Today, June the 8th is World Ocean's Day.

A long way from home, one of the world's biggest pelagic boats the Western Endeavour is picked up by AIS just off the Mauritanean coast of West Africa between the Canaries and Cape Verde Islands to the south. This paper, from 1993 indicates just how prolonged the practice and extent of licencing flagged vessels to fish in waters other than our own.

As it is World Ocean's day today - this short trailer ties in with the visit two weeks ago from Cape Verde fisherman to Newlyn and is one example of many promotions and publicity drives to inform an unthinking world that fish are being exploited as never before by countries that really should know better - like the EU.......

Trailer for the documentary Sand Grains

350 miles off the coast of West Africa, on the tiny island nation of Cape Verde, the beaches are vanishing and Jose Fortes is watching his friends and family sell the sand. Global fish resources are rapidly diminishing and, as a result, the European Union has been bullying and blackmailing Cape Verde into surrendering its precious resource and way of life. The islanders cannot hope to counter the political and economic might of the superpower and so women and children are forced to begin trading away their own land in order to survive. A David and Goliath story, told through the eyes of Jose, a native islander émigré, who has returned to Cape Verde to witness the destruction of the place he once called home. Sand Grains documents a local situation which is only the beginning of a global catastrophe.

Sandgrains is a crowdfunded documentary produced under a creative commons licence. The project draws on support, talent and expertise through interactive web technology and social networks. It uses crowd-funding and crowd-sourcing as production strategy and reaches out to a global audience that performs a vital role in driving the project itself.

produced and directed
Gabriel Manrique and Jordie Montevecchi

production company
matchboxmedia.org

film website
sandgrains.matchboxmedia.org



On a wander.

Every now and then the AIS tracking gives way to anomaly - here the Newlyn beam trawler can be seen south of Stocholm in Sweden and north west of Gdansk in Poland, a long way from home - didn't think she had been seen in port for a day or two.

Fiskbullar meets Roast Beef.

Foreigners abound today, the German contingent obviuosly keen on looking out for the finer things in life......

a bevvy of Scottish scallop scrapers wait for the weather to break.......

and no doubt will spend some time on their gear while wind-bound.......

back on the market, CEFAS training continues and a Dory gets the once-over this morning.......

early birds, and a couple of guys on Rick Stein's fish market course get a guided tour of the fish auction in progress and a detailed biography of all the key species landed courtesy of Lionel........

while across the market floor a working party from Sweden looking to set up the equivalent of a Cornwall FLAG programme are spending the day with Seafood Cornwall.......

with just enough time between today's early showers to pose for the visit's obligatory group photo.

Booking a berth at Newlyn.

A reminder from Andrew Munson, Newlyn's harbourmaster for pleasure craft looking to use the port when on passage. Newlyn is a fishing port first and foremost that has some provision of berths for passing leisure craft. However, there are no designated berths for such vessels. At times, especially if the weather deteriorates, the harbour can become crowded with sheltering vessels. Harbour staff will always find a berth somewhere for leisure craft, but not necessarily on the easy-access pontoons.

Great British Menu - the banquet final at Leadenhall Market, London.

Courtesy of BBC2

When Padstow chef Paul Ainsworth visited Newlyn and armed himself with some fresh fish from down the quay and headed off to meet Mission skipper, Keith Dixon.....

Courtesy of BBC2

he then spent the day alongside Ali in the Mission's kitchen preparing a fish dish for the GBM competition.......

Courtesy of BBC2

and, despite losing the fish round, he then went through on his Fairground Celebration dessert, his invited guests from Newlyn surprised chef Paul with a few mementos to decorate the feast table.......

Courtesy of BBC2

which all looked pretty impressive on the day at the banquet itself - congrats to all concerned!

Don't forget to put a mark on the calendar for this year's Newlyn Fish Festival organised by and on behalf of the Mission in Newlyn - where you'll get to see Paul Ainsworth as guest of honour opening the festival and then taking part in a series of cooking demonstrations along with chefs that include festival favourites, Sanjay Kumar, Kier Miekle, Robert Wright and Justin Ashton.

See Cefas in action.

Out in the Bay, the Cefas Endeavour research ship cruises in and out.......

coming art show Apophenia at the Tolcarne Inn, Newlyn......

first of the new season scallop boats, St Amant BA101 from Ballantrae is in port.........

thin pickings with some of the mackerel men this morning........

while the net fleet continue to hit the turbot as they move up the Channel......

several boxes of black bream are sure to end up on a train London bound. they have that Chelsea look about them.......

as do these very dark Dover soles.......

a case of colour co-ordinated catering for the green team........

onshore CEFAS training underway looking at the physiology of maturity........ 

following company guidelines......

big tallies for a big trip from the James R H.......

looks like Edwin thinks the prices are a bit too steep for his liking much to auctioneer Ian's amusement..........

the trip included a dozen boxes of nephrops - prawns - or Dublin Bay prawns - langoustine - or norvegicus norvegicus ........

amd what superb condition they were in.........

even down to a few boxes of tails! Normally, you can pop across the road to Tonkin's wet fish shop opposite the market - but they are only open on a Friday and Saturday at the moment.

How to celebrate fishing and the industry!

When it comes to staging big events we might have the edge on pomp and circumstance over other nations - but when it comes to revelling in the sheer delight of something - whether that be celebrating the beheading of the entire ruling class, playing a rugby match or just fish - the frogs can teach us plenty.

Comme chaque année, la foule s'est invitée nombreuse à la fête du port. Photo Pascal Couillaud

This was the scene over the weekend at La Rochelle's Fish Festival - not a burger van or hotdog stand in sight (they'd probably be thrown in the harbour - or beheaded).

Here is a translation (slightly corrected) from Sud Ouest, the regional newspaper that ran the story:

On stage, the atmosphere is electric as a trip at sea in heavy weather. At the helm, Jean-Marc Desbois endorses the habit of the captain. Intones an inevitable sea shanty, "Santiano. "People on the port side, we raise our hands. To starboard, you clap your hands! "The most motivated dance already. An atmosphere that Didier Level and his family, relgiously, love. Each year, they put the cap on Pallice. "We have since 2003! We like the atmosphere around the sea, at the bar, it rocks, it is pitching. The bars are dry. 240 cases of wine in 13 hours elapsed. On the podium, the skippers of the Velux are entitled to their share of light. "Today we celebrate the sea in all its dimensions. The fishermen, boaters, adventurers, Mayor Maxime Bono launches. This sea that has made ​​our city! "

take note Newlyn!