Singing with the boys - Fishermen's Friends on IT tonight!

Good news one and all The Fisherman’s Friends ITV documentary will be shown on 15th June at 10.35pm

“The story of the Cornish shanty singers, whose debut album Port Isaac’s Fisherman’s Friends reached the UK top 10 in 2010, tracing their rise from obscurity to national prominence. In addition to following them as they visit London for a series of concerts and TV appearances, the film explores how their close bond has been affected by the pressures of performing and demands of travelling hundreds of miles to venues around the country.”

Weedy Wednesday

Onshore winds in the Bay would have been seen as fortuitous years ago bringing local farmers down on the beach with their horses and carts collecting a summer harvest of free fertiliser - no doubt there are several laws that could be broken if such a thing were attempted today.......

just the one boat's fish on one end of the market......

while at the western end a good sized monk awaits the auctioneer's shout.......

along with a matched pair......

Nova Spero, on the turbot at the moment, but will she be putting up her tuna poles in the next few weeks?.........

a delicacy, selection of good monk cheeks, possibly Chelsea bound...........

some sort of harbour serpent on the move........

they don't come more immaculate than this, something of a show boat from the Nederlands, the steel barge, Nadim.........

with a counter stern all set for a few shady Pimms.......

with plenty of room inboard in weather like today - pure Cornish mizzle........

slip time for the Govenek of Ladram.........

more classic boats on the pontoon berths, the wooden yacht, Capraia.......

and travelling companion, Yvette.........

viewed from the waterline........

variation on the parlour pot theme aboard the St Ives boat, Midnight Express.

Langoustine lesson.

Time to take advantage of the boats and their summer range of shellfish landings - you'll need a pick for the spider crab and a few tips to make getting that succulent meat extracted from those Dublin Bay Prawn (langoustine) tails.......... 

after putting the whole langoustine into salted boiling water for not more than three minutes whip them out on a plate and allow everyone at the table the fun of picking their own tail meat - first step is to hold the whole langoustine upside down as in the picture above, with the finger and thumb of the left hand firmly squeezing the first segment, rock the tail with the right hand from side to side - crack-crack...........

with the thumb of the right hand, press down on the inside of the tail - this will help release the tail meat........

still holding the head by the first segment, pull of the tail shell from the head leaving the meat intact...........

for those who enjoy not missing out all the goodness on offer, use a pick to remove the carapace contents (or, in good company, just suck them clean)........

best keep an eye on the table as the spread is irresistible to all it seems.

St Ives mackerel man sees Jaws II.

Can't understand why the press tends to sensationalise shark sightings as dangerous!

Ian Bullus, fishing aboard his 16' handliner for mackerel was reportedly bumped by a White Tipped shark a mile off St Ives today. As the incident took place over two weeks ago and there have been no reported further sightings the surf looks safe enough on Porthmeor and Porthminster beaches - though no doubt St Ives harbourmaster and ex-fisherman, Steve Basset will do his best placate any tourists down the quay panicked into thinking that anything that looks remotely like a fin in the water is about to devour them - tourists are much more likely to be savaged by sea birds in St Ives!

Another Cornishman's Cornishman Cornish record breaker!

Keeping a tally on landings, the Cornishman under Captain Elsworth has just grossed £1 million in 10 and half months - time to get the man a new boat.........

the netter Gary M keeps those turbots coming.......

just time to sort, weigh and tally before the auction ends if the guys get a move on.......

keeping an eye on the Western end of the market.......

where the Harvest Reaper put ashore some good quality fish........

a couple of old boys ended up the wrong side of the nets......

and these young crays weren't paying attention it seems.........

if you've made a million then at least you get a paint-up, off comes the gear from the Cornishman........

and aboard go the weights to give her a list when the time comes to go around.......

Guilvenec langoustine boat, Barra Brenn (Breton for BrownBread).............

Waterdance support wagon with fresh gear supplies for the Govenek........

a bongo full of good sized cock brown crab..........

poles and lines at the ready, now where's Quentin.........

Sapphire and Sea Spray.

Newlyn Mission birthday breakfast bash - though not a tattie scone, Lorne sausage, or fruit pudding in sight!

While some eyes are on BBC1's Saturday Morning Kitchen where Rick Stein is looking at the salted anchovy in Italy on the Missions TV.........

as the best brown mugs of tea are served, it's smiles all round for Gillian, wife of Newlyn Mission skipper Keith and the family as they tuck into a breakfast feast for her 50th birthday - shades of the  banquet at Leadenhall Market that they recently attended as guests of chef Paul Ainsworth, winner of the Great British Menu's dessert course........

ice and go for the port's latest stern trawler, L'Ogien.........

if you want to extend your eating palate then Harvey's can supply a good selection of Spider crab at the moment.......

once a common site around the coast of Cornwall, gathering seaweed for use as fertiliser on farm land - coming up for auction at WH Lane's in Penzance.......

looks like a good year for the brown trout population in local rivers.

New rules for fishermen (anglers that is) American style.

"The future for anyone wanting to venture offshore to fish might be an ocean run like a national wilderness area.  Angling could become more like what deer hunting is today - a niche business or pastime governed by harvest tags as well as licenses, seasons and catch restrictions now in place."


The article goes on to describe a new system of marine management - uses the term 'sweet spots' to describe fish-rich areas that will be subject to control by area not by species as at present. Much of the article tracks the changes in attitudes and perceptions of fish legislation and control with many of the moves mirroring similar plans for change in the EU and UK.

Article courtesy of the Sunnews.com