Browse the agenda for today's NPHC commissioner's meeting held at The Centre, Newlyn. Members of the community are welcome to attend and contribute to the first open session of the meeting.
Minutes from the last commissioner's meeting held in June.
The minutes talk about setting up a meeting between 'bank representatives' and commercial parties. This is an interesting area and highlights a marked difference in business culture between the Cornish fishing industry and the banks. It is probably an accurate observation to note that the bulk of banking activities for the fishing industry in Newlyn are carried out by Barclays Bank (nb originally Bolithos Bank) - they are the only bank to have a branch in the village.
TtG remembers these incidents: North of the border in Girvan, on a Saturday morning, a regular feature of harbour activity would be the local bank managers down the quay discussing the fishing with their customers - the skippers and owners of the local boats; in Guilvinec, the regional (not local) Credit Maritime manageress discussing the kind of hauler aboard the Keriolet wanting to know how it didn't crush the hake as the net passed through - this at 8.00am on the quay - it would be interesting to know how many local bank representatives were able to demonstrate that degree of understanding and empathy with the industry?
Sadly, the general attitude to the industry has often been more negative at times - fishing boats are, 'something that makes a hole in the water down which ever increasing amounts of money flow'! - luckily there are examples in contrast to that attitude and as a result there are several local boat owners who in the last few years have all invested heavily in newer and better boats.