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.
At the end of a turbulent week fish is still being landed in quantity form the Newlyn fleet, like this specimen turbot from the inshore trawler New Venture...
along with ray wings...
John Dory...
red mullet...
brill...
hake...
and shellfish like these scallops, squid and octopus...
name this big flat fish landed by the Sapphire II...
and a small trip of hake from the netter Britannia V...
Ocean Fish's latest beam trawler to join the fleet, Le Men Dhu landed a nice little trip of quality flats...
while the Sapphire II filled the grader chill room with monk, megrim and other prime fish...
along with plenty of cuttles...
the number of boats now in port has risen...
the boats that landed big trips of pollack amongst them...
let's hope this notice in the window of the Fishermen's Cafe and the photo of all the regular merchants on Newlyn's fish market will not have faded too much from the sun by the time it comes down!
Seafood Cornwall’s #FishToYourDoor initiative is bringing together fish merchants and customers across the country to support our fishermen through the coronavirus crisis. Launching in the face of the current coronavirus pandemic, and coordinated by Seafood Cornwall, a new service is creating a register of would-be fish buyers and merchants across the county - and further afield. Project lead and CEO of the Cornish Fish Producers’Organisation, Paul Trebilcock, encouraged those practising social-distancing, or in self-isolation - or those simply wanting to get hold of top-quality local catch - to get in touch with Seafood Cornwall to arrange contact-free doorstep deliveries of fresh Cornish fish: “This is a unique opportunity to support our fishermen and ensure you have access to plenty of healthy, local fish and shellfish. We’re working as a team to connect customers and merchants - in turn, this keeps the demand for fish up and keeps our fishermen going to sea. Everyone wins!” As the spread of the coronavirus made headline news and restaurants across the country have been forced to close their doors, fish prices at markets across the south-west slumped. Pulling together as a community and keeping seafood businesses going through the coming months is a priority for Seafood Cornwall - an initiative launched one year ago to support Cornish fisheries. “None of us planned for a pandemic” notes Trebilcock “this is an unimaginably tough situation for businesses across the country. Thankfully, with Seafood Cornwall in place now for over a year, we’re in a great position to support our local seafood businesses, and make the lives of people in our community easier, too. We don’t see this ending once we are through the current situation, rather, this is the beginning of a better relationship between consumers and local fishing fleets so more people can benefit from eating healthy, sustainable locally caught fish and shellfish year-round.” Those interested in ordering fresh fish and shellfish deliveries to their doors in the coming days, weeks and months are encouraged to: · email Seafood Cornwall on: info@seafoodcornwall.org.uk; · message Seafood Cornwall on twitter @CornwallSeafood, or; · contact the Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Cornishfpo.
A register of merchants with fresh fish available and vans for delivery is being coordinated through the Seafood Cornwall team, who are also happy to answer any questions about Cornish fishing and local, seasonal fish species.
Many merchants can deliver beyond Cornwall - please spread the word to family and friends across the county to support our Cornish fishermen, and protect coastal communities from the worst of the economic onslaught from the coronavirus.
The EU fishing sector has presented to European authorities the critical measures that have to be taken in order to overcome the operational, commercial, and safety problems that the sector has only begun to endure and which will inevitably and without doubt worsen in the coming weeks due to the protective measures taken against the spread of the COVID-19. The primary concern of the sector is the continuity of fishing activities and food supply to EU citizens. Measures are also needed for those vessels forced to cease operations. In a position paper sent to EU decision-makers the sector points out severe operational problems such as port and equipment supply restrictions, logistical difficulties, and soaring freight prices on shipments of fish. With regard to commercial factors, the sector shows concern over the collapse in first-sale fish prices, largely due to the closure of restaurants, schools, businesses and food markets and the strict limitations imposed on travel and tourism. Europêche reminds EU consumers that seafood is a vital part of a healthy diet and remains a safe, smart choice at grocery stores. Europêche underlines that the industry is increasingly limited in performing crew rotation or changes due to quarantines, get supply of drugs or protective materials or simply repatriate fishermen. In order to alleviate as much as possible the current situation of trade and value chain disruptions and evaporating market demand resulting in falling price levels, Europêche asks for legislative changes to enable fishermen to carry over more than the existing 10% of their fishing quotas to next year and for fair intervention prices for unsold fish. In the document, the industry demands a series of measures that guarantee the logistical needs of crews and ships, such as the transport of crews, equipment, health protocols tailored to each fleet and guaranteeing the supply of masks and gloves both to ships and to fish markets or fish auction halls. Europêche also urges policy-makers to modify the fisheries fund regulation in order to quickly adjust and provide financial aid for those fishing companies that are forced to cease their operations for imperative reasons such as member states measures to avoid the spread of the COVID-19, designation of high risk areas, crew infections or lack of market demand. In addition to these vital mitigation measures the sector calls on Member States to introduce national measures such as VAT reduction, suspension of social security contributions and tax exemptions. Furthermore, in view of the current developments, it only seems logical to extend the Brexit transition period with another 12 months at least, although Europêche understands that such decision depends on agreement by the UK. Daniel Voces, managing director of Europêche, declared: “Our fishermen are doing a fantastic job. While far away from their homes and families, they continue bringing healthy seafood to our plates in a very challenging environment. They deserve the full attention of our public authorities to secure their safety, their economies and the continuity of the food supply”. Letter with recommendations to the EU Commission
Plenty of fish again on the market this morning...
large ling...
and plenty of pollack which saw a doubling in price to around £1.00 per kilo - hardly a good return for the boats concerned when pollack normally makes anything from £3.50 to £4.50 a kilo...
a beam trawl trip brought much needed quality flats...
monk, megrims and Dover soles to the market, all making around 30% or more less than an average market...
haddock also dropped in price...
while mackerel prices held...
those huge inky stains on the market floor mean that another big trip of cuttles was landed - though this is one fish that UK consumers could do with being encouraged to buy as an excellent squid substitute - many people prefer cuttlefish, it is sweeter in flavour...
a full trip of whitefish for Friday's market...
buyers were constantly taking and making calls to make sure that all the fish was sold at a fair price...
all grades of hake rose slightly...
though it is already apparent that the number of buyers has halved over the course of the week...
and to my left...
fish about to go for packing...
as more boats are tied up uncertain that they will be able to sell the fish that they catch - worrying times for all concerned.
A message from Paul Trebilcock at the Cornwall Fish Producers Organisation: With ongoing concerns from fishermen across the region about Covid-19, the CFPO has again liaised with SWFPO and Interfish FPO along with local markets (Newlyn, Plymouth and Brixham) about the ongoing challenges of selling fish. There is a great deal of uncertainty at the moment and in reality that uncertainty is likely to continue. Market demand has fallen across the board with demand and price for fish and shellfish, in particular, whitefish. Shellfish merchants (crab & lobster) have almost entirely ceased taking any shellfish. Some prime fish including dover sole is currently holding in terms of price but this should not be seen as assured or long term. There are worries about what species might be most vulnerable to major demand and/or price drop but again at this stage it was felt that emphasis should be on lower volumes and higher quality as a general approach. Shorter trips are considered to be a sensible approach rather than risking higher volumes from longer trips that may be more difficult to sell -obviously where possible/practical. Please speak to your respective market/auctioneer/buyer about what you are catching and when you are intending to land to ensure they can spread landings. Market stability is more likely to be secured from shorter trips and staggered landings. We are going to keep in close liaison with other SW POs and markets on an ongoing basis and will endeavour to keep you informed as more information emerges. Discussions have begun with DEFRA (through NFFO and UKAFPO jointly, as well as by individual POs) regarding a support package for fishermen but this is in early stages and almost certainly won’t be a quick fix. Given the poor start to the year, weather-wise, many parts of the fleet are entering this crisis with very little resilience/money in the bank, therefore measure must be genuine and include both real money and regulatory considerations. We will do everything we can to support you during this worrying period. We will be bringing you a Fathom podcast very soon with advice and guidance on direct selling and updates from Defra on financial support for fishermen. We are also working with our Seafood Cornwall initiative to help keep up the demand for fish and shellfish in Cornwall and support local fishermen and fishing communities. We want to connect customers who are in isolation to fish merchants with the capacity to deliver freshly caught fish. If you are a fish merchant who would like to be connected to more customers please get in touch now using info@seafoodcornwall.org.uk If you are a customer who would like fresh Cornish fish delivered to your door, please email info@seafoodcornwall.org.uk. Thank you. Paul Trebilcock
By weight, pollack, which is mainly exported to France and Spain...
was the most plentiful fish on the market this morning in Newlyn where over 8,000kg was landed from four boats - on Monday this week, pollack was making £4.50 a kilo - by this morning the average price was 41p - one boat, which had leased all of its pollack quota at 50p a kilo made a net loss on the trip - which means that not only would the crew - all of whom are 'share-fishermen' receive no wage but the boat's expenses, which included around 6,000litres of fuel, meant were significantly more than the boat grossed...
where possible it would be a really positive move for retail outlets like supermarkets with wet-fish counters, wet-fish shops and fish shops make use of this cod-like fish...
prices for other fish that have markets in the UK like Dover sole. John Dory...
dogfish...
haddock...
ray...
plaice...
and line caught mackerel were around 20% lower which at least means the boats fishing for these species can continue to fish profitably rather than catch species that cannot be sold at present...
meanwhile the price for hake, of which 90% used to be exported to Spain but is now consumed in much greater quantities in the UK has held up...
- which Ryan, skipper of the Stelissa with a big trip of hake to land tomorrow will hope holds true...
news from customers 'up-country' would suggest that the home market is holding up - let's hope it continues to do so as the knock-on effect of boats forced to tie up because they cannot sell there fish would be huge and affect more than just the local economy.
From the NFFO: Dialogue has begun between the NFFO and the Government on how best to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the fishing industry over its duration.
The market for fish and shellfish has already been badly affected, with fears of worse to come:
An early sector to feel the consequences of the virus is the crab market, which had responded to increasing demand from China and which has now seen a dramatic fall in price, as restrictions bite
Inventories of frozen nephrops were approaching capacity before the virus struck and saturation point will inevitably impact on buyers’ behaviours on the 1st hand market
Whitefish prices are also softening as buyers face logistical difficulties and travel restrictions triggered by the coronavirus
Seasonal fisheries such as cuttlefish are likely to be impacted by restrictions in Italy and France, particularly closures in the restaurant sector
There are concerns about how fish processing units will continue to operate if the workforce is impacted directly by the virus, or by efforts to self-isolate
Individual judgements on self-isolation will be made by fishermen but the impacts will be felt across whole crews and fishing businesses
In these unique and unprecedented circumstances, individual fishing businesses and producer organisations are taking their own steps to mitigate impacts by arranging shorter trips, staggering and planning landings, reducing quantities landed, in order to avoid flooding the market and triggering a price collapse. Science The production of the scientific advice for next year’s quotas has been affected and shorter, more summary advice than that we have become used to will emerge to inform the autumn management decisions – this time with the UK participating for the first time as an independent coastal state. Support We are in a highly dynamic situation. As the virus spreads, new impacts are becoming manifest. Evolving regulatory responses and market reactions, mean that it will be necessary to understand exactly what is happening in a rapidly changing situation. This is the context within which the form and shape of a government support package will be discussed, with a focus on keeping the sector viable during this, temporary but undoubtedly severe shock.
From Luke Pollard, who Plymouth MP has posted this to his fishing constituency: "Hello - The Coronavirus outbreak is hurting every sector of our economy and I want to know what your thoughts and concerns are when it comes to the impact of Coronavirus. The priority is keeping people safe and well but we also must secure people's livelihoods.
One of the key areas of concern for me as the MP for Plymouth's fishing quarter is the impact Covid-19 is having on fishers. As the Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, fishing falls within my portfolio.
There are a thousand jobs in fishing in Plymouth, it really matters to our local economy and our way of life. And I've been raising issues around this since I was elected in 2017.
But now our fishing industry is under threat from the Coronavirus. We're already seeing a huge fall in prices of fish that's landed in Plymouth as export markets collapse and that will have a knock on effect across the entire industry. This matters because as a nation we export the vast majority of fish we catch and we import the vast majority of fish we eat.
We know that most fishing industry is made up of many small businesses as well as some very large ones too. Many people take out a boat mortgage out that's also borrowed against their home, so if there's a problem with the amount fish that's landed and the value of that fish, it can immediately impact on livelihoods and well-being.
I will soon be meeting the Secretary of State responsible for fishing, and I hope to keep in regular contact with him as this national crisis develops. I want to share your views and concerns with him, so I can get the government to act to save our fishing industry.
Please send me an email at luke.pollard.mp@parliament.uk, and put the subject line as 'Fishing Feedback'. Let me know how the coronavirus impacts you, so together we can get the government to take the right action. Over the next few days I'll be looking at other sectors as well."
From IFCA: In light of yesterdays governmental advice on social distancing Cornwall IFCA will be closing its office to the general public. If you wish to discuss anything, please call us on 07794360221 or contact us by email. enquiries@cornwall-ifca.gov.uk From The Real Cornish Crab company which processes crab and lobster from its fleet of five crabbers tht are based in Newlyn posted a COROVID-19 update tonight: realcornishcrab 🔴 COVID 19 UPDATE 🔴 It's still business as usual for us at @realcornishcrab 🦀 Our boats are operating, our factory is processing delicious fresh crab and supplying restaurants up and down the country. Our shop in Long Rock is open to the public to buy hand-picked crab to take home - so if you're struggling to shop at supermarkets, remember that all the smaller shops and suppliers are still here to support you. 💪🏼 To reassure our customers, cafes and restaurants that we supply, below is a run through of our current cleaning systems as well as the extra precautions we are taking to reduce to risk of coronavirus. 🔸We have cleaning schedules for every area of the factory, with checklists completed and signed off every day. 🔸Strict hand washing policies, food safe gloves, hand sanitiser pumps stationed around the factory (this is all general policy and procedure which we have in place at all times). In addition to this everyone is requested to sterilise their hands when coming onto site. 🔸All areas are sterilised and sanitised routinely throughout the day. 🔸All of our delivery drivers carry hand sanitiser in the vans and are being encouraged to have minimum contact when delivering - please excuse them if this appears rude. 🔸We have full council approval and are SALSA approved. 🔸All visitors and staff are asked to complete health questionnaires, these have been recently updated to include #covid-19 symptoms and travel to the affected areas. 🔸All of the boats are being thoroughly cleaned, the skippers and their crews are being kept informed with all the latest updates and are following procedures to keep them safe in the harbour and at sea. 🔸We are now only accepting card payments at the shop to avoid handling cash as this further spreads bacteria. Until we're informed otherwise, we will continue to keep running business as normal. Please keep supporting your small local businesses and they will continue to support you. Look after each other and stay safe. Mark and Emma, and the Real Cornish Crab Company team 🦀
