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Monday, 14 September 2015

Watching the weather.

VesselTracker AIS

With strong to gale force winds very much the order of the day fishing becomes more difficult and dangerous - on the left of the AIS chart image the Govenek of Ladram, Crystal Sea II, Lisa Jacqueline and Algrie can all be seen making for Newlyn - to the right, sheltering in Falmouth Bay and getting some cut in the wind from the land a fleet of about a dozen Breton trawlers are continuing to fish just outside the six mile line.

Sunday, 13 September 2015

it's a fact, net works.



Net-Works is a social, environmental and commercial solution tackling the problem of discarded fishing nets, by Interface and ZSL. The programme evolved from a need to find a better way of doing business. By working together in close partnership, Interface and ZSL are creating a solid business solution with a long-term positive impacts on marine and freshwater ecosystems while also providing financial opportunities to some of the poorest people in the world.



Trawled up lost Spanish monofilament long line and mono net.
Discarded nets that ghost fish are not the problem here in the rich fishing waters off Nelwyn as in other seas around the world. The local boats fish mainly in deep water and the strong tides in the Western Approaches see to it that any lost nets are soon rolled up tight and lose the ability to fish. 

Used nets are baled ready for recycling in Newlyn.
The Cornish fleet of gill netters produce several tons of used monofilament nylon nets a year as they replace worn out nets with new - these are then sent for recycling.


On a related note...


This coming weekend sees a national campaign to help clean our beaches all around the UK. Locally, Sandy Cove is one of the beaches where volunteers will muster on Saturday. The strong winds over the last few days will have added to the flitsam and jetsam washed up on every beach i the south west not just Sandy Cove - find out more about the Great British Beach Clean here.

St Ives, by day, by night.



St Ives' connection with the classic TV series Morse...



gets launched with a willing crew - unusually, the pilot gig is rigged with a main and mizzen sail...



aboard John Nance's two harbour 'scully' boats, "she went thataway!"...



Nathan takes up a tow on the second boat...




and shows the technique used to power the boat through the water - making it look easier than it is...



another well known face from the Cornish fishing community shows how it's done...



evening draws in...



time for refreshments...



once the St Ives lifeboat is brought ashore she needs a good wash down with fresh water...


before heading for the shed.

Saturday, 12 September 2015

Seafood Champion finalist!

Seafood Champion finalist - Congratulations to David Stevens skipper of the Newlyn based twin-rig trawler Crystal Sea II

Crystal Sea II - twin rig stern trawler from Newlyn
When your family business is a 158 tonne 21m trawler its pays to stay on top of things and keep one step ahead of the game. Skipper David Stevens has learned to do more than just be successful fisherman - in a bid to counteract reduced quotas, often based on out of data or even inaccurate data he's been taking the fight to the MMO and others by being at the forefront of technological measures that monitor or modify what he catches and puts ashore for auction and it seems his efforts have now been recognised.

Skipper David was also keen to point out that this work was very much a team effort - without a crew willing to make changes to the way they work - sometimes at a cost - it would not have been possible.


"I would really like to emphasise that the work we were nominated for is very much a team effort of Crystal Sea fishing. Our vessel is the Crystal Sea SS 118 and my brother and I skipper the boat with a crew of four others. The work we undertake is very much a team effort, from the gear innovations to working of the catch and data gathering. The work we do is continuous we are constantly striving to improve our fishing gear and adapt to whatever our fishery presents ourselves with."

Where the money comes from that pays the wages - the cod end.



He has now become one of the 2016 Seafood Champion Awards finalists.

Friday, 11 September 2015

For some #FishyFriday means a market full of fish - like Newlyn!

A few shots from Thursday evening to begin with...


Extra paint protection needed for the sides of the beam trawler where the chain mat and beam constantly chafe the steel...



the sardine boats now have place for their insulated tubs...



best friends, Charlie & Billy...



Friday morning's market is full of fish...



spot which one...



is a well-known card game...



Cefas Sam is busy this morning, recording...



removing...



measuring...



why is it most fish have white bellies?...



tub gurnards ought to be able to fly...



like witches can...



there's a good shot of ray up for auction again...



while at the western end of the market there's two big trips...



 of hake and white fish from the Ajax...



and Charisma...



full-on 100% cloud cover this morning.

Thursday, 10 September 2015

"CFP: The External Dimension as a Driver for Change"

"CFP: The External Dimension as a Driver for Change" is a two-day conference, to be held by the Long Distance Advisory Council (LDAC) in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, on the 16th and 17th September.


With a range of panel sessions, debates and plenary discussion, the event will function as a high-level workshop examining the role of the External Dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) as a driver for sustainability and good governance outside EU waters, with a special focus on Africa. Tune in for selected panel debates and question and answer sessions.

The event will be livecasted here:

Find out more: www.ldac.eu

Follow on twitter: @ldac_eu / #CFPED #PPC

2016 World Seafood Congress at Grimsby