So to help lessen the strain of coming up with ideas, Through the Gaps is happy to present this year's perfect fishy festive gift list:
Starting with some stocking fillers for the kitchen there's a few indispensable culinary kitchen items that are a must for any serious piscatorial player,
Clicking on the image will take you straight to an online supplier!
First up, the de-scaler:
the indispensable filleting knife - if you can get a rosewood handled one so much the better...
the fish kettle for poaching whole fish - a must for lovers of whole Cornish hake, or just lovers...
buy bigger bags of coarse sea salt for creating those amazing baked in salt dishes for fish like bass or whole tub gurnard...
Having all the correct kitchen equipment is one thing so next you need to know what to do with it! So here is a list, and by no means definitive of cookery books from some of the finest fishy chefs who have graced the posts over the years...
First up, the definitive fish cookery book from that ultimate piscatorial gladiator, Sir Keith Floyd - the very man who started the cult of TV Cheffing and put people in touch with the fishermen wh provided the product - no self-respecting kitchen should be without this little gem of a paperback book from Floyd's first BBC TV show, Floyd on Fish - the passion, knowledge and a love of fish pour from every page and every recipe is a simple route to fish-supper heaven...
Next up we couldn't have a book list with contributions form the world's finest fish chef, all-round good egg and adopted Cornish chef, Nathan Outlaw - British Seafood is just one of several books the man with, uniquely for a fish restaurant, two Michelin stars to his name - quality recipes for quality fish from your local supplier...
Just the other side of the border Mitch Tonks treats customers to his own very personal style of cooking fish - Fish Easy delivers what it says on the cover, or you can't go wrong with Fish which, given his experience from his early days as a fishmonger covers everything you need to know about fish, from preparation through to serving up the dishes therein...
This guy needs no introduction and there are plenty of his books to choose from - his latest serving on fish is another collection of dishes covering all things that live in the sea - but there are books to suit every taste from all around the planet...
Hook, Line & Sinker from Galton Blackston has dishes for the more adventurous fish chef and reflects his years in serving up a wide variety of fish dishes...
Bart's Fish Tales brings you fish dishes from all over - but of special interest to Cornish fish lovers is the section on Cornish Sardines and Cornish hake - with some well-known faces and boats featured - a great book to add to your collection...
Closer to home and if you want to send someone a taste of Cornwall then look no further than our very own Great Cornish Fish Book with dozens of recipes and some fascinating facts about the fishing industry in Cornwall...
While on the subject of fishing there are several books on the subject worthy of a look for anyone with an interest in the history of the industry here in Cornwall and beyond...
written by local St Ives author John McWilliams takes an -in-depth look at the Cornish Fishing Industry - as the name suggests...
or how about that little bit of Cornwall that for over 100 years was at rthe heart of every tidal reading in the world...
next up, Brian Lavery's gripping account of one of the loss of the freezer trawler, St Finbar off Iceland...
or the amazing story of the Hull steam sailing trawler, Viola which is currently the subject of a massive fundraising project to bring her back to Hull for restoration...
and what better way to support this than an exclusive limited edition gin from Hull distillery Hotham's...
not just the UK's most popular fish supper, cod changed the world - Mark Kulansky's book tells a story of power, corruption and subterfuge, it's all there and all true...
this time its not fishing but ex-Newlyn fisherman and Fishing News journalist's latest work of fantastic forensic fiction far north of the Uk and set in Iceland - Cold Breath is the fifth in the Gunnhildur mystery series - all torally absorbing and guaranteed to envelope the reader in the cold, dark, chilled idiosyncratic lives of his characters in Iceland...
there are dozens of books on knots - tis one by Falmouth based author Des Pawson - a must gift for any aspiring seafarer and, supplied with a a few feet of suitable cord will provide hours of entertainment over the Christmas break and beyond - do you know your sheet bend from your sheepshank?
Rather than buy books online how about you visit your local bookshop - they can get any book the next day - and in Penzance you don't have to travel to the end of the world for books...
just as far as the Edge of the World Bookshop...
or Barton Books where you can browse bookshelves of beautiful books at your leisure.
Away from books and the kitchen now, for anyone with an artistic or as yet, undiscovered artistic streak - and, with a very personal approach in a Newlyn studio, how about a painting course with Cornwall Painting Holidays based in Newlyn with tutor Tim Hall, a member ofd both the Royal Society of Marine Artists and a BP Portrait Artist of the Year winner?
or how about the best in local workwear from the Smock Shop - smocks make the perfect Xmas gift for your fisherman son, brother of friend or what self-respecting artist wouldn't want a smock to work in?
The Isles of Scilly, West coast of Ireland and Scotland are all places suitable for AIS coverage.
Last, but by no means least, don't forget to make this Christmas a festive fish feast time - make your own Gravlax, simple (see Floyd's book), treat yourself to fresh crab, smoked haddock, kippers or langoustine - the possibilities are endless!
Fully loaded at The Chelsea Fishmonger. pic.twitter.com/8xeHUP1m1u— TheChelseaFishmonger (@rexgoldsmith) December 6, 2018