It's #FishyFriday and the end to an historic week in Newlyn.

This week heralded in a new chapter in the story of W. Stevenson & Sons Ltd who for many years dominated almost every aspect of the port, home to the largest fleet of privately owned fishing vessels in Europe - at one time numbering over 30 vessels...

on Monday news came that Ocean Fish based in Roche, Cornwall had taken a controlling interest in the company and their fleet of 12 beam trawlers...

however, despite the huge significance of the deal, it has been business as usual in the harbour and on the fish market...

with Stevenson's boats like the Trevessa IV landing their usual mix of prime fish like monk tails...

brill...

and turbot...

and continuing to act as agents and auctioneers for many other boats landing line caught fish...

 like mackerel...

and herring...

the beam trawler Sapphire II's trip included a single box of cuttlefish...

and ski[per Paul Corin donated this box of scallops in support of the Newlyn Lights fund...

a combination of wind and big tides see many of the fleet in tier...

in the darkness that pervades the port...

also in darkness, the Sapphire II takes on fuel...

while the footpath that borders the new Penlee Lifeboat house lights the way...

round to the old inshore lifeboat house where ex-trawler skipper Edward Harvey sets nets.

MFV Resurgam arrives in Newlyn.

Not much for the buyers to come away with as there was just the one beam trawler's fish on the market in Nelwlyn this morning...

with pouting...

a few squid...

red mullet...

lemon sole...

and monk tails amongst her catch...

so by 6:30 am the auction floor was devoid of fish boxes...

outside, Jeremy and crew aboard the Nazarene were busy preparing bait for another day's crab fishing...

before letting go the mooring ropes...

closely followed by another inshore potter,...
 

 Girl Pamela...

as she made her way to the gaps the beamer...

Resurgam headed into the harbour....

and as it was high water made for a landing berth at the fish market

Time to reinvigorate Newlyn Fish Festival!

Following two fallow years and the Newlyn Fish Festival committee’s recent decision to hand over the baton, Newlyn Pier and Harbour Commissioners (NPHC) aim to reinvigorate this popular annual fundraiser for the Fishermen’s Mission if there is sufficient interest from local fishermen, fish suppliers and chefs to help transform it into an even more dynamic celebration of the sea, Cornish seafood and Cornwall’s proud fishing heritage.

Harbour Master and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rob Parsons is now seeking expressions of interest from local partners to form a new committee with the aim of assessing the viability of reintroducing the event in the future.

“Newlyn Fish Festival is an action-packed, one-day event that has attracted thousands of visitors to our historic harbour for 26 years, raising an impressive £250,000 for the Fishermen’s Mission in the process,” explains Rob. “The previous committee has done an incredible job but feels it is now time for someone else to take the helm. As Harbour Master, I feel it is my responsibility to do so if there is sufficient interest from the local fishing industry and other interested parties to work with us to create an event that builds on the successes of the past and sustains it for the future.”

The Harbour Commissioners’ recently transformed Newlyn Fish Market would provide a new-look Fish Festival with more space, improved facilities and enhanced insight into the Cornish fishing industry, which the Harbour Master believes to be even more important in this era of Brexit-related uncertainty.

“The Harbour Commissioners are committed to providing fit-for-purpose facilities and services that support the development and sustainability of the local fishing industry and with all the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, it is even more vital for us to try and make a positive difference to the livelihoods of our hardworking fishermen, who go out to sea in all weathers to catch and land the best fish in the world,” Rob concludes. “We look forward to hearing from anyone who shares our vision to recalibrate this uniquely Cornish celebration that raises much-needed awareness of the Cornish fishing fleet and vital funds for the Fishermen’s Mission. 

Please contact me at the Harbour Office by emailing info@newlynharbour.com or phone 01736 362523 to pledge your support.”

Monday morning market in Newlyn.

With no beam trawlers landing tis morning the bulk of the fish from the weekend was from the hake netter Stelissa...

landing a 220 box trip of hake...

and not forgetting the swordfish...

which weighed in at 57 kilos...

and garnered the interest of a few buyers...

however, there was plenty of prime fish from the inshore boats like the Still Waters...

Milennium...

and New Venture...

with ray wings...

and whole ray on the sales list...

at this time of year bass all along the south coast of England are on the move as they head for the spawning season...

which gives the inshore guys a chance to deploy their lines for these beautiful fish...

which is why inshore fishermen feel justified in having major concerns over the largely un-monitored activities of huge freezer trawlers like the Margiris operating near grounds known to be home to spawning bass...

where the bulk of her trawling has been concentrated on a small area just outside the 12 mile limit off Brighton for the last 13 days...

Dennis Pascoe, the grandfather of handline fishermen in Newlyn who has has caught more mackerel than he could care to remember discusses that most tasty of fish!  Let's hope some of these worthy fish end up on the menu at the likes of the Tolcarne, The Shore and The Vault where ex-Rick Stein chef Jamie Porter is now in residence!

Busy weekend in Newlyn as the new lifeboat house is officially opened.

The ever-happy Harbour staffer Ben makes the rounds checking on the boats berthed in the harbour...

Seafood Cornwall Training have plenty of courses for anyone wishing to join the fishing industry...

the Ocean Pride looking good with her new stern net housing and paint job...

today, Penlee Lifeboat has its new lifeboat house officially opened...

with a do organised for all those in making it happen...

meanwhile young Mr Williams sorts the stern line along with fellow Filipino deckhands...

as the hake netter Charisma heads for the gaps...

hopefully it won't be too long before these guys get to land their fish on the market at Newlyn again...

like the Stelissa's...

young skipper Ryan who is all smiles after landing...

this 60 kilo swordfish for Monday's market...

great to see the crews wearing the PFDs - even when landing...

skipper Ryan setting the example (better get one for the daughter too ;-)...

also landing is the Nicola of Ladram putting a lorry full f brown crab ashore...

it's not all smiles with Tom having picked up a huge boulder for the third successive trip...

requiring the net to go ashore to be mended - the learner-decky Tom keeping the tension even as Tom makes row after row of new mesh...

yes, it's skipper Tom, decky Tom and decky-learner Tom! - more toms than Ginger Baker's RIP drum kit.