With a 5:30am start, this morning's packed fish market provided a great opportunity for members of the National Federation of Fish Friers to see first hand the journey fish make from the boat...
to the auction...
and see first hand the huge range of fish species up for auction. The main purpose of the visit, organised by the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation, is to explore the introduction of spurdog, once hugely popular in London and sold as rock salmon. Spurdogs were restricted to a zero quota for many etars, despite the boats finding them everywhere and in increasing numbers.
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Last year the ban was finally lifted after several years of a small quota allowance for the gill net fleet, by which time the market for these tasty and easy to prepare fish had all but dried up so much so that the spurdogs on the market yesterday morning made only 20 per kilo. By comparison, big dogs were making 50p a kilo 30 years go when landings made by longliners and netters were at their peak. Later today the friers will get to see first hand how the fish are caught and handled aboard the gillnetter, Silver Dawn which landed to the market earlier. Following the tour of te boat they head off to the processor Falfish and enjoy some of the spurdogs landed on the market this morning in their taste test kitchen. Fish education is one of the CFPO's priorities in supporting the Cornish fishing fleet - in a country where 80% of the population think a hake is a garden tool - as per the Guardian article a few weeks ago!