Welcome to Through the Gaps, the UK fishing industry's most comprehensive information and image resource. Newlyn is England's largest fish market and where over 50 species are regularly landed from handline, trawl, net, ring net and pot vessels including #MSC Certified #Hake, #Cornish Sardine, handlined bass, pollack and mackerel. Art work, graphics and digital fishing industry images available from stock or on commission.
The March issue of Hook & Net has just been published and features two innovative new fishing vessels, fully documented fisheries becoming a reality, the new Bluestream pelagic doors, how to polish the contents of your tanks, Spain's fleet renewal, and the challenges facing the demersal sector in Sweden... and much more besides...
Click on the contents to access the magazine or better still download the app (IOS and Android).
Breton fishermen - many of whom fish within sight of the South West coast fear the future in the present political turmoil that is sweeping the world: (Apologies for the translation by Google) "At first sight, it is not the fishermen of Guilvinec (29) who fill the urns in this municipality. On the quays, one seems to have distanced itself from the political thing. Even though this fishing port has seen a lot of tenors left and right in recent months. Like a break. A great disillusionment. Sarkozy, Macron, Valls, Le Drian, Urvoas, Rama Yade. The quays of Guilvinec have often been courted by politicians. Visits which, unfortunately, have not left much traces in the minds. "They come here to get a picture or be filmed. The sailors-fishermen, it is authentic and close to the people, "commented ironically Thierry, who is embarked on Bara Bihan, a trawler that Emmanuel Valls had visited last September. "What worries me is the payment of pensions. In three years, it's the keel. I hope to live with dignity afterwards. I will vote for sure. For whom, I do not know. I think in the end, I will draw lots ". Not far from there, the patron of one of the 40 highwaymen who landed here launches: "The countryside? What campaign? We only talk about pots. It is deplorable. I too would have enjoyed a fictitious, well-paid job. Instead of risking my life off. This time I will vote for the worst. " Which ? We will not know. Retired for Le Pen?
Would Guilvinist fishermen be angry with politics? "No," says Grégory Pennarun, the director of the auction. They are very attentive to what is happening in the UK with the Brexit. In this story, they know they can lose access to fishing areas. " The advance of populism, with its national withdrawal as a corollary, makes us fear many things here. "Seafarers know that only Europe can guarantee them international access to the resource. Even if the regulations are binding. Today, the profession asks only one thing: a management of quotas at five years, for better readability. At the local bar, not far from the fishwork shops, it is said that the retirees will put a stroke right on the right. "With them, the Republican Right and the Left have pimples to make themselves. We hear everything here, "says the boss. Should it be inferred that the assets working at sea or in the port area would be less tempted by the FN? The ballot will say so. In any case, facing us, not a single voice has risen in favor of Marine Le Pen. "Surely at sea on voting day" Under the morning sun, Jean-Valéry Le Drezen installs, on board a trawler, spotlights to illuminate the back beach. "I settled on my account as a marine electrician a year ago. I have come to such a level of activity that I sometimes refuse new projects. And, at the same time, I can not hire. The loads are too heavy. We really have to put the self-governing regime that strangles us down. " He will go and vote, that's for sure. The Sergagil, a boxer, is about to leave for a new campaign. The box cases are aligned on the platform. On board this boat, Morgan, Mickaël and Alexis, three young sailors. "We will surely be at sea on the day of the vote," said Morgan. I will establish a power of attorney on behalf of my parents. Generally, they vote to the left. They will do whatever they want. I fully trust them. " Morgan is optimistic about his profession. "There are more and more young people to embark. It's good. The future is clearer than before. " "No one listens to us" Mickael, the oldest of the three, said he had only voted once. "To show my daughter how it works." On April 23 and May 7, he will abstain. Why ? "Always a lack of confidence in the policies". In his office, Soizic Palmer Le Gall, who firmly holds the Bigouden fleet (eleven boats, a hundred employees including 79 sailors), is disillusioned. "We are very small on the scale of the global economy. Nobody listens to us and does not take our grievances into account. The state is far from us. What I am asking, and I do not like to beg, are helpers for young people who want to invest in a boat. Not alms. But a device that encourages the renewal of the fleet ". The patroness of the armament said to have started to vote late, after 35 years. "I'll go again this time." And I will vote according to my deep convictions. Even if the level of debate is very low. And that business falls in cascade. For me, the media have a share of responsibility in this.
Full story here courtesy of Le Telegramme:
ICES and ASC have just published a report on the changing distribution of fish in the NE Atlantic since 1985. The report is the first significant such document to address the issue backed up with hard data. Greatest of these changes is with hake - with obvious consequences:
"For instance, the expansion of hake into the North Sea currently has such implications because the relatively small quota allocated to the North Sea no longer matches the regional abundance, resulting in extensive discarding: since hake is caught as part of a mixed demersal fishery, fishers can't avoid catching it and are forced to discard the over-quota catch. This is likely to be an issue once the landings obligation comes into place for demersal fisheries. Such management implications could potentially apply to the other species showing changes in relative distribution across TAC management areas as reported by FISHDISH, although there is no evidence of this yet."
The report is not a stock survey and therefore carries no advice on quota management but instead makes calls for the need for action in view of the full implementation of the Landing Obligation legislation due next year - which unless addressed, will have dire consequences for all those vessels engaged in mixed fisheries. Read the report highlight below or access the full report here:
Also this week, Griffin Carpenter from the New Economics Foundation published a report based on the thorny question of which and how do 12 EU countries get to fish in the NE Atlantic.
"Fish stocks are owned by no one but desired by many. How, then, should access to fish stocks be determined? In the EU, member states have answered this question very differently, with many different systems in use. We analyse 12 countries in detail, and find that despite different systems designs, none of them are fully managing their fisheries in the public interest. In this report, we describe these systems of fishing opportunities, assess their performance against defined objectives, and make recommendations for reform."
Adding to the debate, Erik Lindbo gives his take on the fishing industry in Europe in an even wider context:
Sea changes: The ‘interesting times’ facing European fisheries
Calm seas or stormy waters? Well, we are only three months into 2017 and, for a number of reasons, it's already looking like a tumultuous year – calling to mind the ancient Chinese curse “may you live in interesting times”. Around the world, we are seeing dramatic political shifts. In Europe, Brexit has sent shockwaves through political establishments and, regardless of the final outcomes, we now face years of political uncertainty, and highly complex and no doubt emotive negotiations. Brokering a deal around fisheries will certainly be no exception, if past is prologue; only time will tell how access to waters, resources and markets will look in a divorce settlement with the EU. These changing times require new, adaptive ways of thinking about fisheries management. Chokes and complexity in the CFP The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) continues, of course, and we continue moving closer towards the full Landing Obligation coming into force in 2019. With this, pressure on Member States (and their fishermen) is building – with questions on how to tackle the most challenging issue of ‘choke’ species at the forefront of many people’s minds. This step-change policy has already thrown up some concerns over the rigidity of founding measures of the CFP; challenging the way quotas are being allocated in the face of changing fish stock distribution and fishing patterns. In parallel to this 2019 goal, we have the task of achieving Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) objectives by 2020. The delays in adopting a North Sea mixed fishery plan and a new technical measures framework will only add further complexity to the European picture. Climate change: a new frontier for fishery management At the same time, a warming climate is causing changes to global ocean ecosystems at an unprecedented rate: triggering profound impacts on species distributions, with subsequent shifts in fishing patterns and preferences. Recent collaborative research between the Environmental Defense Fund, University of California Santa Barbara and Oregon State University shows that even though total global production of seafood may not be severely impacted by climate change, shifts in fish stock distribution at a regional level will be significant. Critically, the research findings underline that with effective management most fisheries could yield more fish and more prosperity, even with the challenging backdrop of a changing climate. In Europe, the effects of climate change on fisheries and marine ecosystems, is something that – like recent political shocks – we are hearing a lot more about. Recent shifts seen in commercially important pelagic species has resulted in conflict around quota allocation between coastal states responsible for management of these stocks. Dubbed ‘the herring and mackerel wars’, regional governance structures such as the Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) were not able to overcome the unilateral decision-making of individual nations, putting into question the strength of these over-arching agreements in the face of intense competition for shifting stocks. When unilateral decisions are taken on quota, this does nothing for fish stocks, nor for the collective livelihoods of fishermen, which depend on collaborative governance of an interconnected ecosystem. With climate change expected to exacerbate future fluctuations in fish stock distributions, such governance challenges can only be expected to intensify. We therefore urgently need to absorb and harness relevant research and consider its application through a regional European lens. Applying sound analytics through a regional focus will aid in our prediction of future shifts in stocks, as well as help map out smart management responses to these challenging and complex issues. Building a shock-resistant future for fishing Comprehensive and inclusive discussions on how our ecosystems and fisheries will respond to management decisions in the coming years need to start now. We must find a way to absorb and balance the many systemic ‘shocks’ that fisheries may face in the near and distant future. It is critical that everyone contributes their knowledge to offer the best chance of a successful cooperative outcome. If we don’t get it right, the research points to the possibility that we may see widespread ‘fish wars’, a return to overfished and collapsed fish stocks, decimated marine ecosystems, and perhaps a squandering of a critical food and economic resource. Europe can lead the way, and lead by example: with the best available science and research at hand, and collaboration with all stakeholders, we can begin to explore adaptive options for regional fisheries management and develop meaningful solutions that provide a solid future for European fisheries in an ever-changing environment. Only by building resilient, adaptable management systems can we secure sustainable, prosperous fisheries and protect the livelihoods that depend on them, both now and well beyond our current ‘interesting times’. MARCH 20, 2017 By: Erik Lindebo
Both Sennen and Penlee lifeboats were called out at 2am this morning to the aid of the stricken coaster which was in close proximity to Gwennap Head and without main engine power...
that was on its way from Antwerp to Ireland with a cargo of san...
Lady Alida which had suffered engine failure...
both lifeboats eventually stood down after the vessel was safely anchored in deeper water...
only to return to the coaster at first light as the coaster was dragging her anchor while waiting for the tug to arrive - it will be a long service for the guys today!...
Lifeboat crews have been taking part in a major rescue operation since the early hours of March 20, 2017, after the "Lady Alida" suffered a complete engine failure enroute from Terneuzen to Waterford with a cargo of sand. The Penlee Lifeboat and Sennen RNLI were called to the position three miles south of Gwennap Head, in the parish of St. Levan, to assist the seven crew members onboard. At 3.20 a.m., at the request of HM Coastguard, Falmouth, the all-weather lifeboat Ivan Ellen was launched from Newlyn. The lifeboat was alongside the Lady Alida just 25 minutes after launching and immediately attached a towing wire. The vessel was towed southwards to safer waters at one knot and was then joined by the Sennen Lifeboat City of London III which also attached a tow rope.
The initial plan was to tow her to Mount's Bay for a safe anchorage but due to the strong SW wind of six Beaufort it was difficult for the lifeboat to turn the vessel.
The HM Coastguard at Falmouth agreed that the Lady Alida could anchor in deeper waters south of Gwennap Head to await the assistance of a tug. The Dutch tug Alp Centre (IMO: 9398541) was deployed from Falmouth and expected on site within seven hours. The lifeboat remained on stand-by with a strong likelihood that she would have to relaunch when the tug has arrived on scene. The Ivan Ellen was relaunched from Newlyn and was making her way back to the Lady Alida after she started dragging her anchor, and the lifeboat was to standby with a tow rope until the tug had arrived around 1.30 p.m. The convoy was heading to Falmouth, ETA March 21
"Mighty oaks from little acorns grow" - well this case, who would have thought that 180 works of art from the broken harbour baulks would raise over £40,000 for the Fishermen's Mission! For the event, the services of Porthleven Community Interest group and friends were called upon - not only providing the marquee and all that went with it buy also the team behind the scenes throughout the auction. With an outstanding performance from auctioneer David Lay at one end competing at times with a noisy bar courtesy of the Harbour Inn at the other a throng of bidders competed with each other for 180 amazing works of art - with individual prices blown sky-high at times by a host of online bidders! A huge thanks to all concerned and the Porthleven Community for providing such a great venue and atmosphere - the money raised will go directly to supporting Cornish fishermen and their families in times of need - awesome!
When will you ever get the chance to buy buy yourself a unique work of art, a piece of social history and support and amazing charity?
Well, tomorrow afternoon starting at 3pm you can bid on any one of over 180 unique piece of art created from the shattered remains of Porthleven timber baulks so disastrously damaged during the great February 5th storm of 2014.
