Fine weather allows AIS to pick up a 21m Spanish pole and line tuna boat off deep Cornwall!

VesselTracker's AIS picked up the 21m Spanish pole and line tuna boat 450 miles WSW of Land's End this morning. No doubt there are a number of other Spanish and French tuna boats all searching for tuna in the area.  Normally small boats are not picked up by AIS more than 50 miles from the nearest receiver - but in exceptional weather - no wind, a flat sea and fog - AIS can pick boats up over hundreds of miles away!..

The boat is about 180 miles west of the edge of the continental shelf where the bottom in well in excess of 2000 fathoms.

Ben Loyal tuna video.

Looking for a better start to the season, first trip of the year for the Ben Loyal sees her steam home in a gale of wind with around 500 top quality albacore tuna.

This is the current postion of the Spanish albacore tuna fleet - off the edge of the 'Shelf'!

More pictures of the Petite Marie Claude from Douarnenez.

Tuna boat, Petite Marie Claude up the river at Douarnenez........

gutting the catch at sea.......

using the boat's dinghy to ferry spares aboard......

there was skipper and crew.......

not tuna fishing.........

back on the tuna making up gear......

 

time to eat. A big thank you to Didier Beillevair for sending in the photos.

Cornish Tuna news - Quentin finds big albacore fish far South

Big line caught Albacore tuna coming aboard the Ben Loyal.

Here's the actual Inmarsat C mobile message transmitted to the CFPO office in Newlyn with news from Quentin, skipper of the Cornish Tuna boat, Ben Loyal fishing her first trip on albacore tuna for the year. Unfortunately for us, it looks like she will be landing to a Breton port for this trip so the BBQ tuna steaks will just have to wait!!

"Original Message—–
From: 423592296@inmc.eik.com [mailto:423592296@inmc.eik.com]
Sent: 05 July 2011 12:28
To: julia@cfpo.org.uk
Subject: Message from Inmarsat-C Mobile


TO:julia@cfpo.org.uk
morn julia,had 150 big fish not many meds and small fish yesterday, got 60 today i had ly in,so started late am knackered we are getting there.all is well rgds
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 6265 (20110704) __________
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus"

More updates and news can be had from the Cornish Tuna web site and Kevin Bennett's blog at Consol's Oils.