Thursday 17 March 2016

There's an Admiral in the port.

Plymouth-based beam trawler, Admiral Gordon is owned by Interfish, white fish processors and merchants from Plymouth. For many years the Gordon was skippered by the popular Newlyn fisherman, Archie Donaldson before his untimely death in 2012.

In 2008 the boat, skippered by Archie, undertook a series of Seafish gear trials under the auspices of Gus Caslake investigating the potential use of outrigger trawls (a style of fishing popular in Australia) fishing for flats, langoustine and cuttlefish.

A similar trial was carried out by the Brixham beam trawler, Linquenda back in 1983 fishing with two IC Prawn trawls on the Smalls SW of Milford.

The full story of the Admiral Gordon trials can be read here

The Admiral Gordon is one of three identical boats, the other boats in the Interfish fleet are the Admiral Grenville and the Admiral Blake.

Admiral Gordon was once described as the 'Last of Nelson's captains' and thought to be the principal model for the heroic character of CS Forester's Horatio Hornblower. In 18811 he lost a leg after a cannonball shattered a knee in the Battle of Lissa and spent the rest of his life with a wooden leg.

Interestingly, the prefix admiral is a misnomer for Blake who was actually ranked as a 'General at Sea' - himself being credited with being the founding father of the British Navy and the first to introduce rules of engagement of the kind used by Nelson to defeat the French and Spanish on many occasions.

Unlike Blake, who was first and foremost a soldier, Admiral Grenville had Navy blood coursing through his veins, his father being the unlucky Robert Grenville, captain of the Mary Rose at the time of her sinking. Grenville was keen to pursue fame and fortune and with an air British superiority and the kind of thinking that would eventually lead to the creation of the British Empire he submitted this patent in 1574:

"Supplication for a new navigation, permission to seek rich and unknown lands, to discover and annex all or any lands, islands, and countries beyond the Equinoxial, or where the Pole Antarctic hath any elevation above the horizon, such lands not being already possessed by any other Christian Prince. The planting of people and habitations in strange and unknown lands. Need not offend foreign powers or provoke war, provided no attempts were made to take from other civilised nations anything they already possess. Such expeditions should be composed of voluntary adventurers; but under patronage and benediction of the Crown; the leaders having authority from the Queen to require that obedience, quiet, unity, and order be maintained. Gilbert an m'self having pointed out to her Majesty that such undertakings would provide work and livelihood for many of her subjects; and also bring honour and strength to Your Majesty with immortal fame, … besides great enrichment of Your Highness and your country, with increase and maintenance of the Navy."

Grenville was one of many Devon and Cornish sailors who plundered the high seas with their privateers (Killigrew House near Truro was one such estate built on the rewards of 'legitimate' piracy) but would go down in history as the captain of the Revenge who singlehandedly and suicidally took on 53 Spanish ships off Flores in the Azores. The battle saw him decimate the Spanish fleet in a battle over three days that cost him his life through injury - ironically, most of the fleet including the Revenge were lost in a huge storm a few days later. Tennyson's poem, 'The Revenge: A Battle of the Fleet' tells the story in graphic detail.

Closer to home, the inshore boat, Lady Hamilton boasts a connection with Britain's greatest naval commander - a story for another day.

Wednesday 16 March 2016

Seafish seeks feedback on major changes to fishing deckhand apprenticeship programme in England

"The changes we are looking to make will make the course even more relevant to the needs of the industry."

Seafish is urging fishermen's associations, vessel owners, skippers and fishermen to share their views on proposed changes to its Sea Fishing Apprenticeship programme as part of a wider drive to boost recruitment and raise standards across the fishing industry.

The Apprenticeship, which has been in existence since the mid-1990s, teaches new entrants the key knowledge and skills required for working as a deckhand on a commercial fishing vessel, before giving them the opportunity to hone their skills at sea and demonstrate their competence.

The year-long programme currently focuses on six key elements: assembling, operating and maintaining fishing gear; receiving, handling, and stowing the catch; operation and maintenance of the deck and specialist machinery; assisting with steering, lookout and navigation; mooring and anchoring; and cooking for the crew.

Seafish's fishermen's training team has already identified a number of additional topics that might usefully be added to the programme following consultation with a small working group of industry representatives. These include: responsible fishing; fisheries science and management; environmental awareness; business skills; seafood market and supply chain. These additional elements will undoubtedly add value to the current course's programme, but Seafish is eager to receive suggestions of any additional topics that should be included.

Kevin Franklin, Fishermen's Training Manager at Seafish, said: "Commercial fishing is a challenging job. For anyone considering a career in the fishing industry the Sea Fishing Apprenticeship programme provides the best possible introduction. To ensure the Apprenticeship is fit for purpose, we need skippers to tell us what skills, knowledge and behaviours they require from competent deckhands. The changes we are looking to make will make the course even more relevant to the needs of the industry."

He added: "We have already spent a lot of time planning the structure of the new programme and we are looking for any suggestions or feedback during this crucial development stage. I would welcome comments on the current units and whether they encompass the role of a deckhand. I would also like feedback on the additional suggested elements and whether there is anything further that should be included. We will also be seeking to work with a range of training providers to ensure they understand the programme requirements and are ready to deliver the training elements to enable apprentices to meet the standard."

The opportunity for making these changes has arisen following the need to meet new Government requirements for Apprenticeships. The agreed framework of the revised course will be finalised at the end of March.

To provide feedback to Seafish, email training@seafish.co.uk with your thoughts and comments.

Budget for family fish today!

Beam trawl fish for the market this morning...

monk tails, enough to put a smile on anyone's face...

or opt for red mullet...

they all go down in the sales book...

Dover soles for that special dish...

spot the odd one out...

won't be long before the scallop season proper starts...

and this goatee bearded fish is...

handline mackerel - fish don't come more responsibly caught than these little beauties...

looking down the jaws of the mighty turbot...

there's a good selection of ray on the market this morning...

everybody loves a clipboard...

there's more than a steak or two ready to be portioned up on this fine turbot from the Lisa...

plaice, not so fashionable but still a tasty fish, in Victorian times over 30 million of these fish passed through Billingsgate to feed the poor - probably the (unwarranted) reason they are viewed with a degree of disdain by some...

those cuttles continue to leave their mark...

a three legged yacht...

bound away for the pollack...

as Cornish as you can get...

one way to keep the gulls at bay...

making for the gaps...

the Bonnie Grace heads out to sea...

while off the light...

the mackerel men are in action drifting with the tide...

one more day on the slip...

flying the flag for St Piran.

Tuesday 15 March 2016

Newlyn Harbour Development Plan - the way ahead for Newlyn.

As the major fishing port in England, Newlyn Harbour users can now view the future of the port as seen by the harbour commissioners.

Development Plan:

Newlyn Harbour’s core activity has always been, and by statute, will continue to be in support of the fishing industry. As Commissioners our responsibility is to maintain this function, and in support of this have ambitions to create infrastructure which increases added value. Albeit that the harbour boasts the largest number of fishermen nationwide, the total throughput of fish is behind that of our competitors, which due to our geographical position is an anomaly which must be addressed. We also need to consider where diversification into other commercial areas will usefully complement activities at the harbour.

This Programme and Development Plan will give an overview of the Commissioners strategy and will be elaborated by the indicated appendices on specific headings. Vision Statement As previously stated the Commissioners have published a Vision Statement which should always be reviewed and seen as iterative, a weak vision will not enable the Board to formulate its plans.

Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioner’s (NPHC) vision should always cover the following:

 A clear statement of end goals or what the programme will achieve

 Any imposed constraints

 What services will be added, changed or stopped

 What processes will be different

 Will the organisation be different

 The justification for change

 What will be the impact on of economic landscape if at all?

 Any information to support the justification for change.

Vision Statement

The Trust Port of Newlyn lies adjacent to some of the richest fishing grounds in the northern hemisphere. Newlyn Pier and Harbour Commissioners recognise its iconic harbour as the fulcrum of the county’s fishing industry and aspires to provide a port recognised as the nation’s leading fishing facility.

Services

The port of Newlyn aims to provide a comprehensive range of facilities for its customers in order to benefit all user and stakeholder groups. The Harbour Commissioners are committed to delivering a modern “fit for purpose” port infrastructure, to be recognised nationally as second to none and as a centre of industry excellence.

Commissioners will work with partners and stakeholders from all sectors to deliver a port infrastructure investment programme. This is aimed at creating the facilities required to deliver the service, expertise and trades required for both local and visiting vessels.

Maritime operations

Newlyn remains an international port of refuge and as such, its maritime significance will continue to grow when proposed changes are realised. Likewise, Commissioners recognise the port’s significance within the fishing industry, both county and nationwide and will continue to uphold and secure its iconic status.

Commissioners will actively seek other maritime sources of income to support its current funding streams, while assuring the majority of the port focus remains targeted at the fishing industry.

Summary

NPHC is committed to the future of the Trust Port of Newlyn, whilst continuing to diversify for the benefit of all harbour users. This statement is not a plan but a postcard from the future. The benefits realised from this bold stance will secure Newlyn’s future and delivering confidence and stability for all for its stakeholders.

Monday 14 March 2016

Monday morning in Newlyn.

A good mix of names on the landing board...

so it's brisk bidding on the market this morning...

especially with so much quality inshore fish for the buyers to bid on, like these Dovers from the trawler Shiralee...

whiting are one of the possible 'choke' species in this area under the new Landing Obligation regime...

no doubt this visiting group will be given all the background information on such matters as they make their way around a busy market...

lemons are in season at the moment with plenty of meat, best cooked 'on the bone' - baked or grilled dark side up with a good knob of butter on the skin...