Over the Mount and the Bay.

Two tugs stay, two tugs go!

The MCA's ETV Anglian Princess (seen here exercising her firefighting gear) is due to stand down this evening at midnight after standing guard over the Western Approaches for 7 years. Both Scottish vessels have been given last minute reprieve and will continue in service until further notice pending a review of the maritime coverage undertaken by the MCA.

See food and eat it - and no meat fish, fowl or beast in sight!

There's dieting afoot in the TTG houshold so Indian curries are making a return to the week's menu, Floyd's chana dhal is a favourite.........

prepping the spices for the paneer dish........

and the nearest thing to meet in this dish is the (easiliy) home made paneer (like ricotta) cheese for this little number........

then the shredded cabbage (soaked in salted water for 15 minutes) added to mustard seeds, crushed garlic, ginger and curry leaves given a few minutes topop and sizzle before adding the green.

Scad on the menu?

The humble scad, swims in hug shoals, very tasty and seldom eaten - try some - if you can get hold them - a substitute for oily fish in a recipe.......

the king of fish line caught, doesn't get any better.......

every limpet's nightmare...........

Cap3000 still detained in Newlyn.........

in betweeen trips, the Crystal Sea II........

high water swirls round the mission slip........

death on the beach.

Hake, the all round fish, all round the UK!

On Peterhead market this morning, a good run of big hake from the pair-seiner Budding Rose
Photo courtesy of Peter Bruce, skipper Budding Rose.

As if to emphasise the opportunity, both Seafish and Scotland Food and Drink are all promoting hake as the healthier alternative to cod:

"Catches of Northern hake, landed around the UK, are looking plentiful this season – so Seafish, the authority on seafood, is urging consumers to try this excellent whitefish.

Seafish:

Website

Hake used to be a familiar fish to Britons but seems to have fallen from favour at a time when availability is very good. The UK spent only £1.5 million on chilled hake in supermarkets in the past year, compared to £124 million on chilled cod (Nielsen retail figures for 52 weeks leading up to 16 April 2011).

Dr Paul Williams, Seafish chief executive, said: "With properties similar to cod and haddock, hake is an excellent species to try and it’s very good value for money. 

The Scottish pair team of Budding Rose and the Lapwing are reporting big hauls of hake in the North Sea - unusual for them - the two botas are using Twitter and their own blog to keep readers informed. The Newlyn netter, Ajax has begun to use social networking to do the same when fishing off Cornwall.

Indian summer? - day one.

Never mind, "red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning".......

far from home.......

tagged by the bowls.......

Tom in silhouette........

the Mission is quiet at high water.......

most of the boats are at sea save a trip from the Cornishman and the Imogen II.......

still detained and things not looking good for the Cap 3000.......

keeping it in the family, another name change for the growing Nowell fleet, now the Karen N........

all set for a pleasant day.......

maybe it's time the new fenders were put in place........

solo swan on the boating pool.

EU FISH STOCKS IN THE ATLANTIC AND NORTH SEA: COMMISSION PROPOSES FISHING OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2012

The European Commission presented today its first proposal for 2012 fishing opportunities for the stocks in the Atlantic and the North Sea that are managed by the EU exclusively. Commissioner Maria Damanaki said: "our proposal's cornerstones are long-term management of stocks and reliable scientific data to base our decisions on, in line with our proposed reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. This reform will deliver a fisheries policy fit for the future, based on viable fish stocks which will assure fishermen a decent income." 


 Based on scientific advice, the Commission proposes to increase the total allowable catch (TAC) for 9 stocks (certain stocks of cod, anglerfish, herring, haddock, hake, sole, megrim and Norway lobster) and reduce it for 53 stocks. For cod in the West of Scotland, the Irish Sea and the Kattegat, the Commission proposes that no fishing takes place in 2012, given the poor state of these stocks. The proposed changes would amount to an overall reduction in TACs (by weight) of 11% compared to 2011. 


The Commission's goal is to set TACs at science-based levels which help recover the stocks and make fisheries sustainable in the long term. A second proposal will deal with the 66 stocks for which the fishing opportunities must be agreed with Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) or in the context of consultations with third countries and will be tabled later this autumn. Thanks to splitting the proposal in this way, fishermen will learn sooner how much they can fish in 2012 and be able to plan ahead better.