Monday mornings busy market at Newlyn

Plenty of fish to keep the work of Cefas staff on their toes...

with a trip of real quality from the Twilight III including these delectable Dorys...

and huge cod from a rather short trip of the Trevsssa's...

along with some big, beautiful bass from inshore boats like the Charlotte Louise...

and loligo loligo a-plenty fgrom the Lucy...

keep a trading floor full of buyers busy...

just the one netter this morning, the Govenek of Ladram...

just about to let go the ends for another day on the pots...

and a few moew day's work alongside the shed for this trawl.

There are some things in life you never tire of - like dolphins!

Far less than the mundane things available 'free' to some jobs fishing, provides some of the great natural sights of the sea while you work, and it doesn't come much better than seeing dolphins chase alongside your own boat.

Make fish part of your Cornish Christmas and order some smoked fish from Cadgwith Cove Smokies

Cadgwith Cove mackerel, oak smoked and wrapped within hours of being caught and landed on the beach - www.cadgwithsmokies.co.uk

The Lizard RNLI lifeboat launches to search for a missing fisherman

The Lizard lifeboat was tasked last night (Wednesday) to carry out a search from Black Head on the Lizard Peninsular toward Lizard Point after a fisherman was reported overdue.

Falmouth Coastguard had received a 999 call at around 7pm reporting a man overdue from a fishing trip. The male had launched his small craft from Cadgwith during the early afternoon and had been due back after a couple of hours but when he failed to turn up a friend phoned the Coastguard for assistance.

The Lizard all-weather lifeboat was launched with a volunteer crew of seven, to search from Black Head back toward Lizard Point. Falmouth Coastguard also broadcast a ‘Pan Pan’ call on VHF radio asking for any vessel in the area to assist in the search. A local fishing vessel from Cadgwith ‘Scorpio’ launched and started a search from Cadgwith toward Lizard Point and a Swedish survey vessel ‘Triad’ transiting the area, diverted to search from Black Head back toward Cadgwith.

The Triad, now returned to dock at Falmouth was successful in locating the fisherman

The ‘Triad’ spotted the reflective tape on the missing man’s inflated lifejacket approximately half a mile off Lankidden and were able to lift him onboard before transferring him to the lifeboat, where the crew carried out emergency casualty care until a SAR helicopter from RNAS Culdrose arrived on scene to fly the casualty to Treliske hospital, Truro.

Coxswain Andrew Putt said “We were very encouraged when the casualty was pulled from the water as he was breathing, but we were informed earlier today that he had sadly passed away. We would like to extend our sincere condolences to the man’s wife, family and friends. We would also like to thank both the Scorpio and Triad for their help in the search”.

The lifeboat crew were Coxswain Andrew Putt, 2nd Mechanic Johnny Bray, 3rd Mechanic Steve Tattersall, and crew members Darren Thirlaway, Adam Weston, John Hill and Simon Fayers.

Story courtesy of the Lizard Lifeboat Station

ex-Hull skipper Jim Williams turns family story into a book

IT BEGAN as a simple memoir for his family, but now fisherman veteran Jim Williams is looking forward to his autobiography being published this week.

Called Swinging The Lamp, the book charts the life of Mr Williams from boyhood to present day. The 86-year-old ex-skipper began his career as a boy sailor with the Royal Navy before spending 27 years as a trawler skipper. Published by Riverhead Books of Hull, the book will be launched this week.

Mr Williams said: "Originally, I just wanted to write something for my family. "But one of the volunteers on the Arctic Corsair said they wanted to read it. "They came back and told me I should provide more depth, bring it up to date and then publish it. "It has been very interesting to write, but you have to make sure you get all the dates, times and names right. "It brought back many memories, both good and bad."

Mr Williams finished his education early, aged just 12 , because of the war. By aged 15, he joined the Navy, where he remained for three years. After leaving the Navy, Mr Williams became a trawlerman and was a mate on the Arctic Corsair, which is now a tourist attraction where he currently works as a guide.

He was in the industry for 27 years and became a successful skipper. He has also been involved in fishing heritage group Stand and helped set up the local branch of the Veterans' Association of the Navy.

He said: "I have had many highs and lows over the years and some rather scary moments. Anyone involved in the fishing industry will have experienced the same. "I have been reasonably successful as a skipper and I enjoyed the good landings. "I remember being involved in the Normandy landings when our ship helped tow the Mulberry harbour, which we had to transport in sections, so the troops could land. "I have been lucky in married life and was with my wife, Olga, for 60 years before she died."

West Hull and Hessle MP Alan Johnson wrote the forward for the book. In it he said: "There was much that was poetic and romantic about Hull's fishing industry. "Place names such as Spitzbergen and Bear Island, men venturing abroad at a time when most of their peers would have never even crossed the Humber, and charting of the sea bed from instinct and knowledge rather than any scientific education.

"But there was much that was without any romance at all. In 150 years of distant water trawling from Hull, 900 ships left never to return. More than 6,000 men were killed. "The story of the trawlermen who worked in the most dangerous of peace time occupations has never been sufficiently told. "Jimmy Williams is the perfect man to tell it. His personality epitomises all that was good about the trawlermen – courage, stoicism, loyalty and above all, humanity and good humour. "Fishing is no longer the lifeblood of Hull, but it's still its heartbeat; and nobody has a bigger heart than Jimmy Williams."

Swinging The Lamp will be launched at the Maritime Museum in Queen Victoria Square, on Thursday at 2.30pm 

 Read more: #ixzz2mah7Jbbu

Most fishing boats driven in to land or are dodging in winds over 100mph!

Vicious looking low blasting across Scotland today - winds well over 100mph recorded!

there are some big (30-40m) boats dodging around the Fair Isles - this one is making just 2 knots!

How North Sea haddock grace your plate!

Sea to Plate from Beard Askew Productions on Vimeo.

The journey of a North Sea Haddock from the sea to our plate needn’t be a complicated one! In fact it shouldn’t take more than 24 hours.

The Scottish White Fish Producers Association (SWFPA) wanted to explain how an MSC certified Scottish Haddock is caught, handled, landed, sold at market, processed, delivered and sold to eat all with in 24 hours. Caulm Richardson, owner of The Bay, Stonehaven, believes that shops need to act responsibly and provide customers with not only as much fresh produce as possible, but also educate customers to the provenance of the food we eat.

This is exactly what the people that feature in the series believe. Peter Bruce has been going to sea for more than 30 years. He is the skipper of the Budding Rose, a pair trawler in the North Sea. We spoke to Peter immediately after he landed 400 boxes of MSC sustainable haddock and he explained his part of the process.

Danny Couper Jnr is a second-generation fish merchant. His father Danny Snr started Couper Seafoods and his son Jaime is now working for the business. Danny explains the role of the buyer and processor in the journey of a North Sea haddock.

Calum Richardson owns The Bay Fish and Chips, Stonehaven, which is currently the Independent Fish and Chips Shop of the Year 2013! So he knows a thing or two about cooking haddock. He is also a big supporter of sustainable fishing. Calum tells us how important sourcing the best fish possible is, and how vital it is to support our local fishing communities.

For more info see the SWFPA site