60mph plus winds this #FishyFriday in Newlyn.

With 8s, 9s, 10s and 11s forecast in the Southwest Approaches, dusk falls over the harbour on Thursday evening as the Silver Dawn lands to the fish market...

with that forecast the market is end-to-end with fish from six boats landing overnight...

which meant plenty of top quality hake from the Ygraine...

Stelissa...

and Silver Dawn...

there were boxes of good haddock to go with their hake too...

the Trevssa IV was one of four beam trawlers to land...

including the Louisa N...

with the Easter holidays about to begin fish are the popular choice for dining in or out so monk...

lemons...

Dovers...

and John Dory will be first choice for many...

those who know will be cheered to see a few of these most excellent eating beauties on the market this morning...

red mullet are a frim favourite...

as are the top drawer turbot...

and brill.

equally tasty are plaice...

and for anyone put off by bones what better than ray wings...

the weather has not been kind to the inshore guys in their small boats so any chance of the new grading machine being put to use has yet to present itself...

two grey mullet...

and three boxes of mackerel were the sum total of this mornings inshore landings...

evidence that the numbers of these invasive fish are on the up comes from the fact that this beast was caught by a gillnet and not pot or trawl...

as this chart as published this week in the Breton fishing press further indicates...

with the severe weather hampering fishing it is not not surprising that there are a number...

of visiting vessels tucked up in port...

from up the line...

including two yachts...

one being this intrepid small Norwegian double-ender...

looks like a few hours work is needed on one of the Crustal Sea's trawls...

just some of the debris trawled up, the nylon net would have no doubt come from a Breton boat...

transport links for fish are second-to-none these days...

as is the seemingly never ending number of new pots being ordered and put to use around Lands End...

with most boats owning their own boxes the harbour now has a logistical challenge looking after them once they have been landed and cleaned...

the erroneously named May blossom, not even April yet!..

Newlyn does its bit for securing a more wholesome environment for the future...

always good to see harbour boxes dropped back where they belong...

we miss the old boy and his papers - btw, if anyone has one of Dave Barron's old fish frails hidden away, let me know!

TALK TO US! NUTFA REQUESTS ‘URGENT’ MEETING WITH NEW MCA BOSS ON MEDICAL CERTIFICATES

The new under ten Fishermen’s Association (NUFTA) has written to the newly appointed MCA chief executive Virginia McVea requesting an urgent meeting about the unprecedented numbers of worried fishermen seeking its advice about the new medical requirements being introduced this November.

NUTFA director Jerry Percy told FN that some respondents had been told to provide health information by email, after busy GPs were unable to provide appointments for the ML5 medical exam. This has pushed some fishermen to private medical providers, who charge up to £150 for the ENG1 medical, which was developed for deep-sea mariners.

Medical details such as a body mass index (BMI) above the recommended guidelines then ‘set up fishermen to fail’ before they have even been seen in person, said Jerry Percy – despite many applicants being the same weight for several decades of working at sea.

“The BMI check has been discredited time and again as a measure of health and fitness by a range of experts. Destroying someone’s livelihood based on this, an email questionnaire and a telephone consultation is simply not acceptable,” he said.

“There is no doubt that health professionals will always err on the side of caution, but stopping a man from working a small open boat close to shore in daylight hours on the basis that he is slightly colour-blind is clearly a nonsense. Asking a guy who has been the same size and weight for 20 years to lose three stone in three months also raises concerns.

“It is also clear that the massive impact on the mental health of many fishermen as a result of these demands has not been considered, and this is particularly impacting when the communications that accompany the demands are far from clear.

“NUTFA has taken extensive legal advice on the matter, and we continue to have doubts about the legality of much of what has brought us to the current situation, with deadlines fast approaching.

“The arrival of a new CEO at the MCA at least gives opportunity for all to draw situation, and develop a sensible and pragmatic approach to fishermen’s safety and welfare, before this deadline is reached and devastates families and coastal communities across the country.”

Anyone who has concerns about the implications of the new requirements is invited to contact NUTFA on 07402 089170.

Legal Background: 

Is the MCA in breach of the regulatory code? 

The detailed NUTFA letter to the MCA, which FN has seen, is primarily a request for an urgent early meeting between the MCA and industry representatives to discuss the implementation of the medical certification, which becomes mandatory on 30 November this year.

However, as well as outlining the main issues impacting fishermen, and making the argument in respect of the content and implementation of the medical requirements, it also questions whether the entire process of introduction has been compliant with the government’s own regulatory code.

The code places a number of obligations on bodies such as the MCA to ‘carry out their activities in a way that supports those they regulate to comply and grow’ and ‘provide simple and straightforward ways to engage with those they regulate and hear their views’.

Section 2.1 of the code stipulates: “Before changing policies, practices or service standards, regulators should consider the impact on business and engage with business representatives.”

In relation to this, NUTFA asks: “Please advise what ‘engagement’ there has been by the MCA with the fishing industry in respect of the new medical certification, and provide the impact assessment in respect of the impact on the fishing livelihoods of the fishermen who are subject to a medical assessment for certification purposes.”

A face to face meeting with the new CEO, NUTFA says, would allow honest and open discussion with industry, and allow her to hear at first hand from those who face ‘potentially massive devastation that would occur from a strict adherence to your interpretation of the requirements [of the new assessment]’.

NUTFA has also requested information regarding the number of health-related incidents at sea that have affected the safe operation of a smaller fishing vessel, and awaits a response.

With regard to the introduction of the legislation itself, The Merchant Shipping (Work in Fishing Convention) (Medical Certification) Regulations 2018 states in Section 17 that the secretary of state must carry out a review of the regulations and publish these before 23 October, 2023.

There is as yet no sight of this report, or confirmation from Defra of when it will be published. NUTFA points out that this date is just weeks before the implementation date set by the MCA for medical certificates – at which point many fishermen’s insurance policies will become invalid if they are not certified.

NUTFA also questions whether the secretary of state has followed the Merchant Shipping Act requirement in section 86 to ‘consult such persons in the United Kingdom (if any) as he considers will be affected by the proposals’ on safety regulations.

NUTFA has circulated its thoughts widely, it says, ‘in the hope that a joined-up approach on this issue can assist with the speed that will be required to thrash out all issues over the next eight months’.

News from Brittany: Blocking of ports: angry fishermen decide to stay at the quay

Can we learn from these Breton fishermen and the passion they are demonstrating on the streets - they even get support from students and others in their fight to protect

 their way of life? 

Two stories from French media covering current protests in Brittany.

Fed up of Breton fishermen, between lower incomes and ecological injunctions. March 28, 2023 by Guy Pichard

 

On the sidelines of the protests against the pension reform, in Brittany the fishermen are also mobilising to express their fed up with the crises which are pressurising the sector, including the price of diesel which is skyrocketing.

"When I started my job as a trap setter with my boss, we had 320 traps and we were earning a good living. Today, there are four of us on board and we lift 900 traps a day just to get there” . 

The observation of Yann Didelot, skipper-owner of the Breton trawler Komz me Rèr in Lorient (Morbihan), is without appeal. Part of French fishing suffers from repeated crises, such as those of Covid and Brexit. Workers in the sector met in Rennes on March 22. They were around 500, mainly fishermen from the western side of the French coast.

Without a slogan or a sign, this rally had been planned for a few weeks. “If we're protesting, it's because our income has dropped drastically and our businesses aren't even saving money anymore. We are in a tense flow” , deplores David Le Quintrec, skipper of the Izel Vor II , also based in Lorient and spokesperson for the protest. If they are not affected by the pension reform because of their special system, angry fishermen consider themselves burdened by inflation, legislation and regulations.

Yann Didelot and David LeQuintrec. Yann Didelot, skipper-owner of the Komz me Rèr and David Le Quintrec, skipper-fisherman of the Izel Vor II , in Lorient. ©Guy Pichard 

Increase in the price of diesel, closures of fishing areas, wind turbines at sea, quotas, prohibition by 2030 of bottom trawling in marine protected areas , competition from industrial fishing... the grievances are numerous. "The fishermen are unhappy and rightly so ," agrees Thibault Josse, coordinator of the Pleine mer association, who did not take part in the mobilization in Rennes last week. We did not want to join them in Rennes, because the demands are too diverse. We disagree with some of them, but the problem is more complicated than a simple demonstration, the crisis is above all structural.

The dolphins of anger

On March 20, the Council of State decided to close certain fishing areas “for appropriate periods” in the Bay of Biscay to protect dolphins, “victims of incidental captures during fishing actions” . Hundreds of these cetaceans have been found dead in recent months on the beaches of the Atlantic coast. Three associations, Sea Shepherd France, France nature environment and Defense of aquatic environments, therefore seized the Council of State, which ruled that dolphins are "in serious danger of extinction, at least regionally" .

Beneficial for the survival of the species, this strong act of the highest jurisdiction of the country does not pass with certain actors in the fishing industry. “They are right to be angry about this ,” says Jean Piel, communication officer at the departmental committee for maritime fisheries and marine farming in Morbihan. From the media side, it's super easy to attack fishermen. These are people who work a lot, who often know the marine environment better than the NGOs and we are constantly on their backs”, he accuses.

Protesters hold smoke bombs ©Guy Pichard 

Other less radical solutions would have been preferable according to the profession, starting with electronic devices installed on ships to keep porpoises away. “I placed a scarer on the hull of my boat , explains David Le Quintrec. Last year I caught a total of seven dolphins, but when I started the device, only one came up in my nets.

Work more to compensate for the increase in diesel Beyond the very media subject of porpoises, the general anger expressed in Rennes is fueled by causes similar to the demonstrations which have animated French cities in recent days. Inflation and purchasing power are on everyone's lips, added to a hardship at work and a number of hours spent on the job that has few equivalents in the professional world, apart from agriculture. “To earn as much as before, you have to work harder , regrets David Le Quintrec. I start around 1am and get home around 4pm every day, except weekends. Yet in terms of salary, the last quarter has never been so poor for a bunch of years.” he explains.

This financial pressure is dominated by a major problem: the price of diesel. A trawler consumes around 1200 liters of diesel per day. Diesel oil accounts for around 50% of the financial burden of a trawl fishing company on a trip. Numbers that make you dizzy. Fortunately for the sector, diesel still benefits from state support, extended until October 2023, up to 20 cents per liter to cope with rising fuel prices. Despite this bandage, the price of the precious liquid continues to rise. “We must invest massively in the transition instead of keeping the sector under perfusion with diesel aid” , slice Thibault Josse, of the Pleine mer association.

A Breton flag with a slogan against offshore wind turbines waved during the demonstration Offshore wind turbines are also one of the subjects of dispute. ©Guy Pichard The French government and the European Union are widely criticized by fishermen. But they also have a harsh speech towards the president of the National Committee of Maritime Fisheries and Marine Farming, Olivier Le Nézet... who is also at the head of the departmental committee of maritime fisheries of Morbihan, of the regional committee of fisheries of Brittany, of the BreizhMer association and who is also CEO of the fishing port of Lorient. This accumulation of functions does not pass with the protesters.

Joined by students 

“The Lorient fisheries committee voted not to charter a bus for the fishermen to come to this gathering in Rennes , David Le Quintrec, spokesperson for the movement. We give him money to defend and represent us and it backfires on us. If he does not follow us, it is for political and commercial reasons. It is a mafia structure” he accuses. The criticisms against the committee are numerous, such as the impossibility of selling their products directly or a general policy deemed too soft in the face of the arrival of offshore wind turbines in the sector.

Young demonstrators in the streets of Rennes between red smoke bombs. Students and sympathisers joined the fishermen. ©Guy Pichard

To block the crowd's access to the Parliament of Brittany, the police used water cannons, smoke bombs and disencirclement grenades. ©Guy Pichard

“Fishermen have every right to sell directly and this exists in Morbihan, we have never prevented them from working in this way , defends Jean Piel, in charge of communication at the Departmental Fisheries Committee. And it is wrong to say that the committee did not defend them on the subject of wind turbines. The fishermen were invited to each meeting to define the least impact zone for their activity and few of them came. This mobilization of fishermen did not in fact start in Rennes on March 22, but in Lorient, the previous week. On March 14, nine trawlers were already blocking the pontoons of the marina to demand a meeting with Hervé Berville, the Secretary of State for the Sea, and the resignation of Olivier Le Nézet.

In the Breton capital, the fishing professionals mobilized were joined by students and various supporters. Finally blocked by the police, the mobilization ended with three demonstrators injured and nine people arrested for damage and use of smoke bombs. A delegation nevertheless obtained an interview with the regional prefect. Emmanuel Macron even mentioned the demonstration in Rennes during his television intervention. While the president castigated the day before "the crowd" of demonstrators against the pension reform which would have "no legitimacy", he expressed his full understanding for the fishermen. "We must hear them and help them ," he said.

However, the atmosphere has become even more tense in recent days. On March 25 in Vendée, fishermen assaulted representatives of Sea Shepherd, the NGO being held by certain sea workers to be responsible for the decision of the Council of State to close certain fishing areas to protect dolphins.

French maritime areas, a third of which are supposed to be "protected", remain in danger for lack of means On March 24 in Lorient, about fifty demonstrators moored their boats at the entrance to the marina to block navigation. Distress rockets were fired again, this time in the direction of the maritime gendarmerie. The premises of the producer organization Pêcheurs de Bretagne were damaged. On site, David Le Quintrec expressed his desire to continue the actions pending a meeting with Hervé Berville, Secretary of State for the Sea. The port of Morbihan was still blocked on Monday March 27, joined by that of Boulognes-sur-Mer, in the North. At the same time, Breton fishermen demonstrated at the home of the president of Sea Shepherd, in Finistère.

Angry fishermen gathered at Guilvinec • © Claire Louet/FTV

Less than a week after their big day of mobilisation in Rennes, the Breton fishermen still did not take off. Gathered under the Guilvinec fish auction, they decided to stay at the quay. The National Fisheries Committee calls for two dead days in French ports, this Thursday March 30 and Friday March 31, 2023.

Gathered in the early evening, this Monday, March 27, under the Guilvinec fish auction, Breton fishermen decided to immediately blockade French ports.

Coming from Morbihan and Finistère, they were around 300 at the end of the afternoon. Fishermen, but also shipowners or wholesalers.

Five days after their big day of mobilisation in Rennes to protest against national and European regulations, administrative pressure and the high price of diesel, it was finally the option wanted by the Morbihannais that was chosen: immediate blockade.

Fishermen currently at sea will be able to sell their fish on their return, but no more boats will leave Breton ports.

"The wholesalers, the fishmongers are ready to follow us. We must not break this chain of solidarity," said David Le Quintrec, the Lorient fisherman behind the movement.

At the start of the meeting, the departmental fisheries committee of Finistère first echoed the decisions taken this Monday morning in Paris by the National Committee: suspension of all participation by the profession in environmental bodies such as the Marine Park of 'Iroise or Marine Protected Areas, refusal of the action plan ordering the closure at certain times of several fishing areas in the Bay of Biscay to limit accidental captures of dolphins, rejection of on-board cameras, raising of the ceilings for diesel bonuses , organization of dead sector days for Thursday and Friday.

Sea Shepherd targeted this Tuesday morning This Monday morning, the fishermen had started their day with a demonstration in front of the home of the president of Sea Shepherd France.

About fifty of them had gone to Riec-sur-Belon in Finistère in front of the house of Lamya Essemlali to protest against the actions of the NGO.

Last week, the Council of State, seized by several NGOs including Sea Shepherd, had ordered the government to close certain fishing areas in the Atlantic in order to preserve the dolphins, whose strandings in the Bay of Biscay have multiplied.

The fishermen then headed for the Concarneau auction which they wanted to close as part of an operation "dead ports". The fishing port of Lorient has already been blocked since Sunday.

Port of Lorient blocked by angry fishermen Port of Lorient blocked by angry fishermen and the fishing port of Boulogne-sur-Mer was also paralyzed by a movement of fishermen.

Two dead days Thursday and Friday in French ports The National Committee for Maritime Fisheries and Marine Farming (CNPMEM) is calling for two dead days in French ports on Thursday and Friday to demand a government response. "The cup is full and we must give a future to all the players in our sector, because today the horizon is dark ," said the CNPMEM, in a press release published on Tuesday.

The profession had expressed its anger to President Emmanuel Macron, in an open letter sent last week, demanding "a break in this avalanche of bad blows" , and claiming to be received by the head of state. Pending a response, "the CNPMEM calls on all professional representatives to suspend their participation in environmental management bodies" .

The committee specifies that the "dead port" days organized on Thursday and Friday are the result of a "unitary action" , coordinated between fishermen, fish auctions and fishmongers: "It is not a question of weakening ourselves. Others think about it for us" .

The Secretary of State for the Sea, Hervé Berville, in solidarity with the fishermen's movement The Secretary of State for the Sea, Hervé Berville said on Tuesday "in solidarity with the spirit of the 'dead ports' movement" launched by the fishermen and promised to "strengthen the collective work" undertaken, in particular against certain regulations Europeans.

The Secretary of State wants to "accelerate on the strategic contract for the fishing sector", launched in February and aimed at better structuring the sector, "carrying out medium-term measures such as the decarbonization of fishing vessels" but also "more immediate economic support" , in particular through "diesel aid" for fishing vessels.

Finally, Hervé Berville undertook to facilitate the "administrative daily life of fishermen" and asked that "the ongoing simplification mission be able to submit its conclusions within a month" . (GLM / Claire Louet / with AFP)

Angry, Breton fishermen on strike!

It would seem that it is not only Uk fishermen that are troubled by the position they find themselves in with regard to quotas, increasingly demanding NGOs, fuel costs and a general increase in what seem unworkable rules and regulations being forced upon them In Brittany, which is home to some of the largest ports in France fishermen - including company boats - are taking action today and effectively going on strike by staying in port.

If such action were to be contemplated here in Cornwall say, it would be good to think the company boats would also mirror their Breton cousins and stay in port.

The following story comes courtesy of Le Télégramme and is translated by Google - use Google translate to interrogate any of the links (tight click to select)

Guilvinec: fishermen vote to block fishing ports  [Video] Jean Le Borgne  

Threatened from all sides, Breton fishermen voted to strike on Monday at Guilvinec . They are preparing to demonstrate in Brussels and are demanding a series of measures. Nearly 300 fishermen from Finistère voted to strike this Monday evening at Guilvinec, to protest, in particular, against threats to close the Bay of Biscay to gillnet and pelagic fishers and marine protected areas to bottom fishing. The two decisions of the Council of State and the European Commission have set fire to the powder and triggered a series of demonstrations in recent days, in Rennes and Lorient. The Morbihan port where the boats remained at the quay, Sunday, all day, while the inshore trawlers returned to their home port.

This Monday morning, the office of the National Fisheries Committee met without the presence of the Secretary of State for the Sea, Hervé Berville. "The office let him know that he can come when he has something to tell us," says Sébastien Le Prince, vice-president of the departmental fisheries committee, in front of the sailors gathered under the auction.

To read on the subject:

The Council of State orders the government to close fishing areas 

“We are witnessing fish bashing” Fishermen are tired of the pile of administrative constraints. "We are witnessing fish bashing of radicalised NGOs when the resource is substantial", denounces Christophe Collin. The boss of Bigouden Armament (nine 24-metre trawlers), had taken the decision a few hours earlier to keep his boats at the dock. It's four trawlers still at sea will return to Guilvinec in the coming days, in time to finish their trip.

There is no question for the shipping company of a return with empty holds, given the price of diesel for which the structured shipping companies no longer receive aid. One of the many difficulties listed by the National Fisheries Committee which calls for an increase in the ceilings.

To read on the subject 

End of bottom trawling: France and Spain lead the fight Talk to the President 

The list of demands is long. Grievances against the State for the delay in the payment of compensation, the lack of resources allocated to Maritime Affairs and the lack of harmonization in controls. Questions on which the representatives of the profession want to speak directly with the President of the Republic.

“Politicians need to take responsibility. Let the State take a position”, insists the vice-president of the fisheries committees on the subject of the decision to close the Bay of Biscay to fishing taken by the Council of State, due to the multiplication of accidental captures of dolphins. A decision that raises the incomprehension of Yannick Calvez, its president: “The study programs are not finished and we are closing! »

The sector at a standstill, Thursday and Friday Europe is not immune to criticism, particularly on the question of the prohibition of bottom fishing in marine protected areas. Despite the refusal of the French government, the threat worries. After the fleet exit plan, she would come to defeat the bigouden port. "It would be death for us," says the boss of Armament bigouden.

So, after heated exchanges with the Lorient fishermen demanding a vote, the general assembly ended up deciding to go beyond the proposal for a total shutdown of the sector, Thursday 30 and Friday 31 March , deciding to stay at the quay this Monday evening. A demonstration of European fishermen in Brussels should be set up in the coming days. 

Case

Dolphins, bottom trawling, quotas, diesel... why fishermen are angry

Fishermen's anger: the seven reasons behind the crisis

Angry, Breton fishermen stay at the quay [Video]

After a warning shot in Concarneau, fishermen on strike this Tuesday

Jean Porcher: “We have to open up the quotas a little, there is fish”

Become a Newlyn Harbour Commissioner.

 

Due to end-of-term retirements, Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners (NP&HC) is seeking expressions of interest from applicants to fill three positions on its Board of Commissioners.

Newlyn Harbour is one of the largest fishing ports in England and is the gateway to some of the richest fishing grounds in Northern Europe, a port of refuge for vessels that fish the Southwest Approaches, and the last port of call before the Isles of Scilly.

NP&HC has an ambitious vision to support the fishing industry by improving infrastructure and upgrading facilities for both the catching and processing sectors, whilst nurturing a desire to diversify and incorporate marine renewables and other blue economy sectors in this ever-changing world.

NP&HC is therefore looking to recruit motivated and forward-thinking people to help deliver its ambitions and continue the Port’s sustained growth for the future.

With Newlyn being home to one of the largest fishing fleets within the UK, coupled with a total value of fish landed to the Port at circa £31m in 2021, NP&HC is keen to build on its present revenue streams whilst exploiting potential growth in all marine sectors. Could you help us to achieve this?

What are we looking for?

As a Trust Port, NP&HC is looking for a broad range of skills from all walks of life so if you think you may not be suitable, please think again and apply.

The role:

Three-year voluntary appointment with expenses offered Applicants are being sought with substantive experience of commercial fishing or commercial and financial contexts Experience, skills and abilities in areas such as wholesale fish selling, water-related leisure interests, community engagement, administration, local government, environmental matters and port management are desirable, but not essential Successful candidates will be required to attend monthly meetings and to occasionally participate in working groups/sub-committees, or represent NP&HC at national membership functions Candidates will be required to provide input to Port policy and strategic planning, and, at all times, must act for the overall benefit of NP&HC Candidates must also be proficient at liaising with stakeholders, ranging from MPs and local government officers to Newlyn residents and harbour users Applicants that are able to commit to in-person attendance are preferred, however those in national locations will be considered. Expressions of interest

Please send a covering letter and CV to recruitment@newlynharbour.com

Successful candidates shortlisted for interview will be informed during week commencing 10th April 2023 with interviews scheduled shortly thereafter. If you have any questions, please submit them to the email address above and we will endeavour to answer them.

Port Isaac to Newlyn.

A weekend away - Port Isaac, wonder how many have come to grief trying to negotiate these rocks on the way...

in through the gaps...

before anchoring safely in the harbour?..

with no quays, everything to do with gear on the local fleet is done by waiting for easy access at low water...

though having a trailer saves an awful lot of lugging...

well, at least some Newlyn Harbour boxes are being put to good use - storage for decorative lights on the Platt...

these store have sen a few lobsters pass through their doors over the years...

back in Newlyn first thing Monday morning...

and 99% of the fish came from the beam trawler Enterprise with brill...

a few pollack...

cuckoo ray...

conger, witches and pouts...

and at this time of year plenty of Dovers...

more than enough to keep Graham and the rest of the market crew busy...

and a very late season sardine landing from the Vesta...

and a handful of handlined mackerel made up the morning market...

seems word is yet to get around...

with neap tides now underway there are just a few netters left in port...

like the Joy of Ladram...

Ocean Pride...

while the Enterprise should be sailing anytime soon after her seven day trip...

the only visiting boat left in port is the seiner, Acciona...

the old ice works may well do more than reflect on the harbour waters as plans are afoot to turn i into a Heritage Centre.