First #FishyFriday in December - and it's Harbour Lights switch on tonight - watch it on the webcam!

Just a glimmer in the sky and it's 8˚ at seven for the morning market roundup...

with a good mix of quality fish from the Crystal Sea...

and inshore boats...

along with monk tails...

a few dogs...

gurnard...

ray wings...

superb red mullet...

lemons...

and brill...

the boats won't be going anywhere with another storm charing across the Atlantic...

the Twilight III safely mothballed...

with the Nicola of Ladram waiting to land...

the harbour will see a few more boats before it gets dark - just in time for the fireworks to start and the...

big switch on of the harbour lights - watch them on the webcam tonight if you can't make it down!...

safely stored on the Stone Quay...

a broody sky for now...

as the Charlotte Clare takes the last of her sardine catch on board.

 

🚨🚨VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE!🚨🚨 NEWLYN HARBOUR LIGHTS GRAND SWITCH-ON FRIDAY 6 DECEMBER FROM 6:00PM

 NEWLYN HARBOUR LIGHTS GRAND SWITCH-ON 

FRIDAY 6 DECEMBER FROM 6:00PM 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨  

🚨🚨VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE!🚨🚨

Please be aware that due to event insurance stipulations, entrance to the switch-on area at Newlyn Harbour can ONLY be accessed through the main entrance gate next to the offices (circled in red). 

This will allow us to count the number of attendees in order to comply with the conditions of our insurance. Entrance is free but you must pick up a ticket at the main gate for each member of your group in order to gain entry. There will be no other public access points to the event. The children’s raffle tickets, also free, to enter the draw to switch on the 2024 harbour lights display will ONLY be given out at the main gate on entrance. 

Thank you for your understanding. Please spread the word & share. Marcia & team.

Any sign of sardines?

Testing time for the Xmas lights...

 as the Golden Harvest...

leaves the quay for a night hunting sardines, though apart from a couple of nights ago, finding the fish in Mounts Bay is proving something of a challenge with some of the boats looking elsewhere.

UK Sea Fisheries Statistics Update

 

The Marine Management Organisation has voluntarily suspended the accredited official statistics status of the Sea Fisheries Statistics.

Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has asked the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) to suspend the accredited official statistics status of the Sea Fisheries Statistics, including both the annual and associated monthly publications.

The temporary action, which has been approved, follows MMO’s investigation into the fisheries landing data it manages for England and reports on behalf of the UK Fisheries Authorities as part of the UK Sea Fisheries Statistics after discrepancies were discovered in the dataset earlier this year.

MMO’s Chief Statistician Rebekah Paul explained: “The Code of Practice for Official Statistics sets out the standards to which Official Statistics should be produced and published. It is focussed around three pillars of trustworthiness, value and quality, and covers all aspects of statistical production, including data collection, processing, and dissemination.

“Our investigation into discrepancies with the fisheries landing data earlier this year provided an opportunity to review our statistical production process from end-to-end, and further areas of improvement were identified.

“These areas of improvement are not necessarily to do with the quality of data published within these releases, but in relation to the presentation and documentation that accompanies these statistical series. We have therefore asked the OSR to suspend the accredited status while we develop and roll out an official statistics development programme with the aim of re-accrediting the UK Sea Fisheries Statistics as soon as we’re able.”

MMO is committed to the continuous improvement of our statistical products and hold ourselves to the highest standards. We will continue making the Sea Fisheries Statistics data available, with additional guidance for users about how to make best use of these data – the 2023 annual UK Sea Fisheries Statistics will be published on 5 December, though this will not include the results of the Fisherman’s Survey. These statistics remain the best available data and are still considered a reliable measure of industry activity at an overall (UK) level.

MMO has also identified areas for future development and improvement of all aspects of these statistics and will implement these revisions in the coming months under its Official Statistics Development programme. We will continue to offer full transparency and will clearly communicate any changes to customers and stakeholders ahead of implementation where possible.
You can find more details concerning this suspension in the statistical notice published on Gov.uk. You can also find a copy of the correspondence with the Office for Statistics Regulation here.

First Monday morning market of December!

Heading to the boat as light breaks the sky...

the Harriet Eve is safely moored up on the hard for some attention below the waterline...

Monday's market is loaded with quality fish like these red mullet...

and for the first time in a couple of weeks good shots of sardines from the Bay where fish have been very scarce...

just the two netters to land hake this morning, the Ocean Pride...

and the Ygraine...

the one beam trawler to land, the Billy Rowney put ashore the usual mix including these big monk tails...

and a box of bass...

along with squid...

and Dovers...

these were some nice haddock too...

as alongside the market the Nicola of Ladram landed crab and lobster...

and a handful of John Dory...

this tide spurdogs have been the bane of the netting fleet, one of the boats took three days to go through their fleet of nest dealing with huge numbers of big dogs...

a good sized bluefin...

good signs of mackerel from some areas...

and the odd conger or two...

not seen on the market for some time, pilchards...

dawn breaks over the harbour and it is good to see the lifeboat where she belongs...

loading time for the crab boat.

 

Dairy date: NEWLYN HARBOUR LIGHTS FRIDAY 6 DECEMBER 2024 from 6:00pm

The tree is in place so it's all set for the...

This year's tree very kindly donated by Waterdance Fishing.

💥💥💥 GRAND SWITCH-ON 💥💥💥 

NEWLYN HARBOUR LIGHTS FRIDAY 6 DECEMBER 2024 from 6:00pm

Totally encouraging Young Fishermen's Network podcast - from the Fish!

Upstairs, courtesy of the Fishermen's Arms in Newlyn, the stage was set for the Miracle Theatre team along with with the Young Fishermen's network crew...

to co-host another superb event making best use of technology in bringing together young fishermen - Ross Davidson from Lossiemouth, Erin MacKenzie from Mallaig at the other end of the country in Scotland together with half a dozen fishers from Cornwall including 15 year old Antony Newcombe from Cawsand, Will Jaycock from Looe, Jack West from Mevagissey, Matilda Philiips, daughter of the legendary Danny Phillips from Cadgwith, Johnny Pascoe from Mullion, Jack Kelly-Granger from west Cornwall, and Tom Lambourn from Newlyn - what really comes across is the passion shown for the fishing way of life, with all its uncertainties and problems - life is to be lived - there was real insight about where and how the industry needs to look for the next generation of fishers - and, if anyone can sell the idea of a life at sea catching fish, these guys can! - great work YFN...  

right on cue, thanks to Emma from Miracle Theatre the podcast went live at 7:30pm.

You can listen to the full podcast here.

 

Listen to all the YFT's work on their podcast page here.

Find out more from the Young Fishermen's Network here.