Make it Cornish hake this #FishyFriday

Not much in the way of Sea Spray in the light winds today...

which will make Captain Smith's job fishing for pollack single-handed that much easier...

fish fanatic Ben Tunnicliffe gets his hands on some of the latest MSC Certified Cornish hake to be landed on Newlyn...

with David Pascoe, skipper of the Serene Dawn, the smallest boat to receive certification from the MSC sharing a joke with CFPO boss Paul Trebilcock, @ChloeFNorth and @PeskyCod visiting Newlyn to see the result of six years' hard work...

and a trip of hake from the Govenek of Ladram...

at 7 kilos and well over £12 a kilo this prime turbot will provide some cracking meals ce soir...

name the fish?...

all set for another day's work...

good to see more and more local pubs making a point of serving the best fish on a #FishyFriday !

Totally a prime fish day for hake and turbot on Newlyn market

Galatea crew with port side berths were treated to a glorious start to the day in the Bay...

as are the inshore boats leaving for the grounds...

with every Good Intent the first of the turbot to hit the market this week...

along with a dozen cracking boxes of ray wings...

and even bigger turbot form the Silver Dawn...

some of that handsome Cornish hake has hit the market this morning...

with a good shot from the Ajax...

auctioneer Ian notes down the last sale...

of fish weighing in at 2-3Kg...

just some of the boats that landed on the market this morning already preparing to sail again...

away go those hake at top speed...

the new colour scheme for the bog beam trawlers shines out in the morning sun...

with the Ajax the only other net boat in port between trips...

along with the Silver Dawn who landed his shot of turbot this morning...

Mario will be itching to get away in this weather to chase down those crabs around the Wolf Rock again.

Newlyn's market full of fantastic inshore fish!

Moody mornings seem to be de rigeur of late...

but for those who wake up aboard a ship it's just like any other working day, though many will take time out for just a few moments and reflect just how lucky they are to be a part of such an incredible spectacle before starting their watch...

the fair has arrived in town for the Golowan Festival this weekend...

those JDs are sure to be on the menu this week...

and when it comes to fish looking stunning these redder then red red gurnards are just awesome...

many more mackerel made it ashore this week...

name that fish?...

just a few boats in port with work to be done...

nothing but the best inshore fish today...

from the inshore trawler fleet who are enjoying a finer spell of weather...

can anyone identify this piece of wrought iron work that was trawled up recently?...

loading the Rowse crab boat Intuition with new gear...

she's not the only boat with new gear aboard...

while it appears that the Still Waters has aged somewhat and lost her bite...

while the sardine boats are now counting the days down...

the scale of crab fishing is measured in pots by the hundred - and it self-regulates...

Still Waters on still waters all set to fish...

big yachts fill all the berths this morning a measure of the potential for developing the leisure side of the harbour...

though not all are as homely as this visitor from Germany...

with its knitted buff covers...

they obviously know the right festivals to visit...

and run a very tidy ship it seems...

wet fish counter staff from Tesco get the lowdown on the local fishing methods...

while the transport eases into the narrow back streets to top up the shelves in the Newlyn Coop...

now that the evenings are drawing in.

NFFO Annual Report form chairman Tony Delahunty - what a year!

The National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations chairman Tony Delahunty has released his report highlighting the group’s activities over the previous 12 months.

Delahunty said: “The Chairman’s Report is intended to provide an overview of the Federation’s activities over the previous 12 months. In truth, such is the scope and range of the Federation’s work that it can only hope to provide a flavour of the range of issues on which the Federation, its officers and members have worked. Nevertheless, it is important to record, even if it is incomplete, what we have done, both as a source of satisfaction and as a spur to further action over the coming 12 months.”

The report includes sections on: the Discard Ban/Regionalisation; Drift Net Ban; Bass; Industry Reputation; Fleet Diversity; Under-10m Fleet; Fisheries Science Partnerships; Marine Protected Areas; Safety and Training; Referenda; Marine Management Organisation; NFFO Training Trust; NFFO Services Limited; Shellfish Policy; Management Plans; and Oncoming Pressures.

More at the NFFO website here:

BBQ hake with a twist of the Orient

Chef Jon Fell harbours a a secret passion - and it's hake - one of, if not his favourite fish because of its amazing versatility - steamed, poached, fried, grilled, baked whole, filleted or in cutlets hake is one of the most versatile of white fish. Now, thanks to the MSC working closely with 15 local boats Cornish hake will be top of his buying wish list! 

In this video Jon cooks hake on a BBQ in the time it takes to prep the rest of the dish - simple!

Straight from the wheelhouse!

Crystal Sea heading for the gaps in Newlyn in a Force 9 NW gale.

When David Stevens, skipper/owner of the trawler Crystal Sea II writes the occasional blog post he always goes out of his way to look ahead and be positive about the industry despite there being so many day-to-day issues that contrive to make his fishing business seem a constant battle - not only with the more elemental aspects of the job, like the weather, tides, crew, boat mechanics and trawl gear to name but a few but also the very real constraints of quotas and legislation that together with pressure from NGOs and others seemingly determined to scrutinise his every minute at sea as if he was hell-bent on depriving the North East Atlantic of every fish that swims!

His latest and timely post picks up on the content of some very real good news stories that are having a real impact on opportunities for local boat owners, skippers and crews and the shore workers who directly or indirectly benefit from the trade wrought by those who pass in and out Through the Gaps to make a living from the sea.

"We are very lucky to fish in this part of the world and it's great to see Cornish produce gaining recognition for its capture and sustainability (MSC Hake), and Cornwall also offers some great eateries and amazing fresh produce.

If there is one thing that stands out for me this year is that the fishing industry is really getting the message out, about how well the stocks have recovered. Also the story of the capture from net to plate is being heard and the great pride we have in bringing in the quality fish we have on our doorstep, and the huge part fisherman play in the management of the fishery."

Read David's full post here: 

See also:

Cornwall Good Seafood Guide

From Net to Plate