The Curious Case of Seafood Sabotage | Raymond Blanc, MSC Food Investigator

A concerned chef hires investigator Raymond Blanc to investigate why all his customers are suddenly going to a rival restaurant. Raymond mystery shops both restaurants and uncovers the truth right under his nose!

Leading chef Raymond Blanc has been transformed into a cartoon character to help encourage more fish and chip shops to serve MSC certified seafood.

The Chef Patron of Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons has teamed up with the MSC to create the three minute film called Seafood Sabotage in which he goes undercover to find out why customers are deserting one restaurant in favour of a rival.

After much detective work, the super-sleuth recognises the MSC label on the menu at fish and chip restaurant ‘In Cod we Trust’ and explains to his client that people will only buy what they trust.

Raymond Blanc explained his motivation for the series: “Fish sustainability has always been integral to my businesses. Each aspect of what we do is driven by ethical, environmental, seasonal and regional values, whenever possible. What may not have been achievable yesterday is often achievable today; as a chef and a consumer I work in partnership with the fishmonger and with food producers exchanging knowledge.

“Sustainable fish is becoming part of what our diners expect, whether we are running a sit-down restaurant, a take-away or even a hotel. Our customers expect the same sustainable standards. I hope that this film will inspire my fellow chefs and restaurateurs to take the big step, to get MSC certified and prove they are sourcing sustainably.”

MSC certified fish and chip shops are being encouraged to show the short film instore to raise awareness among customers. In addition, shops will be receiving special MSC movie bill cards and posters, promoting the animated movie and inspiring more restaurateurs to become MSC certified.

Seafood Sabotage is one of three films created by the MSC and featuring Raymond Blanc – the other two being The Fish in the Canteen and The Fish out of Water.

Monday morning's market - #eatmorefish

Trawl caught fish by most popular species was evident this morning with mountains of megrims...

lemon sole...

and monk tails from the Cornishman...

and some top quality inshore monk from the Harmony kept the buyers busy...

turbot don't some much bigger than these guys - at 15kg this fish alone would provide enough cuts to keep the best chefs smiling...

whereas the once plentiful mackerel are still thin on the ground in the waters around the south west...

an impressionist was at work this morning....

the netters landed big mixed trips for their first decent trips since last year...

plenty of roes from the big white fish trips...

helped fill the western end of the market...

where some fish were stacked seven boxes high to save space...

mums the word it seems...

make a careful note...

and just tell 'em how big that one was...

holding a £100 hake is not something you get to do everyday...

as students from Exeter University's Environmental Science Course (also available as a distance learning course) get the benefit of Andy's wealth of piscine knowledge...

with the kind of work Cefas undertake on the market every morning being one of the many job routes such such students could aim for...

out in the harbour there is calm...

as the Replenish make her way to the fish market...

making a plea for help after the longest sustained period of winter weather in living memory...

boats look for crew need look no further!

#nowellsey15 Triple Crown team member!

Nice one Jack! Well done England Triple Crown winners 2014 #6nations

Six crew rescued from a coaster by the #Lizardlifeboat

UPDATE: 10.15am - Coastguards have reportedly said there is no hope of salvaging the ship and its cargo, thought to be limestone. The vessel was registered to Barbados. The captain and his five crew members are all safe. 

UPDATE: 9.15am - ALL six crew members are now aboard RNLI lifeboats. It has been confirmed that the cargo vessel is sinking.

UPDATE: 8.50am - IT is understood the ship is now sinking. The RNLI have confirmed that the crew members are being taken to safety. A spokeswoman tweeted: "The pumps are not able to cope and the crew are being taken off the vessel." 

EARLIER: A SHIP carrying six crew members is in difficulty 11 miles off Lizard Point after its engine room flooded. RNLI lifeboat crews, coastguards and the search and rescue helicopter were called out to the scene at around 7.10am. It is understood that the pump, designed to carry water out of the engine room, failed on the 87-metre vessel. Other ships in the area have also been asked to assist, and are en route. 

A spokeswoman for the RNLI said: “We are trying to help pump the vessel out. A number of other vessels are also making their way to the scene to see if they can assist.”

Read more: http://www.cornishguardian.co.uk/Ship-crew-trouble-Lizard-Point/story-20785493-detail/story.html#ixzz2vSb0j7gl

#ukstorms Financial help for fishermen!

The Government has announced further measures to help fishermen affected by the recent storms.

It pledged financial support under the European Fisheries Fund to reimburse up to 60% of the cost of replacing lost or damaged fishing gear such as lobster pots.

Lighthouse dues will be paid by the Government for a further year, saving the industry up to £140,000. Ministers had already announced fishermen will have access to the government's storm relief fund, including a £10 million package initially designed for farmers.

Industry leaders had warned that 4,000 fishermen and 2,000 vessels - chiefly in the South West – had been impacted by storms, with damage caused to everything from harbours to valuable fishing gear. The call for help was made by the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations when it met Fisheries Minister George Eustice in Newlyn, west Cornwall, last week.

Mr Eustice, also Conservative MP for Camborne and Redruth, said yesterday: "The appalling storms over the last few months have had a severe impact on fishing communities and we recognise that many fishermen have lost static gear such as lobster and crab pots. "I saw first-hand the damage to net gear during a recent visit to Newlyn. We have made this funding available to minimise the impact on their livelihoods and help them to get back on their feet as quickly as possible."

Paul Trebilcock, chairman of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations and chief executive of the Newlyn-based Cornish Fish Producers Organisation, welcomed the announcement. He said: "It is a positive gesture, there's no doubt about that. I think it will be appreciated by those fishermen who have had such a difficult start to the year and have lost income and gear due to the unprecedented storms. "I'm pleased that the minister has listened to what we had to say about the effects of the storms on the industry."

In the House of Commons earlier this week, Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston, whose constituency includes the fishing port of Brixham, warned of the "desperate plight of fishermen" and that some faced bankruptcy. She said the help was "welcome news".

Read more: http://www.northdevonjournal.co.uk/Government-cash-pledged-pay-storm-damaged-fishing/story-20777939-detail/story.html#ixzz2vJ2jceyT

Full on #FishtFriday means fish for supper #eatmorefish

Roe roe roe roe, roe the boat ashore...

gills - blood red - perfect...

one ugly conger...

which ray?...

red mullet - top quality and not so much top quality...

which fish...

eyes down...

Friday fish suppers ready to go...

clearing out the AA during her major refit...

not exactly sleek lines, a purposeful hull for serving the wind farms...

its the Billy ready for sea...

as is the Sapphire II with her gear aboard again - one main winch back in action...

that Brixham visitor...

and her boxes ready to go aboard...

 for the next trip...

Newlyn tops the country for re-cycling gill nets...

can't beat them in the winter!

48% of fishermen do not think their job is dangerous - statistically, 94 deaths in 10 years make it the most dangerous UK profession.

An emotional safety at sea campaign, Sea You Home Safe, fronted by TV broadcaster and Fishermen's Apprentice, Monty Halls, is calling for the 12,000 fishermen across the UK to think about their safety before setting sail.

#Moneywhereyourmouthis - good to see Monty wearing his PFD when he took up fishing from Cadgwith two years ago!

Research, launched today by Seafish, the industry authority on seafood, has shown that a quarter of fishermen have experienced a significant accident at sea where their life was at risk. Over half (52 per cent) of the fishermen surveyed agreed that their job was dangerous, yet only 25 per cent of fishermen said they regularly wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD).

The most recent annual figures show that there were 260 accidents involving UK fishing vessels with 44 serious injuries and six deaths. Ninety four fishermen have lost their lives in the past 10 years, making fishing the most dangerous peacetime profession.

Monty Halls said: "Fishermen are our last, true, hunter-gathers and the profession comes with inherent dangers. The research that Seafish conducted highlighted that UK fishermen know their work can be dangerous and they even acknowledged that their families worry about them whilst they're working. Yet a large number are not wearing the appropriate safety equipment.

"PFDs not only help to save lives but wearing the device will mean that, should the worst happen, a body can be recovered. If a body is not recovered a death certificate cannot be issued for seven years and this can cause additional stress to a bereaved family. The consequences are vast, from insurance not being paid, wills not being settled and bank accounts not able to be closed.

"If you were in a car, you would wear a seatbelt, the same should go for a PFD when you're at sea."

Simon Potten, Head of Safety, Training and Services at Seafish commented: "At Seafish, our purpose is to help secure a sustainable and profitable future for the UK seafood industry. The safety and welfare of its primary producers, the fishermen, is fundamental to this.

"Fishing safety is a concern and fatalities are unacceptable. A PFD can save a life and it is disappointing that such a high number of fishermen put themselves in additional danger by not using them."

Working closely with the fishing industry, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, the RNLI and the Fishermen's Mission, Seafish is backing a Fishing Industry Safety Group (FISG) initiative to promote the wearing of PFDs by fishermen.

FISG aims to ensure that every commercial fisherman in the UK is provided with a PFD. So far, around 7,000 fishermen in Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of England and Wales have benefitted from the initiative, with rollout to the remaining fishermen expected throughout 2014 and 2015.

For more information and to show your support for our fishermen's safety, please visit www.seafish.org