A job for L.I.F.E.

L.I.F.E. is a recently formed european organisation established to represent the interests of the Low Impact Fishers of Europe. Its mission is to achieve conditions in which fishing is performed in a sustainable manner and small-scale low impact fishermen and women in Europe can maximise their social and economic viability.

L.I.F.E is setting up an office in Brussels and is seeking an experienced and highly motivated candidate to lead the Policy and Communications work in the demanding political environment of Brussels and also manage its EU office.

The main duties and responsibilities will involve working closely with and deputising for the Executive Director, contributing to and implementing the political and communications strategy of L.I..F.E, building the profile of the organisation in Brussels, liaising with EU Institutions and Media, advocacy on behalf of members, producing policy documents, political and media briefings and managing the office and staff.

The Deputy Director will report to the Executive Director.

The successful candidate will have:

• Proven experience of political advocacy and communications with the ability to identify political opportunities and achieve change.
• Knowledge of the EU Institutions and their working practices
• A clear understanding of the politics of fishing together with an equal understanding of marine environmental issues as they affect fishing and vice versa.
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• An academic qualification
• Proficiency in English and French;
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
• Budgetary and staff management skills
• Willingness to work unsocial hours and travel as required

Employment conditions:

- Remuneration: between 50K€ and 60K€ annual gross salary depending on experience.
- Post to commence as soon as possible
- This is a fixed-term appointment for an initial period of one year
- Location: Brussels, Belgium

If you are interested in applying for this position, please send your CV in English along with a covering letter to:  recruitment@lifeplatform.eu  A copy of the full job and person specification is available on request from the same e-mail address and has been posted on the LIFE Facebook page: Facebook page
CLOSING date for applications:  Sunday 11th January 2014

Wild and windy west of Scotland

With the depression being fed by warmer air from the south near the equator and cold air from alaska the west coast of Scotland has just been battered by the strongest winds recorded at Stornaway since 1970.

FFS it's #FishyFriday fisher folk! - apologies to #JayRayner1 who just hates alliteration

Two thirds of the beam trawl fleet blown back in for weather over the last 24 hours...

with only a few landings of day-haul fish from boats like the New Harmony...

though with the start of a new year and new quota allowances fish like ray are back on the market again - for the moment...

to keep the boats in the red...

unlike some of the harbour boxes suffering from an OD of cuttlefish ink...

name this #FishyFriday fish...

there's always a handful of big tubs with the beamers when they land...

fighting the inclement weather a handful of hardy punt men out in the time to fill their boots with mackerel...

and they should make good money as there won't be too many of these fish landed anywhere in the UK this morning!...

the intrepid Mission skipper Keith Dixon is at it again - this time he's on the road to Marrakech and running over 13 miles in the heat of west african sun - read how Keith's NHS daughter stitched him up in the name of family love and sponsor Keith in a good cause working for the benefit of all the fishing communities in Cornwall...

keeping things in the black...

but not as black as the mornings still are...

here in Newlyn as the transport are loaded with tons of those mysterious cuttles.

After she floats clear of her own accord - watch a 3D Dynamic Replay Of Höegh Osaka’s Grounding In The Solent

There are some interesting comments on this incident from other professional seafarers on the gCaptain web site.

Aerial footage of the grounded Hoegh Osaka on the Brambles Bank, near Cowes.

SRT Marine Technology, a UK-based AIS technology firm, was able to recreate the actual movements of the Höegh Osaka as she departed Southampton and eventually beached herself on Brambles Bank utilizing their GeoVS Dynamic 3D Viewer.

CSCL Globe, the world's largest ship arrives in #Felixstowe.

After leaving China on the 5th of December the world's largest vessel, the #CSCLGlobe...

has entered the container port of Felixstowe and, with the aid of just four tugs...

has successfully been docked in berths 8&9. The boat can carry 19000 shipping containers and marks the event in a significant way as the port was the first container port in the UK - it handles over 40% of all container traffic entering the country. Interestingly, the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company which was set up in 1875 and one of the few Limited companies not to carry the word in its name rents the land it sits on from Trinity College, Cambridge.

Mid-week market

The landings board is looking very quiet for the rest of the week...

a big trip from the AA of 300 boxes...

including some fish missing from the market for a while like these ray...

a pair of tubs always look good...

while these stripey chaps make great alternatives to any trout recipe...

plenty more of these in the sea...

and these green chaps too...

while black is the colour of money at this time of year for some of the boats...

it won't be long before she heads back to sea again...

along with the other big boats in the beamer fleet...

further down the quay the fixed gear boats at rest...

and hoping for some more clement weather over the next tide.

Gull's-eye view of the Ajax leaving Newlyn.

Footage courtesy of Vistasoar - remote aerial imaging specialists.