You're stealing our fish! - well, not you guys personally.

From Cape Verde to Cornwall – Invitation to meet with small-scale West African fishermen.

Small-boat fishermen of Cape Verde, Mauritania and Senegal may be financially wiped out if bulk fishing off their shores by European factory boats continues.

A small delegation of three artisanal fishermen from Cape Verde, Senegal and Mauritania will visit the UK next week as part of the European-wide African Voices Tour, organised by Greenpeace, creating a platform for artisanal fishermen to share their own experiences of the effects of large industrial European vessels operating in their waters.

Under the external dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), such fishing is currently allowed, the African fishermen will explain. The tour will enable the fishermen to tell their story to policy makers, the fishing industry, NGOs and the general public within the crucial context of the reform of the CFP currently under way.


West African inshore fishermen are very interested in meeting with fellow small-scale fishermen in the UK and so will be spending an informal and relaxed day in Newlyn on 20 May where experiences can be shared and ideas for reform discussed.


You are invited to attend a meeting with the fishermen at the Fishermen’s Mission, Newlyn from 12 – 2 pm on 20th May (note: a change in location from Seafood Cornwall offices advertised previously), for a discussion on the issues facing small-scale fishermen in West Africa and the UK.


Despite the geographical distance, there is considerable alignment between small scale fishermen in the UK and in West Africa. Both sectors face similar challenges and problems under the CFP, particularly in respect of competition from large scale industrial fleets. The fishermen will discuss exactly how these vessels threaten their livelihoods and communities.


This is an opportunity for a show of solidarity between fishermen from very different worlds, united to achieve a more sustainable future for small-scale fishing and fishing communities.


We hope to see you there.

SAR - from below.

SAR from RNAS Culdrose visited Penwith College yesterday.....

here is a reminder of the procedure to follow should you end up under the downdraft of a Sea King for real:

Helicopter Rescue Procedures

All operations will be directed by the crew of the Helicopter – follow all instructions they issue.

Do not be distracted by the noise of the helicopter overhead, it may be necessary to have a crewmember positioned inside the boat to maintain radio communications with the helicopter due to the excessive noise on the outside decks. Keep your oilskins on or be prepared to get soaked.

Prepare well in advance of the arrival of the helicopter; ensure crew are well briefed on correct procedures.

 

Clear all obstructions on deck prior to its arrival ensure there are no items of loose or moveable gear on deck.

The pilot will give specific instructions regarding course and direction he may wish you to steer, generally boats will maintain a course to give the wind at 30 degree to the Port Bow, and the preferred area to conduct winching operations is normally the port quarter. This affords the Pilot visual contact with both the boat and his winch man.

Due to the risk of static build up from a hovering helicopter, follow the pilots instructions exactly with regard to earthing of a static discharge wire (it hurts!) prior to placing the winch man on board, generally the wire is dropped into the sea to discharge static, prior to the commencing the operation.

Under no circumstances should the winch line made fast at any time to the boat.

On arrival of the winch man on board, he will assume command of all subsequent operations - follow his instructions at all times.

Do not fire parachute flares when a helicopter is operating in the vicinity.

Discards ban - some good news for Cornish boats.

A total ban on the dumping of dead fish back into the sea, which could have threatened the Westcountry fleet, appears to have been averted, industry leaders have said.

In March, EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki laid out alternative policies to end so-called fish "discards" in the most radical change to fisheries policy in years.

The announcement followed a high profile campaign, fronted by chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, which gathered 650,000 signatures for a petition to end the practice. Although industry leaders in Devon and Cornwall described the principle of discards as "despicable", they feared a total ban would damage the industry. "It would probably have resulted in either a very significant reduction in the number of days at sea that would be allowed or a very significant reduction in the number of boats," Jim Portus, chief executive of the South West Fish Producer's Organisation, said. "Either scenario would have been economically damaging for the region."

Mr Portus said an outright ban on discards ignored the fact that many species – including sole, plaice, skates and rays, scallops, crabs, lobsters and most flatfish – survived the catching process. He argued that current quotas overestimated the number of fish killed in the fishing process thereby reducing quotas and the number of fish that could be landed.  In a briefing paper prepared for the recent visit of Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon to Brixham, Mr Portus said of a ban on discards "in many cases – and perversely – there would be an increase in mortality" reducing stocks further. Mr Portus said some tagging surveys showed 100 per cent survival rates. The producer's organisation has also offered its support to scientists to conduct survival rate studies during commercial voyages.

The arguments now appear to have been accepted in Brussels, although a total ban is likely to be imposed on some pelagic species, like mackerel, where survival rates are low. Mr Portus said: "The fisheries commissioner has accepted that not all species should be the subject of a discard ban, I'm happy to say.  "We do know it is the intention of the commission to ban discards of pelagic fish on January 1, 2015 although it is not at the forefront of the industry in the Westcountry." He added: "We have to assist the commission to come up with solutions that achieve the objective of minimising waste but also achieves the objective of keeping the maximum number of jobs in our fishing community. In disagreeing with the commissioner and people like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, I'm not saying that we don't have to end this waste but that we have to get it into a sense of proportion."

Artice courtesy of ThisIsCornwall

Tuesady on the market.

Keeping an eye on proceedings atop the grader.......

Marine Biology students from Falmouth Marine School get the benefit of ex-fishermen Andy's considerable knowledge as he holds up a good sized plaice (pleuronectes platessa - platea meaning flat as in plateau) for identification.......

with the Gary M being the boat that landed the afore-mentioned fish.......

inshore trawlers fill the end berths on the pontoons......

aerial view of a crabber's foredeck.......

all in a morning's work, six boxes to go.

Hail the 'umble 'ake, oven baked.

Two reasons the 'umble 'ake should be top choice for everyone's tables at the moment.  One, the fish ought to be had at a reasonable price - owing to the collapse of its biggest market in Spain the auction price here is that of the 1980s and second, because it is a hugely tasty fish when cooked well.

A simple recipe with layers of sliced purple onion for extra sweetness, thinly sliced potato, topped with sliced toms and mushrooms and a good quantity of cream mixed with milk 50/50 seasoned to taste and baked in a foil covered dish till the last 10 minutes for around 40 minutes - check after 30 to see if the sliced spuds are coked through. Veg of choice to accompany what is a very meaty fish.

How fresh is your fish? -try this free iPhone app.

Screen shots of the app in action - for iPhone owners.

An iPhone app from Nofima will assist fishmongers to evaluate how fresh a batch of fish is. The app was launched Wednesday at the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels.

The app is free and is aimed at fishmongers and others wanting to evaluate the shelf life of whole gutted fresh fish.

The freshness of the fish may be evaluated via a few steps, including odour, texture and the appearance of the eyes, skin and gills. The final result appears immediately.

Sun pz sun

Flags fly from Penzance's oldest pub.......

Untitled, the latest restaurant to open in Penzance.....

 waiting for orders, the Scillonian on her day off........

 looks like the World Gig Championships did some severe damage to beer stocks on the Scillys......

 local marine artist, Nick Praed lives and works aboard his boat, the Arkincastle, in Penzance wet dock......

 and his near neighbour has the summer sorted on deck.......

 temporary dock resident, the Elizabeth N has plenty of work to do topsides......

 John Cabot's replica, Matthew,waiting for a weather window before she heads back to her Falmouth base.....

 at Battery Rocks a flock of gulls enjoy riding the hefty offshore breeze.......

 on the Jubilee pool wall, a graffiti artist with a keen interest in gardening has been at work again.......

 open for summer trade, the Poolside Indulgence Cafe........

 still adrift, the Battery Rocks' swimmers' buoy........

 Stanhope Forbes' depiction of the Great Fire of London at the Newlyn School Gallery in Chapel Street.......

while up the road signs that Penzance could be the new Roc, a local, 'up-market' charity shop has an original art work by Damien Hirst for sale in the window.