Misty Monday morning in Newlyn.

The harbour is tinged in a blue haze this morning with the cloud cover down to a hundred foot or so...

as can be seen from those punts handlining for mackerel off the partially obscured St Michaels Mount...

meanwhile, back on the market the landings this morning came form a handful of inshore boats willing to take on the biggest tide for the year...

fish like John Dory...

and bass all put a smile on the skipper's face when they fall out of the cod end...

the all hands on the Millennia must have been grinning ear-to-ear when this lot filled the pound on the deck...

while the beam trawler, Trevessa IV came in with plenty of flats like these plaice and monk tails...

Tom on the Guardian picked up a few JDs...

and a good box of bass...

good to see the sardines on the auction floor...

and these three boxes...

and these golden red mullet are examples of the finest handline fish which are landed in Newlyn almost every day of the year - all helping to contribute to the £38.5 million pounds worth of fish landed in the port last year, the top English port by volume...

only a handful of boats target cuttles...

low cloud at this time of year brings its own ambience to the harbour and a contrast to the workboat, Obervargh from Falmouth...

riding high on the big tide, the St Georges...

and the netters Karen of Ladram and the Ajax...

along with the St Georges springs doing their job and keeping her against the quay..

Paula Rose is almost ready to go back in the water...

Newlyn, leading the way as the UK's biggest fishing net recycling port...

plans are still in the process of being approved to re-instate and repair the Old Harbour, currently home to the lugger Barnabas seen here at high water...

along with other sail boats on the running moorings.

 

ACT NOW – Just nine weeks left to claim I-VMS grant

Fishermen with under-12m vessels are being urged to ACT NOW to ensure they don’t lose out on grant funding for an I-VMS device.

Fishermen with under-12m vessels are being urged to ACT NOW to ensure they don’t lose out on grant funding for an I-VMS device ahead of the legal requirements coming into force next Spring.

As Marine Management Organisation (MMO) switches its main effort to supporting the vessels in the next phase of its roll-out, owners of larger vessels in the first phase, who are yet to act, are urged to buy a device and claim the grant without delay.

Peter Clark, MMO’s Director of Operations said:

“With just nine weeks to go before the deadline passes for grant funding for I-VMS, it’s vitally important for fishermen to act right now and order a device.

“I welcome the positive response from those vessels that we targeted with our initial support but there remain too many owners who are taking the risk of having to pick up the full cost because they’ve not ordered and paid for a device in time before the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund closes.”

Around 35% of the over-six-metre fleet has so far purchased a type-approved device. Over 85% of those making an order have already reclaimed their costs through the grants scheme with over £225,000 paid out since 4 September.

Mike Cohen, NFFO Chief Executive, said: 

"With the increasing spatial squeeze in UK waters, I-VMS is the best tool that the inshore fleet has for identifying and protecting their fishing grounds. “The evidence that it gives will be vital in demonstrating how important these areas are and defending our right to work them. “Funding is available for these devices, but there is a time limit. I would strongly encourage people to act now, to ensure that they have bought a device and made a claim for funding before the deadline.”

Guidance

Fishermen purchasing an I-VMS device can claim grant funding of up to £1,050 per vessel by the 30 November deadline, and before the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund closes.

Fishermen yet to organise an I-VMS device for their vessel should follow MMO’s guidance, booking installations during the time periods identified for around 80% of English ports.

Anyone who delays arranging installation outside of the dates for their port should expect to wait until later in the roll-out programme for their device to be installed.

MMO expects the Statutory Instrument to come into force in April 2024.

Take action

Choose your preferred device. The two type approved devices are Fulcrum NEMO or Succorfish SC2.

Purchase device from supplier. You’ll typically receive payment confirmation on the same day.

Apply for grant funding before 30 November 2023. You can start your grant claim as soon as you have paid for your device and received proof of purchase – you do not need to wait for installation of a device to submit a grant application.

Receive your grant payment. On receipt of all required information, grant applications will be processed by MMO and payment will be issued to you within three to five working days.

Install device. 

The installation date should be arranged directly with suppliers and/or their engineers.

MMO continues to contact fishermen by letter and email to make sure all fishermen are aware of their options, and fishermen may also receive a phone call or text.

Find out more here.

The way we manage UK fisheries is changing.

 

A bright new dawn?

Since leaving the European Union and the Common Fisheries Policy, the UK government has been developing a new framework for managing fish and shellfish stocks, known as Fisheries Management Plans or FMPs). 

There are 43 FMPs in development, each focusing on one or more species, with 6 frontrunners due to be published this year. The intention of these FMPs is to take an evidence-based approach to making management decisions that ensure stocks are fished at sustainable levels. 

The Future of Our Inshore Fisheries (FOIF), a joint project delivered by Seafish, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) released a newsletter in August providing an overview of how these FMPs are being developed, what they do and how to have your say on the development of them.

CFPO newsletter - great news, five young fishermen have completed their Class 2 Skippers training!

Fine #FishyFriday finish to September in Newlyn.

A quiet end to the week of fish landed...

which enabled harbour staff to get to grips pressure-washing the fish market and grader...

one seine net, bundled and ready to go...

despite the lack of wind, the sky has that watery look this this morning...

but for now, all is well with the Enterprise as she heads away from the gaps...

though the same cannot be said for the sardine boats Mayflower...

and the Vesta...

as they head straight back to their respective berths after a long and unsuccessful hunt for sardines...

one out, two in.

 

Fishing industry 2022 statistics

 

Fishing industry in 2022 statistics published The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has published its annual UK Sea Fisheries Statistics 2022.

The UK fishing fleet Its activity at sea Landings – how much fish they catch and land Effort – how long they spend at sea Trade

Key statistics include: 

Fleet

In 2022 there were 5,541 UK registered fishing vessels. This represents a 14% reduction in the last ten years, however Gross Tonnage (GT) has remained similar at 203 thousand tonnes. Approximately 21% of the UK fleet is represented by vessels over 10 metres in length, of which 44% are administered in Scotland. There are around 10,000 fishers working on UK registered vessels. This is a reduction of 2,100 fishers in the last ten years. Landings

In 2022, UK vessels landed 640 thousand tonnes of sea fish with a value of £1.04 billion. Compared to 2021, this is a decrease of 2% in quantity, however an increase in value of 13%. The increase in value is mainly driven by higher fish prices. Landings into the UK by foreign vessels in 2022 was 19 thousand tonnes, which compared to 2021 represents a 4% reduction. Landings abroad by UK vessels also decreased to 245 thousand tonnes, a reduction of 5%.

Effort Since 2004, fishing effort (kW days at sea) by the over 10m fleet has decreased by around 40%. Most of the reduction in effort is driven by a 1% decline in effort in the demersal trawl and seine segment. Fishing effort by the over 10m fleet decreased by 3% between 2021 and 2022.

Trade The UK is a net importer of fish. The UK’s crude trade gap in 2022 for sea fish is 316,000 tonnes. This is lower than 2021, where the gap was 322,000 tonnes. In 2022 the UK imported 647,000 tonnes of sea fish, with a value of £3.7 billion. It exported 330,000 tonnes, with a value of £1.7 billion.

The full set of statistics can be seen here.

Lifeboat tow ahead of Storm Agnes

The netter Britannia V was brought into Newlyn just before 11pm by the Penlee lifeboat...

after a 12 hour tow 120 miles from Newlyn west of the Scillys, first being picked up by the St Marys boat who then handed the tow of to the Penlee boat, all hands safely back ashore...

to land a good trip of hake,,,

on a busy mid-week market...

with plenty of fish from the beam trawler Billy Rowney...

like these monk...

turbot...

scampi tails...

and plaice...

the Britannia V also landed a few boxes of dogs which still seem to get everywhere...

while the sardine boats filled their boots with top quality MSC Certified sardines...

and a 195kg bluefin tuna...

it seems the cuttle season is underway for the lcal boats...

and those big Mediterranean octopus are still very much in evidence no matter where you fish...

the harbour was busy this morning with boats on the move...

the lifeboat ready to take on board fuel...

having also escorted the Padstow crabber Isabella in through the gaps last night...

well, there's a decade or three of experience twixt the deck and wheelhouse on the Enterprise this morning, even the biggest boat in the port is taking shelter ahead of storm Agnes' arrival!