Not just fishermen, but Cornish Fishermen - it's official! #Cornish

Proud to be Cornish - #Cornish Sardines

Get it right in future Waitrose!

next up it will be #Cornish Hake

#Cornish Bass

#Cornish Pollack

and of course, #Cornish Tuna!

The Government has agreed to recognise the #Cornish as a “national minority”. Ministers are to include the Duchy in their submission to update a European convention designed to protect diversity. The Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities was adopted by the UK government sixteen years ago. While ethnic minority communities and the Scots, Irish and Welsh were included, the Cornish were not awarded the status.

Advocates of the move have argued recognition as a “national minority” would help preserve Cornwall’s culture and identity for future generations. They contended that since Cornwall is a Celtic nation it should be afforded a similar status to Wales and Scotland.

Ahead of a visit to Cornwall today, Danny Alexander, Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: “Cornish people have a proud history and a distinct identity. I am delighted that we have been able to officially recognise this and afford the Cornish people the same status as other minorities in the UK.”

Communities Minister Stephen Williams said: “This is a great day for the people of Cornwall who have long campaigned for the distinctiveness and identity of the Cornish people to be recognised officially.
“The Cornish and Welsh are the oldest peoples on this island and as a proud Welshman I look forward to seeing St Piran’s Flag flying with extra Celtic pride on March 5 next year.”

Some 84,000 people declared themselves Cornish in the 2011 Census and dual language street signs are increasingly common.

The Government today recognises the Cornish people as distinct from communities in other regions of the UK. Living Cornwall Editor Simon Parker asks what – if anything – it will mean for Cornwall.

When the late, great David Penhaligon told Parliament “you need more in an economy than just tourism, ice-cream and deck chairs” he could easily have added the word “recognition”.

The Liberal MP, unlike some of today’s Parliamentarians, was genuinely concerned about the welfare of his Truro constituents and about Cornwall as a whole.

Read more here courtesy of the Western Morning News

Sardines in oil

Blocking out the first in a series of Cornish Sardine paintings in oils.

Porthleven Food Festival this weekend!

The 26th April 2014 is a big day in Porthleven! Our festival brings in more than 10,000 people each year! Follow us on @PorthlevenFest and Facebook for latest updates. A free day out that you won't want to miss! 

Porthleven Food and Music festival is a non profit community organisation run by a talented, committed and enthusiastic volunteers from the local community.

The objectives of the food festival are to:

• protect and stimulate the local economy, 
• ensure the involvement and pleasure of the whole community. 
• stimulate the growth of awareness of the environment, food culture and production, and nutrition. 
• promote awareness of the extent and quality of locally produced food. 
• aspire to a wider audience and a growing cultural remit.

The fishing industry now relies on data to administer the CFP - who can provide the data? - scientists or fishermen?

Nowadays commercial fishing in EU waters means many fish are subjected to quotas. The amount of each species that can be caught - Total Allowable Catch (TAC) is determined by scientific data collected in the main by research vessels and landings of fish.

In order for changes to quotas to be made in a more timely fashion in the wake of the newly negotiated CFP and discards legislsation the industry must push for the scientific community to make more use of those best placed to provide the data needed - the fishermen.

At last week's Channel Scallop Workshop Jim Portus spoke of such a need - this meeting brought together fishermen and industry players from both sides of the channel desperate to avoid sensationalist headlines like those that appeared in the nationals, the so-called 'Scallop Wars'

This is what he said:

“We have heard from scientists in the UK and in France – they are frustrated due to lack of resources from Government departments. We in the industry have said “we've got the platforms, come out on our boats and gather the data – teach us to become gatherers of data”. Fishermen are willing to do that, but they need to be guided which takes time and resources…but it can happen, and I think it should happen, and I hope it does happen”  

Jim Portus, Chief Exec, South Western Fish Producer Organisation.

As an industry we need to become the major provider of hard evidence of fish stocks so that areas like the North Sea where huge increases in cod and other fish being caught does not get accounted for in stock assessment in a timely manner.

 logging fish data on Newlyn fish market - data of fish landed not caught

Here's an example of why:

Fish species 'X' has a small monthly quota. The skipper knows that over the course of that month he is going to catch the quota easily - maybe in a few hauls and for the subsequent months over the rest of the year. Consequently he will retain on board only the biggest fish - because bigger fish make better money and therefore more economic sense - any small fish will go back over the side.

As above, the field staff from Cefas and the MMO log the size of the fish being landed on UK markets. 

Significant amounts of data collected on fish markets throughout the EU are used to assess the recruitment of fish stocks based on the size of fish being caught. If, on the market the field workers are only seeing large fish (ie the ones the skipper has chosen to land for economic reasons) the obvious conclusion is that as there are small amounts of small fish compared to much bigger fish then recruitment for that year must be poor! 

Result? The scientific evidence collected is potentially flawed and gives the wrong impression as to the size of stocks - pollack would be a good example of this in the South West.  

Newlyn Maid - all in a good cause

A PHYSICIST from Newlyn is about to take on a charity challenge of sailing solo across the Atlantic and back in a 21ft boat – despite only having taken up the sport a year ago. 

Dr Steve Hickey, 63, who will be raising funds for the Fishermen's Mission, only decided to take up sailing when he read about the Jester Challenge, a transatlantic race from Plymouth to Newport, Rhode Island in America, which takes place every four years. He said: "I've always been keen on boats but never had the opportunity to do anything about it. "But when I read about the Jester Challenge, it seemed so anarchic and silly that I thought I just had to take part." 

About a year after discovering the race, Steve went about the task of buying a boat. A 21-foot Newbridge Coromandel became available in Falmouth and, renamed Newlyn Maid, Steve took his first sailing lessons up and down the Fal Estuary. 

she has been fitted with a new self-steering rig

Since then, in between the task of making his 30-year-old vessel as safe as possible for the trip, he has brought the Newlyn Maid round the Lizard to Newlyn and also sailed round Land's End to Hayle. 

Before the race starts on May 11, he plans several more trips. "When I set out to take part in the Jester I looked at all the risks and thought that it was not that dangerous," he said. 

looks like there's a small solar panel to power the boat's electrics

"I have done all I can to make the boat ready for the challenge and have fitted her with multiple GPS emergency locators and I will be in contact with the shore throughout the trip." Steve also insists that his experience of sailing in Cornish waters will stand him in good stead. He said: "Some of the most dangerous waters you can sail in are just off the coast.

view of the cuddy where Dr Steve Hickey will be spending most of his time as the boat transits the Atlantic - hopefully back in time for a hero's welcome at this year's Fish festival

I think the main problem will be dealing with the psychological problem of being out in a huge ocean by yourself. "My wife is a bit nervous but fairly confident about the venture – it is the people who don't know what is involved who think it is dangerous." 

Around 20 to 30 vessels are likely to line up at the start on May 11 and Steve hopes to not only sail out to Newport, a voyage which he expects will take around six weeks, but turn round and come back again in time for the Newlyn Fish Festival at the end of August. 

To find out more about how Steve has gone about preparing for the Jester Challenge, read his blog at www.newlyn maid.wordpress.com/2014/01/ 

If you would like to sponsor Steve, visit www.fishermens mission.org.uk/donate.html

Tuesday's market and inshore boats in action

Girl Pamela makes her way quietly towards the fish market...

to take on more gear...

looks like Cefas are mob-handed this morning with two data collection teams...

on the go, much needed when there are plenty of small fish to collect data from...

the St Georges'  megrims are bright-eyed this morning...

the fiercesome thornback ray...

many monk tails from the Sapphire II...

an unwelcome guest inside the fish market, one for Edwin to sort out...

it's that time of year when some of the inshore trawlers will be on the lookout for bigger and better hauls of John Dory...

the visiting Dutch beamer has spent the lat few weeks twin-rigging...

and now needs to swap back to her beam trawls... so there's plenty of work for the crew to get through today...

early start for the inshore men...

as they make their way to the pontoon berths...

the punt Benediction is taking part in some research on inshore waters sea temperatures - this is one of the transponders being fitted to fishing gear like lobster pots to record data, hopefully Gus will provide TtG with more info soon...

time for Andrew, surrounded by tubs of home-brewed bait, to fire the main engine...

and get these new pots in the water...

just a quick pic for the @DrecklyFish Twitter page keeping their customers informed...

then it's time to shove her off...

and head for the gaps...

she's not the only inshore boat heading off to sea...

it will soon be time for the local gigs to make their way across to the Scillies for this year's World Gig Rowing Championships...

looks like its going to be a dull but dry day...

local graffiti of the more artistic sort.

Bound away Dreckly!