Today's news from the Julie of Ladram at sea.

Wednesday morning and all is well aboard the Julie of Ladram - Sprat gives us an update on a gloriously sunny start to the day. They are due to land on Thursday - but things could change!




Earlier today, BBC Farming programme's Rachel Lovell spoke first to Barry Young from BTA and then Paul Dyer who is the boat manager for Waterdance's fleet of boats which includes the Julie of Ladram. To get a feel for the national picture the report then turned to Barry Deas from the NFFO.

COROVID19 at sea - Sprat tells us how it is from the wheelhouse of the Julie of Ladram.

Technical issues to do with getting Tuesday's video from ship-to-shore prevented Sprat from updating us with this yesterday. This is the second update from the wheelhouse of the Julie of Ladram currently fishing in the western English Channel with his thoughts on life ashore for others and his from being out at sea - along with many other boats.

Support package for self-employed share fishermen in next 24/48 hours

DOMESTIC FISHERIES POLICY

Share-fishermen to be thrown a lifeline.

An announcement is expected within the next 24/48 hours on package of support that will help self-employed share-fishermen impacted by the coronavirus. A proposal has been submitted to the Treasury for decision. Whilst no guarantees are being given, there are high expectations that this new package will fill some of the gaps in the economic support measures announced so far. Self-employed share-fishermen are not eligible for the support given to wage earners (80% of earnings up to £2500 per month) and so it is imperative that the government acts urgently to fill this gap.The announcement on share fishermen is likely to be part of a package on measures for the self-employed more generally.

The NFFO has urged the government to act, as markets fail under the impact of reduced demand. Most export markets, the hospitality sector, and fish counters in some supermarkets have closed down. Transport links are affected.

The government and industry organisations like the NFFO, have a shared goal during this health emergency, of keeping businesses in the catching and supply chain intact, so that they can thrive again when the crisis is passed.

The support measures have been developed at pace, parallel to the increasing stringent restrictions to achieve physical distancing between people to reduce transmission of the disease. Measures announces so far have included:

• Direct support for the hospitality sector
• Interest free loans to help businesses survive the crisis. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), which has been established to provide support for small businesses, is now open for applications. This may be of some but probably limited value in the fishing sector
• Wage support measures (as above)
• Food production workers have been designated as key workers, acknowledging that food security is a priority and that where possible the links in the supply chain from vessel to consumer should remain intact. Whilst limiting the spread of the virus is paramount and finding ways of limiting risk all-important, people require food

Summary

Restrictive measures to prevent transmission of covid-19 are running in parallel to economic support measures. Government announcements are made daily. There is an obvious gap in terms of support for the self-employed. It is understood that a support package for the self-employed is now with the treasury for approval. Defra, urged by the NFFO and others, has made the case to include self-employed share-fishermen in the package. We are confident that the case has been made and understood.

In the meantime, the Federation is engaged in the development of a wide range of support measures through government, industry organisations and the charity sector.

#FishToYourDoor campaign sees Cornwall rekindle love for fresh fish during Covid crisis

Seafood Cornwall’s #FishToYourDoor campaign - launched within hours of the first Covid-19 impacts on South-West fish markets - sees overwhelming response within first week.

A new campaign that facilitates quick match-making between Cornish fish merchants and fishmongers and would-be buyers across the country has been inundated with orders since launching last week.

Cornwall-wide seafood promotion initiative Seafood Cornwall launched the #FishToYourDoor campaign alongside the Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation on Tuesday 17th March. Responding to the closing-down of restaurant trade and export markets, and aiming to keep sales routes open for domestic catch, the scheme was designed to connect individuals and households with fresh Cornish fish - via fish merchants with capacity to deliver.

One such merchant registered to receive customers through the #FishToYourDoor campaign is family-run business Celtic Fish and Game. Speaking of the impact of the initiative, Director Naomi Bullus commented: “Thanks to the #FishToYourDoor initiative, plus our own efforts, we have kept the doors open. We are delivering fish individually portioned, prepped and packed, and calling our customers to notify them that their contact-free delivery is on their doorstep".

Local MP Derek Thomas added: “I’m delighted to see a scheme like this come together so quickly in the face of all the troubling impacts of this Covid-19 pandemic. Fishing communities and seafood businesses deserve our support more than ever at this time - and it’s reassuring to see a system delivering healthy, local fish directly to households when many are struggling with supermarket shops. I hope this demand continues to grow over the coming months, and beyond the current circumstances”.

More than three requests per minute have been flooding in via the Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation Facebook page, and Seafood Cornwall social media. Thus far, well over 400 new customers have been connected to merchants, many offering messages of support for Cornwall’s fishermen and reporting back, with comments including: “Thank you so much for going the extra mile to connect fishing families with the locals”, "I had some delicious fish delivered the next day and would like to place another order" and “this service will be a lifeline for me!”.

The #FishToYourDoor campaign is continuing to register interested merchants and buyers via:

● Facebook - www.facebook.com/Cornishfpo

● Twitter - @CornwallSeafood

● Email - info@cornwallseafood.org.uk

A phone number, web form and leaflet will be available shortly.

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.

Newlyn suppliers of fresh fish by mail/courier:

Fresh Cornish Fish

Trelawney Fish

Harveys Crab

Stevensons Fish Shop

Indomitable UK fishing spirit - at sea, fishing to feed the nation

While the rest of the country takes on board and begins to comes to terms with the need to stay at home, practice social distancing and isolation our fishermen all around the coast are doing the same - only for them it's what they do every day - at sea, miles, sometimes hundreds, from home, out of sight and mind, whether singlehanded or in a crew of six fishermen have learned to spend most of their working lives under such circumstance. 

This time it's different. Skippers sailed this morning, prepared to do full trips, committing themselves to thousands of pounds of expenses to catch fish without being certain that when they land there will be sufficient demand for them to even pay the expenses for the trip.  The biggest of these vessels in the south west might burn up to £6000 worth of fuel per day, just one of the many bills to be paid before the crew see a wage.

One such boat is the Julie of Ladram, which sailed from Brixham this morning.

First mate Mike Smith aka Sprat had a few words for followers of Through the Gaps...

and its easy enough to follow the boats on any AIS app so the boats have promised to keep us posted on how the trips are going and what news they are getting from ashore re the effects COVID19 is having on their fish markets...

the Julie is not the only boat out there with huge overheads, right now David Stevens has the Crystal Sea...

away south of Newlyn trying to target the kind of fish UK consumers enjoy - like haddock but they will also be catching monk, lemon sole and other fish that UK consumers need to enjoy!

here is skipper David's haul now boxed and iced away in the fishroom!

Plenty of fish on Monday morning's market in Newlyn.

Dawn breaks behind Penzance's Jubilee Pool over St Michaels Mount...

as a few Battery Rockers take their early morning dip in the Bay...

plaice...

lemon sole...

Dover sole...

monkfish...

and brill are mostly exported from Newlyn to the EU - and are the fish showing the biggest drop in prices across the board as the trade between countries dwindles owing to the COVID19 restrictions...

boxes of lemon sole...

plaice...

and cuttles from the Lisa Jacqueline will be on the auction in the morning...

brill...

John Dory...

and tub gurnards are all fish suffering from very low demand with buyers...

newly introduced 'social distancing' measures are being take seriously...

  especially by young George, determined to keep anyone at least 2m from him...

it is quiet this morning...

with many if the boats tied up, unsure if they go to sea there will be a market for their fish when they return...

Jeremy on the Nazaren has pots to haul...

the George and Julian demonstrate social distancing for the benefit of other market users......

as dawn breaks over an uncertain future for the port.

60% of the fishing fleet will continue to fish despite the drop in prices

This was translated from a Spanish website - the situation is the same for all fishing communities throughout Europe:

"The owners of the port of the capital meet to analyse their situation and make a decision. The fish market will continue to function 'normally'. Plants do not understand viruses and neither do the stomach

The influx of buyers to the Almería fish market is falling over the days and prices have also plummeted, thus around 70% for seafood and 50% for fish. In this situation, the development of the activity is going uphill. For this reason, the owners of the capital have met to assess the impact in the sector of the crisis caused by the coronavirus and each one has made their own decision, with the result that 40% of the fleet (trawling in this case, since that the purse seine is in biological stop) the catches will cease, while the corresponding 60% will continue to fish to guarantee the supply of fish.

As José María Gallart, manager of the Association of Fishing Entrepreneurs of Almería ( Asopesca ), explains , ten boats have decided to stop as much due to economic problems, since the price of shellfish is at stake and it is their main species captured by what ceases to be profitable their fishing activity, as toilets, because in these boats it is very difficult to comply with security measures against Covid19. The other 14 ships will continue to fish to supply fish to society. In this way, "activity in the fish market will continue and fish is guaranteed in the market, but it will be necessary to analyze the situation day by day."

TEN OF THE 24 TRAWLERS IN THE CAPITAL DECIDE TO STOP FOR HEALTH AND ECONOMIC REASONS

Given the moment of uncertainty and the impact generated in fishing due to the pandemic, which has had an impact on tourism and hospitality, causing a turning point in the demand for fresh fish with the consequent drop in prices, the Andalusian Federation of Fisheries Associations ( FAAPE) has sent a letter to the Government, to which the fishing sectors of Valencia and Catalonia have also joined. It calls for a series of measures necessary for the survival of the sector, as well as other activities, such as aid to crew and shipowners, according to the scale of temporary stops of the FEMP (European Maritime Fisheries Fund); the exoneration of the quotas to the Social Security and of the fiscal and tributary obligations while the state of alarm lasts, and the suspension of the deferments of the payments of the debts with the Social Security, Treasury and sanctions while this situation persists.

Call for urgent measures from the EU

The European fishing sector grouped into the Europêche organization and of which the Spanish Fisheries Confederation is part(CEPESCA) has asked the EU Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevicius, to adopt urgent and extraordinary measures to face the socio-economic impact caused by COVID-19. The fisheries sector makes this request after the negative impact that the escalation of measures taken by EU governments to prevent the spread of the coronavirus is having on its activity. Specifically, the sector is already registering a significant reduction in the demand for fish, in addition to a notable drop in prices in certain fish markets with inshore fleets that will inevitably lead to the cessation of fishing activities in some areas. 

In this situation, the fishing sector considers it a priority that the Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries of the European Commission communicate, minimisor the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), and that it also adopt the necessary mechanisms that allow the activation of extraordinary measures. According to the fisheries sector, and since the current EMFF does not allow aid for temporary cessation due to a health or epidemic crisis, these measures should include the possibility that fishermen and operators in the EU receive aid and compensation for the temporary cessation of its activity as a result of the pandemic. 

In this sense, the fishing sector has requested the Commissioner to urgently modify Article 33 of the current EMFF and include this possibility in it, given the case of force majeure that this crisis entails. Likewise, asks the Commissioner for authorisation so that the Member States can be flexible when reprogramming the EMFF and that the measures that can be put into practice are mainly financed by the European fund. Additionally, the fishing sector considers it necessary to adopt additional measures and extraordinary actions to compensate for economic losses in those cases in which these sources of financing are not sufficient in the long term or are not foreseen at the national level."