Through the Gaps! - Fishing News Cornwall UK fish commercial fishing fish cooking and art

Wednesday, 11 July 2012

Hunting the hake - a long way from home

The old country seems to have exerted its pull on skipper Alan aboard the good ship Ajax as she chases the hake a few miles off the Irish coast. No doubt the sights, sounds and smells from Deklan McCarthy's bar in Baltimore will be making themselves present in thought and mind!

Sardine hunting

Seems the weather that is no alone in being out of sorts at the moment. Shoals of Cornish sardines are proving elusive for the local ting netters. The tracks here show the amount of searching carried out by the Asthore, just one of four boats chasing the fish at the moment. No sunshine means no BBQs which is probably just as well with mackerel and sardines in short supply!

Newlyn Harbour Commissioner's meeting today

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.

Later in the day

The angler's version of twin-rigging I guess......

lunch at the Godolphin Arms, Marazion proved a treat with piles of local crab on the menu - proper Cornish portions.......

some excellent local galleries.......

and a very busy causeway as the Mount fills up with visitors......

full wet suit needed it seems.......

the Imogen III bound in being tracked by gulls......

as the crew struggle to hoist the mainsail......

up for sale.......

just delivered from Penzance Dry Dock after months of repairs to the hull and a new crankshaft in the main engine, built in 1973 and complete with her original Deutz engine.......