Through the Gaps! - Newlyn Fishing News Cornwall UK fish commercial fishing fish cooking and art

Tuesday 28 January 2014

New maximum individual wave height recorded off Ireland from a weather buoy last Sunday

The M4 weather buoy, located off the Northwest coast, recorded a new maximum individual wave height of 23.4 metres at 15.00 on Sunday 26thJanuary 2014 during the weekend storm. This figure easily surpasses the previous record of 20.4 metres at the same location in December 2011.

The M4 buoy is one of a new generation of weather buoys with the ability to measure maximum wave height as well as the more usual Significant Wave Height.

The Significant Wave Height is defined as the average height of the highest one-third of the waves and that is what our forecasts of wave height refer to. In general, the highest wave of all will be about twice the Significant Wave Height.

There was also a record for maximum significant wave height for the M4 buoy of 15.3m at the same time, with the previous record being 14.7m. The all-time record for Significant Wave Height still rests with the M6 buoy of 17.2m.

See the full story here.

Rockall was definitely not the place to be at the weekend!

Frankie's fish and chips!

A short video by local filmmakers JJ Jamieson and Dave Donaldson with a backing track – Frankie’s reel – composed by JJ and Peter Gear.

Frankie’s Fish & Chips has been crowned the second best in the country. We were the runner-up in the top chippy award at the National Fish & Chip Awards sponsored by Seafish on Wednesday 22nd January in London. As winner of the Scottish regional award, we competed against nine other fish and chip shops from around the country. Eventual winner of the Independent Takeaway Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Award was the Quayside in Whitby, North Yorkshire.

“It’s a tremendous honour for us to have been recognised as the best in Scotland and second best in the UK,” said Frankie’s manager John Gold, who together with owner Valerie Johnson gave a presentation to 12 judges on Tuesday 21st January at the Lancaster London Hotel.

“This gives us a great platform to promote ourselves and the fish and chip shop trade in general,” said Mrs Johnson. “We are delighted.” “Several of the judges commented that the standard of entrants this year was higher than it has ever been,” said Mr Gold. “So to have risen to where we have among our outstanding peers in the trade gives us great satisfaction.

“Frankie’s is just over five years old and all the staff have worked extremely hard to ensure our produce and customer service is as good as it can be. “In fact, our staff are our most important asset, so I’m delighted for the recognition this gives them.” This latest success at the awards, hosted by celebrity chef Jean Christophe Novelli, follows four major awards at the same event last year. Staff member Carlyn Kearney was named Drywite National Young Fish Frier of the Year and Frankie’s picked up the Staff Training & Development Award, the From Field to Frier Award and the Amanda Seafoods Challenge Award.

When the Breton Parliament burned - 20 years ago

Twenty years ago the fishermen of Brittany were in dispute - protests, marches, port blockades and endless meetings were all eventually eclipsed when the Breton Parliament buildings were raised to the ground in a huge fire. The mayor of Renne, commenting on the fishermens' actions was moved to say, "I think the boys have gone a bit too far this time"

It was the night of 4 to 5 February 1994, after a day of clashes between fishermen and enforcement, Rennes attend unbelievers, dumbfounded, at the burning of the Parliament of Brittany. The building, symbol of the city and jewel of Breton heritage is devoured by the flames.

The night of the burning of the Parliament of Brittany Archives Ouest-France

This Friday, February 4, 1994, Edouard Balladur, the then Prime Minister, to sign the contract for Rennes Plan State Region. Fishermen themselves are there also to be heard. There are thousands to shout their anger and dismay. For months, fish prices are at their lowest.

In the streets of Rennes, fishermen are more than 5000 and clashes with police violence are rare. Hundreds of flares are initiated by the protesters, the police retort to tear gas.

180 firefighters deployed

By late afternoon, calm has returned, fishermen have left the capital of Brittany. But at 0:30, firemen are called " Parliament is on fire! "

A total of 180 firefighters were deployed there to overcome the disaster.To water the fire, the water is drawn from the Vilaine. In shock, hundreds of Rennais massed on Parliament Square. They have no voice, sometimes in tears.

The story of the night of 4 to 5 February 1994 with sound archives Céline Guetaz (01'45'')

Sound Archives INA

Mayor of Rennes, Edmond Hervé, and the Minister of Justice, Pierre Méhaignerie also attend the " catastrophe ".

Edmond Hervé Archives Ouest-France

Back to the event with Edmond Hervé (01'20'')

In 1994, Béatrice Perrot is 26 years old. Daughter of one of the caretakers of Parliament, she visits her mother that on February 4. She lived a day of very high voltage before being awakened at night. Then there is thick smoke in the corridors of Parliament where she will guide the first firefighters.

The testimony of the daughter of the concierge (01'45'')

"It was raining embers 150 meters"

Lieutenant Colonel Hervé Rival is a firefighter, he is now retired. There are 20, 4 February 1994, he was on duty. Called in the night to take command of the mobile station at the foot of parliament, he said that day and that night the fight against the flames.

The testimony of a firefighter (01'00'')

The fire investigation was launched the same day. A lengthy investigation, which ultimately led to a general non-place, but it has fueled many fantasies.

Judge Van Ruymbeke (file photo) MAXPPP / Thomas Padilla

The office of Judge Van Ruymbeke was destroyed by fire. The judge investigating the affairs of secret funding of political party.

Story courtesy of France Bleu:

Life in a Year of the RNLI 2013

Compilation of rescue footage captured by RNLI lifeboats, lifeguards and Flood Rescue Teams in 2013.

Penlee's score for the year was 58 shouts - 35 for the IRB and 23 for the Ivan Ellen.

The scorching summer, stormy autumn and chilly spring of 2013 saw volunteer Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) crews in the north of England rescue more than 1,000 people. Statistics issued today (Tuesday 28 January) show there were 1,028 rescue launches from the charity’s 33 lifeboat stations in the north of England* last year. A total of 1,027 people were rescued. RNLI lifeguards on 29 beaches in the north responded to 2,252 incidents and helped 2,803 people.**

The long hot summer of 2013 meant it was one of the busiest summers ever for the RNLI’s lifeboat volunteers, with 58% of the year’s rescues (598) occurring in June, July and August. Conversely, an exceptionally cold spring and stormy autumn may have kept people away from the water, reducing the number of call outs during these times.***

The north’s RNLI lifeboat stations also took a battering during the high winds of early December. Several were flooded by the storm surge while others suffered damage which is costing the charity thousands of pounds to repair.

RNLI Divisional Operations Manager in the north of England, Andrew Ashton, said the rescue statistics highlight the vital work carried out by the charity’s volunteer lifeboat men and women.

He said: ‘In 2013, more than 1,000 people returned home safely thanks to the RNLI’s lifeboat crews in the north of England. Our volunteers save lives day in, day out, whatever the weather and when their pagers go off, they have no idea what might face them out at sea – they could be going to the aid of a drowning child, a person cut off by the tide or a boat owner whose vessel has broken down.

‘The range of incidents our crews respond to is reflected in the amount of training they carry out – last year, for every hour they spent at sea on a rescue, they spent another three and a half on a training exercise.**** This is a mark of their true commitment to their lifesaving role.’

The 2013 statistics show that machinery failure was the most common cause of rescue (246 launches - 24% of the total), with people in danger of drowning being the second most common cause (110 launches - 10.7%).

There has been a slight rise (1%) in rescue launches compared to last year, while the number of people rescued has increased by 7.7%, from 953. Of the total number of people rescued, 107 (10.4%) were under the age of 18.

The busiest lifeboat crew in the north of England in 2013 was Sunderland, who launched their two inshore lifeboats 89 times and rescued 84 people, followed by:

Blackpool – 78 launches rescuing 12 people
Tynemouth – 64 launches rescuing 76 people
Whitby – 53 launches rescuing 79 people
Hartlepool – 52 launches rescuing 89 people

2013’s hot summer also meant the charity’s lifeguards were kept extremely busy treating everything from minor cuts and bruises through to performing major first-aid and lifesaving rescues.

The busiest RNLI lifeguarded beach in the north was Bridlington South beach where lifeguards responded to 162 incidents and helped 165 people, followed by:

Longsands, Tyneside – 158 incidents helping 203 people
Cullercoats, Tyneside – 150 incidents helping 201 people
Ainsdale, Sefton – 146 incidents helping 212 people
Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire – 124 incidents helping 133 people

As 95% of a lifeguard’s role is preventative, the teams also advised over 434,000 people about beach and water safety.

Across the UK and Ireland, 2013 saw RNLI lifeboats launch 8,304 times, rescuing 8,384 people. RNLI lifeguards responded to 19,594 incidents around the coast and rescued 1,567 people.

Mr Ashton added: ‘The rescue statistics show that machinery failure is the most common reason for our lifeboats to be called. Boat owners could help keep themselves safe - and reduce the number of RNLI launches - by making some simple checks on their engines before they go to sea, including ensuring they have enough fuel for their journey. I would urge anyone who spends time on or near the sea to look at the free safety advice available at www.rnli.org/seasafety

‘Of course, RNLI lifeboat crews and lifeguards wouldn’t be able to carry out any rescues without the incredible generosity of the public and I would like to say a big “thank you” to all those who support our charity, whether by giving up their time, making a donation or pledging a legacy. Without them, the RNLI simply couldn’t continue our vital lifesaving work.’ Friday 31 January 2014 is RNLI SOS Day – the charity’s community fundraising day. For more information log on to www.rnli.org/sos

According to the Mail - Newlyn fisherman's son gets to play for England this weekend!

According to the Daily Mail...

Looks like all hands in Newlyn will be glued to the TV this Saturday to see the son of one of the port's top skippers take to the field in Paris when he runs out to face France in the first game of this year's six-nations tournament...

Jack Nowell started his rugby career aged nine for the local Penzance and Newlyn Pirates - he currently plays for Exeter Chiefs.

now....

according to the Times it's a different story!

Monday 27 January 2014

#eatmorefish kettles are so useful!

Ye old faithful fish kettle comes into its own when poaching big long fish like this Dover Sole - the trick is to get the water in the kettle boiling first and then add the fish - a few favourite herbs like dill or fennel or in this case garlic and ginger can be added here - a fish this size takes less than 10 minutes - it's easy to over-poach rather than under!