Early mornings don't come much finer than this in Newlyn...
with the very purposeful BM registered Isobella M currently working out of Newlyn...
the Nazarene steams quietly away from the gaps casing lobsters again...
with a very hazy Mount away across the Bay...
and a mirror-like harbour...
Friday's market was very much an inshore boat thing with craws...
brill...
and turbot coming from the last netter to lad for this tide...
the number of octopus being landed has been dropped off over the last few weeks
there's plenty of monk tails being landed...
and some pot skippers are reporting higher numbers f lobster being caught than might be expected at this time of year - which is encouraging news given the voracity with which Mediterranean octopi devour them when they are found in a pot...
bass are back on the menu...
as are Cornish sardines...
and for one lucky boat a box or three of decent mackerel...
with Astrid only to happy to put a smile on every customer's face! Rumour has it that when the market is busy she may soon be serving tea and bacon baps to anyone who is around at 7am. More info to follow!
This week at Newlyn, we saw significant activity throughout the week. Below is a summary of the landings, highlighting the key species, total weights, and financial performance for each day.
Daily Landings Summary
July 13th, 2026
Total Landings: 81,671.37 kg
Total Value: £451,842.48
Key Species by Weight: MSC Hake (27,847.80 kg), Mediterranean Octopus Pot Caught (17,159.82 kg), and Spurdog (7,974.00 kg).
July 14th, 2026
Total Landings: 53,156.25 kg
Total Value: £275,800.68
Key Species by Weight: Mediterranean Octopus Pot Caught (11,781.00 kg), MSC Hake (9,441.60 kg), and Megrim (5,787.78 kg).
July 15th, 2026
Total Landings: 14,689.71 kg
Total Value: £101,044.71
Key Species by Weight: Mediterranean Octopus Pot Caught (4,036.35 kg), MSC Hake (1,747.20 kg), and Monk/Anglers (1,591.17 kg).
July 16th, 2026
Total Landings: 13,504.62 kg
Total Value: £80,804.22
Key Species by Weight: Mediterranean Octopus Pot Caught (9,415.50 kg), MSC Pilchard/Sardines (1,122.00 kg), and Turbot (632.04 kg).
Weekly Overview: July 13th – July 16th, 2026
Over the course of these four days, Newlyn experienced a total landing volume of 163,021.95 kg, generating a total value of £909,492.09.
The market was dominated by Mediterranean Octopus (Pot Caught) and MSC Hake, which together accounted for a substantial portion of the week's total volume. The top three species by volume for the week were:
Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners’ (NP&HC) Marine Skills & Resource Centre (MS&RC) was officially declared open at a ceremony on Wednesday 15 July, during which the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho KCVO OBE, unveiled a commemorative plaque.
Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho and NP&HC CEO/Harbour Master, Jonathan Poynter unveil the plaque
Situated in The Strand, at the heart of the historic fishing port, this new centre of excellence for learning and developing maritime expertise in Cornwall aims to support and future-proof the Cornish marine sector by recruiting, training and retaining local people.
The new Marine Skills & Resource Centre in the heart of Newlyn
Seafood Cornwall Training will deliver a comprehensive range of qualifications and courses at the Centre for new fishermen and experienced seafarers, as well as training to commercial crews and employees in the maritime industry.
Gary Thomas and Nathan George-Broom from CEFAS, Katy Norman and Emma Stevens from the MMO, and Clare Leverton and Simon Cadman from Seafood Cornwall Training
The objective is to provide a stimulus for collaboration between organisations and partners in the fishing and wider marine industries to foster innovation, develop supply chains, attract further investment, and benefit communities.
Penzance Town Deal Board, in partnership with Cornwall Council, successfully bid for a Town Deal worth £21.5 million to support a range of projects that will contribute to the regeneration of Penzance and Newlyn.
Danielle Hunt (Local Regeneration Fund Co-ordinator), Traci Parker (Local Regeneration Fund Contracting and Monitoring Specialist), Matt Pitt (Town Deal Delivery Manager, Cornwall Council), Dick Cliff (Penzance Town Deal Fund), Sarah Shaw (Penzance BID Manager/Penzance Town Deal Fund), Roger Doo (Penzance Town Deal Fund), Jonathan Poynter (NP&HC CEO/Harbour Master), Martin Tucker (Chair, Penzance Town Deal Fund) and Cllr Stephen Reynolds (Cornwall Council and Penzance Town Deal Fund)
“I would like to thank Harbour Commissioners past and present for their foresight and commitment, as well as everyone else involved in bringing this Marine Skills & Resource Centre to life, in spite of the stormy winter weather that added a few extra challenges along the way,” said NP&HC’s Chief Executive Officer and Harbour Master, Jonathan Poynter. “Working in partnership with the Town Deal Board and Cornwall Council has enabled us to create this crucial resource much faster than we could have done on our own, and we know it will make a real difference to all those in Newlyn’s fishing fleet who have previously had to travel further afield to gain their skipper’s tickets and licences to operate.”
Chair of NP&HC, Paul Durkin and CEO/Harbour Master, Jonathan Poynter with Harbour Commissioners, Anthony Hosking and Cllr Luke Rogers
“From sea survival, firefighting, first aid and safety to engineering, watchkeeping, navigation and radio operation, we are passionate about providing skills and resources to support the sector from this modern, purpose-built space,” explained Seafood Cornwall Training Manager, Clare Leverton. “We are also determined to minimise personal risk in a profession that is defined by severe weather, unpredictable oceans, long shifts and heavy machinery, and help our fishing community to remain safe.”
“It is a proud moment for us to have delivered the MS&RC, which is just one of the landmark projects that forms part of our strategic vision to expand Newlyn Harbour for the future fishing industry, provide more space for larger, modern fishing boats as well as storage on an industrial scale, and then diversify and improve the Port for a broader range of operations,” said Chair of NP&HC, Paul Durkin. “We exist to support Cornwall’s fishing and maritime industries, and this new Centre will enable local people to achieve essential qualifications without leaving the harbour.”
Harbour Commissioners past and present – Nathan de Rozarieux, Anthony Hosking, Paul Durkin, Rob Clifford-Wing and Sam Winters with CEO/Harbour Master, Jonathan Poynter
“Penzance was one of 101 towns in the UK and four in Cornwall that was invited to bid for the Government’s £3.6bn Town Deal Fund, one of the key aims of which is to fund projects that contribute to local regeneration by supporting skills development and business growth,” added Chair of the Penzance Town Deal Board, Martin Tucker. “This new Marine Skills & Resource Centre in Newlyn, which benefits from this funding, will not only provide vital training but also help to develop and sustain Cornwall’s fishing industry for generations to come.”
“This new facility for Newlyn is another step towards the Port’s regeneration and Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners are to be congratulated on delivering this important amenity as part of their strategic vision,” said Cornwall Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration and Investment, Cllr Tim Dwelly. “In an increasingly challenging financial and political landscape, it is only by working together that we can maximise the impact of available funding, support local people by helping them to upskill, and stimulate local, economic growth.”
The official opening was attended by representatives from all the agencies involved and guests, Tracy and Shannon Moseley, and Aunty Sasa (Sandra Pascoe) whose son, brother and nephew, Conor, tragically died in an industrial accident aboard a fishing vessel that was berthed in Newlyn Harbour in 2019.
Sandra Pascoe and Tracy Moseley remembering Conor Moseley
Following the 2026 Marine Stewardship Council Global Octopus Summit, the Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation (CFPO) has identified a clear need to address the uncertainty surrounding the recent surge in octopus populations in South West England. Drawing on global insights, the CFPO’s Science and Policy Lead has highlighted the following key issues and the proposed way forward.
The current increase in octopus populations in the South West presents both significant commercial opportunities and complex management challenges. The CFPO notes several critical gaps that currently hinder informed decision-making:
Right now, the South West is seeing way more octopus than usual. While that sounds like a great opportunity for fishermen, it’s also creating a bit of a mystery. Scientists and the fishing industry are still trying to figure out if this is just a short-term trend caused by warmer water or something more permanent.
The main problem is that we’re currently flying a bit blind. To manage this properly, we need better, real-time data—not just on how many octopus are being caught, but on their size, breeding patterns, and how they’re affecting other species like shellfish. Looking at how other countries manage their octopus fisheries, it’s clear that these populations can be pretty unpredictable and fragile. We need to be careful about assuming this "bloom" will last forever.
The Cornwall Fisheries Science Board has decided that octopus will be one of their first big projects. The plan is to get better data flowing from the boats to the scientists, combining traditional scientific methods with the expertise of local fishermen to make sure any future decisions are based on facts rather than guesswork.
Key Takeaways:
The Big Question: Is the current octopus spike a temporary fluke or a long-term change in our seas?
The Data Gap: We need better real-time info on catch rates, octopus health, and reproductive patterns.
Environmental Sensitivity: Experience from other countries shows these populations can change drastically from year to year based on things like temperature and rainfall.
Protecting Other Stocks: We need to figure out what this means for other important marine life, especially local shellfish.
The Game Plan: The Cornwall Fisheries Science Board is making this a top priority to help build a solid evidence base for the future of the fishery.
No doubt many south west fishermen having been affected by the change in fishing patterns will be looking on to see how and when actions replace words.
Seasonal closure of the crawfish fishery in ICES area 7 (English waters)
Background
Following previous seasonal closures introduced for the crawfish fishery, MMO has consulted on a closure proposal for 2026/2027. The closure’s purpose is to enhance the protection of spawning crawfish by reducing fishing-related removals and interactions, thereby supporting the settlement of juvenile stocks and mitigating the risk of nets being left to soak for extended periods or lost during unpredictable winter weather.
Please refer to the decision document for further information, including a summary of responses received and further reasoning behind this decision. MMO values the continued participation of all stakeholders in the crawfish fishery management and will be furthering work on longer-term management in 2026.
Consultation description
Background
In 2024, MMO worked with industry to address concerns for the crawfish fishery in the South West. Stakeholder engagement events and consultations were held regarding seasonal closures of the fishery. Seasonal closures started in 2024. The third closure is currently active running from 17 November 2025 to 31 May 2026.
In December 2024 the licence condition for the increased minimum conservation reference size ‘MCRS’ (minimum landing size) of 110 millimetres (mm) was succeeded by a statutory instrument (SI).
2026 engagement
MMO held a workshop in Newlyn (February) and meeting in Hayle (March) with stakeholders to discuss the next seasonal closure (2026/2027) and explore longer term regulatory measures. Meeting notes are available on the South West Regional Fisheries Group (RFG) webpage.
There are continuing concerns from some stakeholders that the effort in the fishery is too high and annual consultations on the seasonal closure provides stakeholder fatigue along with uncertainty for business and fishing plans.
To ensure the stock remains both ecologically and economically sustainable MMO is considering longer-term management meaning the annual consultation on a seasonal closure may no longer be required. This will be subject to further engagement before any final decisions are made. As this work is longer-term the seasonal closure for 2026/2027 is being progressed.
Consultation
MMO ran a consultation to seek views on a fourth seasonal closure of the crawfish fishery for 2026/2027. This consultation ran from 30 April to 12 May 2026. Responses collected during the 2026 engagement events have been analysed alongside the online survey responses.
The seasonal closure would mean a prohibition of retaining, storing or landing crawfish caught in English waters of ICES area 7 for all UK and EU vessels, for all gear types.
The rationale for the closure is to:
offer protection for breeding and spawning opportunities.
reduce the risk of high mortality rates from catching fish that are in poor condition and from the potential of long net soak times or net loss in poor weather, and
support future growth in the population by allowing settlement of juvenile stock.
This year's Cornish sardine season is now well underway with five boats busy each night finding fish. With the latest stock assessment greater than ever the boats have made an earlier start than has been the norm in recent years. Landing alongside the fish market in the early hours of Thursday morning the Inter-Nos was first back to port to put ashore around 11 tons of fish.
It was good to see next generation fisherman Harrison coming down to help out his grandfather land the night's work - the industry needs more youngsters like him!
Landing 11 tons takes a little longer than actually catching the fish and pumping them aboard...
made all the better under the light of the moon and hardly a breath of wind...
young Harrison all set for the next bin to be pulled into place...
as skipper Will checks out the remaining few fish at the bottom of the tank have been pumped out...
