More storms on Monday morning in Newlyn

Time-lapse of the Ocean Pride landing to the market this morning.

Plenty of fish arrived over the weekend from every type of boat in the fleet...

with plenty of hake from three netters including the Silver Dawn...

along with haddock...

a few tope...

some unusual 'plus-fours', or greater forkbeard...

hake from the Stelissa...

the redder the gills the fresher the fish...

looks like Ian has been at the tally box again...

and more hake from the Britannia V...

good megrim from the beamer Billy Rowney...

line caught bass...

inshore trawl John Dory...

black bream...

red mullet...

gilt head bream...

and plenty of Dovers...

and monk tails...

along with huge plaice...

and tubs...

while the sardine boats were all able to get shots in last night...

the Ocean Pride made a landing this morning...

though there were not many mackerel on the market...

the Pelagic marksman di land a 160kg bluefin...

and a day;'s work from the inshore trawler, New Venture...

Katy B at the market before sun-up...

decent sized turbot...

and big brill from the Rowney...

and a good shot of pollack from the netter Lola Belle...

and there were a few scallops too...

if only there was a small grader on the market the mackerel men could use...

there morning well and truly disturbed, fresh westerly winds put the local gull population high in the sky...

it takes three to land a big crabber...

this must be one serious sailor at this time of year to be on passage...

we have lift-off...

yet another piece of old telephone cable trawled up...

the boat that caught the bluefiin at rest......

fresh fish on its way to a counter near you...

as the boys on the Ocean Pride let go the ends...

as the Amanda of Ladram heads for the market to land.

 

Newlyn and fishing depicted in fine art auction.

Anyone like to hazard a guess as to who snuck into this work of art painted in the 1960s? See, I knew you knew! 

Marjorie MORT(1906-1989) Landing Fish 

Live online now is a Fine art auction by David Lays of Penzance. Collectors of art and in particular, Newlyn School and contemporary works will no doubt find this latest sale of interest.

Fishing Safety at Sea - play your part in this online event

Fishing Safety at SeaTuesday, October 24, 202310:00 AM 11:30 AM

Safety at sea is a high priority in the fishing industry, with numerous collaborative initiatives actively working towards improving safety in the sector. New innovations, campaigns, and technologies across the UK are being harnessed to create safer working conditions for fishers. By fostering a culture of safety, implementing robust safety management practices and standards, and promoting education and awareness, the industry can strive towards a safer future.

The event, organised in collaboration with The Seafarers' Charity, will showcase a range of national and international initiatives dedicated to enhancing safety in the industry. Drawing upon the expertise of speakers from the fishing sector, we will discuss safety management practices, industry-led initiatives, and the need to shift the dialogue and culture surrounding safety in fishing.

Register to attend the event online here.

Dowload the agenda here.

REGISTER HERE

NEWLYN PIER & HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS’ ADVISORY BOARD VACANCIES

Due to retirements and position changes, Newlyn Pier & Harbour Advisory Board (NPHAB), is seeking expressions of interest from applicants for up to three vacancies.

The purpose of the Advisory Board for Newlyn Harbour is to provide advice to the Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners (NP&HC) on any matter, recommendation or representation that is made to the Board. NP&HC have a duty to consult the Advisory Board on all matters substantially affecting the Newlyn Harbour estate.

The Advisory Board is composed of individuals with an interest in the operation and development of Newlyn Harbour, including representatives from local communities, harbour users, the local economy, local and central government, and others such as employees, MPs and elected representatives.

The Advisory Board meets monthly to consider stakeholder matters and to collate and submit them to the NP&HC or the Harbour Master & CEO. The Board's advice is taken into consideration by the NP&HC when making decisions about the management and development of the harbour.

The Advisory Board plays an important role in ensuring that the views of all stakeholders are considered in the decision-making process at Newlyn Harbour. This helps to ensure that the harbour is managed and developed in a way that benefits all of its users.

Here are some specific examples of the Advisory Board's work:

• Advising the NP&HC on the development of a new strategic plan for the harbour
• Providing input on the development of new facilities and services for harbour users
• Representing the interests of stakeholders in discussions with government and other organizations
• Promoting the harbour and its activities to the wider community

The Advisory Board is a valuable asset to Newlyn Harbour and helps to ensure that it is a well-managed and sustainable port for the benefit of all.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for a broad range of skills from all walks of life so if you think you may not be suited, please think again.

Role requirements:

• A voluntary appointment for up to three years
• An interest in the operation and strategic direction of the Port
• An interest and/or experience in fishing, commerce, finance and local community matters
• Attendance at monthly meetings and occasional participation in working groups/sub-committees
• Candidates will be required to provide input to Port policy and strategic planning, and at all times, must act for the overall good of Newlyn Harbour
• An ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders, ranging from MPs and local government officers to Newlyn residents and Harbour users.

Expressions of interest

Please send a covering letter and CV to recruitment@newlynharbour.com, to be received no later than 12:00 noon on Wednesday 8th November 2023. Successful candidates shortlisted for interview will be informed during the week commencing Monday 20th November 2023 with interviews scheduled shortly thereafter. Please contact us with any questions via the email address above and we will endeavour to answer them.

Looks like Barry has some work to do on his punt, Boy Brax when the tide drops...

as dawn breaks over the harbour...

sardines come ashore...

from the Serene Dawn and skipper David Pascoe and finish off the trip they started at 4am this morning despite the heavy swell running in the bay... 

almost all the fish on the market this morning was from sardine boats and the beam trawler, Enterprise...

and a single line-caught bluefin weighing in at 160kg...

from the line boat, Sea Breeze...

last week the bluefin were seen to be chasing garfish, giving the local mackerel shoals a break...

last of the boats to land on the market this week...

as the KatyB heads away from the gaps...

that's three boat in the laid-up tier now...

as the Trevessa V takes ice...

the youngest skipper in the fleet, Tom Pascoe brings in the sardine boat Charlotte Clare...

ahead of the Mayflower...

and the Vesta...

all three returning to port without a single fish being brought aboard.

 

Newlyn Harbour Marine Skills and Resource Centre and £3.9 million worth of seafood industry projects through UK.

The Newlyn Marine Skills & Resource Centre, a project that started three years ago, aims to improve and greatly contribute to training and skills development for Newlyn’s fishermen, and all who work at sea or in the wider maritime industry.

The planned Marine Skills & Resource Centre also aims to replace and improve the current training facilities scattered around Newlyn by consolidating them in a single state-of-the-art building within Newlyn Harbour’s curtilage.

The initial designs by Poynton Bradbury Wynter Cole (PBWC) Architects, were appointed by Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners to work on the project. PBWC is a Cornwall-based and multi-award-winning firm that specialises in environmentally-responsive design.

Martin Tucker, Chair of the Penzance Town Deal Board said: “The new Marine Skills & Resource Centre project is a fantastic opportunity to revitalise the local marine industry and reaffirm Newlyn’s reputation as a centre of excellence. The proposed building will provide high quality training, foster collaboration and innovation, and help to create and sustain jobs in the fishing and marine sectors that have faced challenges in recent years.”

“Newlyn Harbour has been at the heart of Newlyn and Cornish fishing for centuries,” comments Chair of Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners, Rob Wing. “As skills and technologies have developed and changed, so has Newlyn Harbour and the community we are a part of. Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners are honoured to continue this journey and the planned Marine Skills & Resource Centre will not only provide access to modern training facilities and spaces for those working within the fishing and marine sectors, both now and in the future, but also enable them to continue to develop and change, keeping Newlyn at the heart of Cornish fishing and the wider maritime industry.”

Thalia Marrington, Cornwall Councillor for Newlyn said: “Having a centre of excellence for learning and development right here; being able to recruit, train and retain a workforce locally will be of huge benefit to the local community. A resilient and agile workforce will be crucial in creating a strong and sustainable future for the fishing industry. Opportunities abound within the wider marine sector too and this new building will be the focal point to drive and lead innovation. It is great to see Newlyn firmly facing forwards.”

In other fishing industry news the UK awards GBP 3.9 million of seafood industry projects through UK Seafood Fund.

The Maritime Bridge Simulator at the University of the Highlands and Islands The U.K. Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has awarded GBP 3.9 million (USD 4.7 million, EUR 4.5 million) to seafood projects in the United Kingdom.

The funding, awarded through the GBP 100 million (USD 121.8 million, EUR 115.2 million) U.K. Seafood Fund, will go to projects to improve the quality of training facilities to both upskill the workforce and promote seafood careers and to projects building new and improved fishing infrastructure. The U.K. Seafood Fund was established to support the long-term future and sustainability of the nation’s fisheries and seafood sector.

“We have already seen the great success that funding from the UK Seafood Fund has contributed to - from upgrading ports and aquaculture facilities to creating innovative training programs to attract fresh blood into the sector,” U.K. Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer said in a release.

The funding, DEFRA said, includes GBP 3 million (USD 3.6 million, EUR 3.4 million) which will go to the Scottish White Fish Producers Association to build a “Scottish Seafood Centre of Excellence” to replace the current temporary training space the association is using with a permanent facility. The new facility will include purpose-built classrooms, technology demonstration spaces, and facilities for blended training, DEFRA said.

Scotland will also receive funding for upgrading the Maritime Bridge Simulator at the University of the Highlands and Islands’ campus, located in the Shetland Islands, Scotland.

“Our members and the wider seafood sector are delighted at the award of GBP 3 million pounds from the Defra training infrastructure fund, which will allow us to build a seafood Centre of excellence at the very heart of our fishing community,” Scottish White Fish Producers Association Chief Executive Mike Park said. “The Centerwill be the delivery point and hub for both onshore and offshore training supported by classroom and virtual learning and will provide an ideal base to help stimulate recruitment to the seafood sector.”

Other projects receiving support include refurbishing training facilities in Portavogie, Northern Ireland; and refurbishing facilities in Grimsby, U.K. to create a new Seafood School.

“Today’s investment will help to support the industry so that our existing and future workforce is equipped with the necessary skills and facilities to join the sector and benefit from the brilliant opportunities that are available to them with a career in seafood,” Spencer said.

The U.K. Seafood Fund was originally slated to come to a close in 2024, but was given an extension until 31 March, 2025 in August 2022.

Back in the day - Gallic May in Penzance dock mackerel protest - Parliamentary debate on 3, 6 & 12 mile limits much more and the shape of things to come!

 

It was 1979 and about 60 members of Mebyn Kernow, a Cornish nationalist movement, carrying slogans and the flag of St Piran (Cornwall's National flag) pictured near the Buckie registered Gallic May as they call for a 50-mile limit and six-mile fishing zone for vessels under 20m in length. This was a protest against Scottish trawlers landing mackerel. Research on the state of mackerel stocks had begin in earnest just a few years previously with the publication of this Mackerel Research in the South West paper from Lowestoft. Ultimately, mackerel fishing was subjected to the introduction of the 200-mile 'mackerel box', which still exists today and prevents   

The 'box' was instigated by one of Cornwall's much loved (and missed, as he died aged just 42 in car accident) Liberal MP, David Penhaligan - this Parliamentary exchange recorded in Hansard exemplifies his work championing the Cornish cause in the days when it was just becoming apparent what the impact of the huge Scottish and East coast fleets were having in conjunction with Eastern factory ships on the mackerel fishery - but there was much more to the debate than just that! He talks of the huge value of the fishery being taken and exploited by others. The debate is well worth reading as many of the issues - like large vessels fishing inside the 6-12 mile limit are key to the debate - are still very much uppermost in the minds of inshore fishermen to this day!

In his address, Penhaligan mentions the seabed littered with dead mackerel, something I can vouch for as these pics taken aboard the Milford Haven boat Girl Freda are testament.

The purse seiner Gallic May was built at Dieppe in 1975 for Gallic Shipping of London. Their arrival with the industrial fleets at Penzance in January 1976 started and ultimately then ended the Cornish winter mackerel season. They were amongst the first pursers to have refrigerated sea water tanks to keep the fish fresh and frequently landed 250 tonnes of mackerel. Gallic May was skippered by Forbes Cameron of Ayr and an Ayrshire crew. There were frequent problems with her Caterpillar main engine.

On a lighter note, back in the early 80s when prawning in the Clyde I remember arriving in Ayr one weekend. It was early Sunday morning and dozens of people were passing our boat (the Fern INS122) headed along the quayside to a boat astern of us. It turned out that this was the Gallic May and we were witnessing the start of an infamous Forbes Cameron Sunday 'booze crusie' to Lamlash! Little did I know that years later I would also sail with 'the big man' aboard the Dumnonia PZ310 to Rockall chasing haddock and squid!