Fish auction news for the week.

 

The mid-February period at Newlyn Fish Market has seen a consistent showing of high-grade landings, despite the typical winter volatility in the Western Approaches. Stevensons has overseen a week characterized by strong demand for prime flatfish and a notable abundance of inshore species.

While the early part of the week faced brisk, chilly conditions, the market floor remained active with a healthy mix of net-caught fish and beam trawl arrivals. The synergy between physical bidding and the digitally integrated auction continues to provide a robust platform for the fleet, ensuring that the premium quality of the Cornish catch is reflected in the final hammer prices.

Daily Highlights

Monday, 16th February

The week opened with a "Bass Bonanza." The market was dominated by silver, with superlative line and net-caught Bass arriving from the boats. Quality was exceptionally high, with firm-fleshed specimens commanding top-tier prices. Alongside the bass, a steady stream of Pollack and the now-regular "bloom" of Mediterranean Octopus provided plenty of variety for early buyers.

Tuesday, 17th February

A stronger showing from the beamers today. Prime Monkfish and Megrim were the standout features, with the likes of the Silver Dawn and Britannia V landing well-graded hauls. There was also a significant interest in Lemon Sole, with some of the larger grades reaching near-record prices as buyers competed for consistency.

Wednesday, 18th February

The mid-week auction saw a diverse mix of shellfish and prime whitefish. Squid from the punts looked particularly stunning, retaining their vibrant color and attracting interest from high-end metropolitan retailers. Hake landings were somewhat patchier than usual, but the quality of the fish from the Ajax and Ocean Pride ensured that what did reach the tiles was quickly snapped up.

Thursday, 19th February

A chilly start to the morning did little to dampen the atmosphere. The market featured a notable landing of John Dory and Red Mullet, adding a splash of color to the rows of boxes. Higher-than-average volume in Turbot and Brill rounded out a strong day for prime flatfish, with buyers noting the excellent condition of the fish despite the recent swell.

Rare visit to Newlyn.

 

Seen here heading for the gaps...

the St Brieuc registered Breton stern trawler, Le Providence who came in to take on extra ice...

during storms years ago, the harbour would often play host to nearly thirty Breton trawlers seeking shelter - since the average size of their boats increased by a few meters such visits have become almost non-existent! The number of boats in the Breton fleet has also decreased hugely compared to what was around back in the day.

REM in Practice - Helping to Secure a Sustainable Future for UK Fisheries

Last week saw a meeting which examined the strategic opportunities for implementing Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) onboard UK fishing vessels. As the industry faced an increasingly digital landscape, the discussion focused on how technology could enhance both operational efficiency and environmental stewardship.

While REM had previously been confined to various regional trials and pilot projects, the meeting highlighted its transition into a core regulatory fixture. At the time of the session, the technology was moving toward becoming a mandatory requirement for pelagic vessels in Scottish waters, with wider national implementation already in progress.

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Key Areas of Focus

The session addressed the critical intersection of technology and commerce, specifically focusing on:

• Regulatory Transition: The shift from voluntary participation in trials to the upcoming mandatory requirements across the UK fleet.

• Traceability and Market Value: How REM data served to bolster seafood traceability, offering businesses a distinct advantage in markets that prioritised transparency.

• Industry Engagement: The importance of the UK seafood sector utilising this period to influence how digital systems were designed to support, rather than disrupt, business operations.

By convening key stakeholders, the meeting sought to ensure the UK seafood sector remained at the forefront of global innovation, turning technical compliance into a foundation for long-term sustainability.

The following speakers shared presentations:

Morning session: 

Strategic framing and operational lessons to date, 

Thinking on regulatory reform and working in collaboration, Mike Dowell, Defra

The operational case in Scotland: policy objectives, regulatory readiness, feedback loops for adaptive regulation and case studies, Ellen Huis, Scottish Government

The process of adopting REM for Denmark's fishermen and the experience of applying it in mixed fisheries, Jacob Handrup, Danish Fishers PO

UK industry perspective of applying REM in a mixed fishery, lessons learned and what's needed to make REM a success, David Stephens, Cornish fisherman

Afternoon session: 

Smarter science, trust and supply chain buy-in

Reducing bias: the benefits of full fleet coverage to industry, Dr Chris Brown, University of Tasmania

Who owns the data and making the right choice, Elinor Brett, Defra, and Rebecca Lamb, Cefas

A 'voice from the deck' as an early adopter of REM in the UK: reflections of risks and benefits for industry, Phil Haslam, North Atlantic Fishing Company

Weekend and Monday morning in pictures

End of the trip and it's time to empty the fishroom, all smiles from young Ryan...

as skipper Tristan swings the last of their hake ashore from the Silver Dawn...

the recent heavy ground sea and storm have further eroded the coast path at Sandy Cove revealing the underground utility supplies...

hake by the ton on Monday's market...

with good trips from the Silver Dawn...

Ajax...

Ocean Pride...

and Stelissa...

the year's first thresher shark...

it seems pollack is still abundant judging by recent landings...

red gurnard...

bream...

and mullet, all top quality fish...

while the beam trawler St Georges put ashore good supplies of quality flats like these lemons...

plaice...

and megrim sole...

inshore fish included these ray..

and some cracking brill...

while there is still no let up in the landings of octopus...

man on a mission...

there's a few cuttles being landed too but nothing like in previous years...

also high on the menu for octopus are scallops, another fishery that could be in real danger from the eight-legged marauders, time will tell later this year when the scallop season proper starts......

the inshore fridge was packed with fish but mostly overspill from trip boats...

there's always one on the lookout for an easy breakfast...

another fender nears completion, the heady aroma of creosote is thick in the air...

another visitor from afar, the Ullapool registered crabber, Amberlisa...

seen here with the lorry that delivered a fresh supply of pots...

she's bigger than most pot boats in the south west...

two very different cats in the harbour, the Mermaid runs wildlife tours, angling and bespoke trips from Newlyn.

 

#FishyFriday February morning market

Steely grey skies greet the harbour and the final market for the week...

though there is plenty of fish including...

a bumper trip of hake from the Ajax...

and Stelissai...

ad Silver Dawn...

 the other trawl trip to be landed came from the Crystal Sea, breaking her regular Monday-to-Monday landing cycle...

plenty of quality here...

ready-wrapped to go...

all shades of red this morning, tubs...

rouge mullet...

and red bream to finish off another week of top quality fish from Newlyn...

keeping the nation supplied with the very best MSC certified fish!

Newlyn Auction Strength Sustained by Heavy Hake Volume and Premium Prime

 

The February market at Newlyn continues to show resilience despite the seasonal volatility of the Western Approaches. This week’s trading (Feb 9–12) saw a steady flow of tonnage across the quay, with the auction floor bolstered by consistent Hake landings and high demand for top-tier prime whitefish.

Hake Dominates Market Throughput

The week was defined by the sheer volume of Hake, which accounted for approximately 60% of the total market volume. Totaling 22,238kg, the species realized a total value of £75,502. While volume remained high, prices held firm with an average of £3.40/kg, providing a solid foundation for the week’s turnover.

Prime Market and Luxury Species

Demand for high-end "table" fish remains sharp, as evidenced by the premium prices paid for Turbot. Despite lower landing weights, Turbot commanded the week’s top average price of £18.43/kg, generating nearly £19,000 from just over a tonne of fish.

Monkfish also saw a strong showing, securing its position as the second most valuable species of the week. With 3,744kg landed, it brought in £31,014, averaging £8.28/kg. Other high-performing prime species included:

Megrim: 2,130kg landed, realizing £14,643 (£6.87/kg avg).

Dover Sole: Sustained high demand for larger grades, contributing to the overall strength of the prime auction.

Non-Quota and Cephalopod Trends

The trend for Cuttlefish continues, with 1,848kg crossing the scales this week for a total value of £8,555. Combined with consistent landings of Pollack and Plaice, the diversity of the catch ensured that buyers from both the domestic and export sectors remained active on the market.

Meteorological & Tidal Outlook for the Coming Week

The fleet should prepare for a tightening window of operation as we move into the weekend of February 14th.

Weather: A shift from light wintry showers to a more traditional Atlantic "wet and windy" pattern is forecast. Expect consistent rain from Sunday through Tuesday, with westerly winds gusting to 21 mph (Force 5), which may restrict the smaller inshore fleet.

Tides: We are entering a Spring Tide cycle. Port operations should note significant increases in tidal range at Newlyn, with high waters building toward a peak of 5.67m (18.6 ft) by next Friday.

Top Species (by Value)Weight (kg)Total ValueAvg Price (£/kg)

Misty morn!

A spring tide means the ports 450 ton Enterprise can come up and land directly to the fish market despite her draft of nearly 5 metres...

it's all hands to the pallet truck...

and team effort from the Stevensons shore crew...

while the ship's crew get on with repairing the starboard beam trawl...

and take on fresh supplies...

meanwhile, the sardine boat Lyonesse tries to squeeze into a berth to land while work gets underway to add a protective rubbing strip along the full length of the market.