Monday's morning blues and hues.

One waning moon hangs over RNAS Culdrose and the Lizard...

while the number of merchant ships anchored off in deep water in Mount's Bay increases daily...

the view looking down over the harbour this morning...

provides a stunning view across the Bay...

as some of the smaller boats...

make their way to sea...

making her first landing for the tide, the Karen of Ladram berthed at the fish market...

while inside the market students from the Robert Smyth Academy listen attentively to Lionel givinmg the the low down on wide variety of fish ready for auction...

like these top quality monk tails - a great fish for curry dishes...

long with the big white fish landed by the Karen...

all get the once over form the Cefas team...

sampling flats from the Cornishman...

did Miss identify the fish Lionel is showing her?...

top of the price list for fish this morning will be these turbot, the fish with the rough skin (dark side) not to be confused with brill with its smooth skin...

plenty of mackerel around at the moment for the handliners...

though some of the grading terms used, like 'good small' are not necessarily the official ones...

the netter end of the market is full of big white fish like these pollack...

and big ray, again from...

the Karen...

auctioneer Olly tallies up his next lot to sell...

while the man behind the camera and Mousehole Fish, the Little Fish shop on the corner in Penzance cannot resist capturing this morning's stunning dawn light...

bathes the harbour in a golden glow...

Harbourmaster Rob Parsons carries out an early inspection alongside market boss Lionel...

ice being delivered nonchalantly 'over the shoulder' style...

while the Belgian beam trawler takes fuel ready for another trip up channel...

with a week in Cornwall that started yesterday with the Eden Project, Robert Smyth Academy Geography and Business Studies, unmissable in their tops created especially for the tour...

the fish market visit over, now assemble wide eyed from their 5am start - are now ready for the next leg of their tour which will see them take in venues on the Lizard and Falmouth later today.

The Landing Obilgation - Unintended consequences - the law of.

An international study led by The University of Queensland has found that a gradual reduction – over two decades or more – in the practice is the best way to allow a marine ecosystem to recover its natural balance.

Esther Fondo, a PhD student and the study's lead author, said a range of predator species were reliant on discarded fish – dead and alive – as a food source.

"Human activity – including rubbish dumping, game hunters discarding carcasses, and commercial fishing – returns more than seven million tonnes of discarded fish to the sea each year," said Ms Fondo, of UQ's School of Biological Sciences.

"This has significant negative impacts on the marine environment. It increases scavenger species populations to excessive levels, disrupts ecosystems and places some species at increased risk of predation.

"We looked at two scenarios—drastic and gradual banning of discards – using data from Moreton Bay near Brisbane, Australia, which is a popular site for prawn trawling," Ms Fondo said.

"Ecological modelling software simulated complex food web interactions and showed that both gradual and abrupt removal of fish discards decreased the survival of scavenger species and changed the ecosystem.

"Scavengers were able to switch to their natural prey when discards were reduced gradually over a 20-year period, but predator numbers declined when discards were abruptly banned."

Ms Fondo said the researchers recommended "gradual reduction of food discards to a minimal level".

"This would maintain the ecosystem's stability and allow species exploiting food discards to adjust to reduced food subsidies," she said.

MS Fondo said the research was timely, as the European Union was introducing methods to improve sustainability of its fisheries, including a commitment to extend the number of fish species included in the discarding ban.

Fishing discard bans currently are not being considered in Australia.

Ms Fondo said the next step in the research would be to extend computer modelling to marine ecosystems in a number of different countries.

In honour of St Piran.

To all Cornish fishermen wherever they may be.

Happy St Piran's Day one and all!

A fine #FishyFriday finds the fleet mostly in port.

Full of fish, all from net boats this morning...

with monk and rays form the New Harmony working well off the Lizard...

name this fish with a thumbprint akin to the Dory...

one lovely ling...

unusual cod...

the bull cod...

what every swimmer doesn't want to see behind them...

big fish, big roes...

shades of longlining days...

 boxes of big ling...

preferred beverage on the market...

mackerel men make money...

just one of the net boats to land this morning...

and some cracking whiting...

a handful of John Dory...

and big hake...

from the Govenek of Ladram...

looking smart...

as a huge, heavy shower cloud passes over the Bay...

there's work still to be done on the Twilight III...

some winter yachts on passage...

that's a seriously big work deck...

as it says...

the relief boat for the Ivan Ellen will be here for three months at least...

that man with the saw has been busy again on the Gallilean...

half tide moon...

as the sun comes up in the Bay.

3 fishermen airlifted from beam trawler off the Lizard

UK Coastguard received a mayday broadcast just before 1pm yesterday (2nd February) from a fishing vessel that caught fire with five crew on board, approximately 37 nautical miles off Newlyn, Cornwall.

The fire, believed to have be in the engine room, was extinguished by the crew, but several members were reported to be suffering from smoke inhalation.

The Coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at Newquay and the Lizard RNLI lifeboat was sent to the fishing vessel. Three of the crew were winched off the fishing vessel onto the helicopter and transferred to hospital.

The fishing vessel, with the remaining crew, was able to make its own way to Newlyn, the Lizard RNLI lifeboat escorted the fishing vessel to ensure it arrived safely.

Steve Mann, UK Coastguard, said: "Fortunately the crew were able to extinguish the fire, they were also able to contact the Coastguard when they needed assistance. This is another example why it is so important to make sure that you have appropriate safety equipment on board and several means of contacting the Coastguard if the worst should happen. "

Karen taking off nets in Newlyn