial Planning and Integrated Coastal Management and stresses the importance of coherence in its future application;

6. Stresses the importance of marine and maritime research and of data collection and exchange in understanding and taking account of the complex interaction between the various maritime sectors as well as for the development of sustainable fishing that is respectful of the environment and takes into account the social and economic needs of coastal and island communities;

7. Acknowledges that protecting Europe’s maritime borders is a challenge for Member States; considers that a successful blue economy requires secure EU maritime borders, with a view to ensuring the protection of the marine environment, fisheries controls, the combat of illegal fishing as well as law enforcement; points, therefore, to the importance of setting up a European coastguard to coordinate operations and surveillance at sea; furthermore, stresses the importance of stepping up regional cooperation initiatives relating to the fisheries sector;

8. Stresses the importance of the future European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), which for the first time combines Integrated Maritime Policy and fisheries funding, as well as of the European Investment Bank (EIB), in supporting the sustainable and environmentally friendly development of fisheries, aquaculture and fish processing, as well as revenue diversification in the fishing communities dependent on those sectors, in particular in respect of small-scale coastal fisheries, vocational training for women and young people and attracting new entrepreneurs to the sector;

9. Urges the EU to pursue ambitious international agreements aimed at improving management of fisheries, using as its benchmark its internal strategy for sustainable blue growth;

10. Stresses the importance of coastal regions and of sustainable coastal and maritime tourism for the development of an all-inclusive social and green maritime economy; urges the Commission to develop specific programmes dedicated to the development of fishing, coastal, maritime and cruise tourism, and other areas of economic development linked to the sea and to fishing activity, thus contributing to the socio-economic development of local communities; underlines the importance of the coexistence of mutually enhancing skills, essential in order to protect existing jobs and stimulate employment along maritime regions;

11. Points out that due account must be paid to the particular geography of the outermost regions.

Son of a welder from Redruth - #sixnations rugby in the Swordfish

The Swordfish, Jack Nowell's local in Newlyn where all hands are in place for kick off at Twickenham as England take on Ireland in the latest round of the #SixNations...

the home team get off to a rocky start causing some consternation on the faces of those watching from the comfort of the bar...

as yet another scrum goes Ireland's way...

as the second half nears ending England have slowly turnbed up the heat sufficiently to come out on top...

and young @Nowellsy15 certainly played his part in this crucial game - bring on the Taffs!