Ahead of the game! - Doing our bit for conservation 30 years well before the Landing Obligation made it impossible.

As compared to a box of matches, the largest grade of langoustine or 'crocodiles'

Laid out on the boat's 'sorting table' a small sample from the morning's first haul of (Noway Lobster / nephrops norvegicus / langoustine / Dublin Bay prawns) aboard the pioneering Newlyn trawler, Fern in 1982 - the first year Newlyn boats began fishing the Smalls grounds SW of  Milford in the Celtic Deep - the table was simply constructed from a sheet of 8'x4' marine ply cut in half - with the addition of two short lengths of 2"x2" running either side of the board to contain the fish and two short strops (see the knot in the 2"x2") which held the table in place on the gunwale while a few fish boxes were stacked upside down inboard to support the other side...

A small haul of prawns contained in the deck pound

the following year when the Keriolet SS114 under skipper 'Traz' Treloar joined the fishery the same arrangement was used - one crew sorted through the haul on the deck...

Billy Bunn happy in his work - which often meant being in this position from the first haul around  8am until gone midnight after the last haul of the day - the boat laid-to at night.

while the two other crew stood either side of the sorting table grading the prawns - there were baskets for, tailed prawns, small, medium and large or 'crocodiles' as they were known...

the table and deck pound was taken down between hauls to allow for the taking of the four hour tows aboard... 

which were sometimes sizeable...

shooting away on the Smalls after the first haul - the decks are clear of pound boards and the sorting table...

the Keriolet had a reputation for rolling - in the first photo the prawn table is not fastened to the gunwale - which resulted in it being lost overboard on the first trip!...

 subsequently when the Keriolet  returned to prawning a few years later a shelterdeck...

baskets laid out for each grade of prawn and white fish

 and a more permanently mounted prawn table had been built port side...

so the old saying goes, "where there's muck there's brass" - prawns prefer muddy bottoms in order to construct their burrows - which, according to research, they show no particular ownership.

These photos were all taken well before quotas of any sorts were introduced and talk of 'nil discards' and 'landing obligation' were unimaginable! Wind the clock forward to today an we find a very different story with the law of unintended consequences having a very negative effect - below is a video showing French langoustine fishermen desperate to show they have a better way to fish in the face of the blanket discards ban by using a sorting table on board their prawn trawlers - by using a 'sorting table', their research shows that at least 50% of the prawns they slide back over the side live to see another day! Looks like the Newlyn boats were on to a good thing all those years ago!

The French are campaigning to use this study to prevent a zero discard ban on their prawn fleet

Dutch fishermen are campaigning for their flatfish fishery to be allowed to return their unwanted fish back to see for the same reason - many of the juvenile fish caught in the shallow waters of the North Sea survive.

Monday morning's market in Newlyn

Two beam trawlers, inshore trawlers and two big netters, one with a mixed trip of hake and monk, the other mainly hake make up this morning's market in Newlyn...

the boss man himself, Matthew Stevens gives Rick Stein's apprentices, the cheffing stars of tomorrow the benefit of his many years experience buying fish on Newlyn market...

with class fish like these John Dory from young Roger Nowell...

and handful of conger from the WSS...

and a box of which fish?...

or even which boat...

just the one, solitary gleaming red mullet...

and some seriously big monk tails for the netter, Karen of Ladram...

and some equally big Dover soles from one of the beamers...

after a 4am start, Lee Hall from @Truro-Penwith and the Rick Stein apprentices completes their tour of the fish market before moving out to the quays...

but not before they have seen some of the ports fish on offer like these star rays...

and a box of good sized monk fish cheeks...

and a rare visitor, a stone bass - this one was caught by the Karen of Ladram and it just so happens that one of skipper Sid's sons is also a chef - currently working at, you guessed it Rick Steins! - here is a recipe from Jamie in a previous life for stone bass...

a mouth-watering a dinner-plate-sized turbot...

skipper Sid's boat heads up the fleet tied up in port for the night...

having just steamed back to the port for 10 hours...

 it looks the Britannia V boys need a little kick-start this morning...

always guaranteed to put a smile on your face, landlady Debbie's thoughts for the day from the Star Inn opposite the fish market...

steaming for home, the port's only offshore trawler, Crystal Sea makes for the gaps.

Away for Brixham's Fishtstock and Swanage Folk Festival.

Brixham hung out the flags and welcomed Through the Gaps...

to the huge marina...

home to hundreds of yachts...

and quirky displays created by the community...

South Devon College are big supporters of the festival with two cooking stages...

others have traveled from much further afield, like Whitcby Fish...

some not so far, as in @Eastcoastavocet meets west and @bazilyo working their socks off an the huge wet fish display...,

not only was the red carpet rolled out in the superb, refrigerated fish market, but purple,  green and orange...

there are still funds needing to be raised for Brixham's very own tribute to fishermen in the form of the planned bronze stature, Man and Boy ...

there was plenty to see and talk about with live pot making...

fish to buy...

crabs to pick...

nets to mend...

and shellfish to see thanks to Devon IFCA...

boats to go aboard...

and a huge range of fish dishes to buy...

not forgetting the music which makes up a good part of the festival until late at night...

all set within the confines of the imposing two-story building that is Torbay Council owned Brixham Fish Market...

home to the biggest earning beam trawler fleet in the country...

and hundreds of yachts...

further up the coast its the turn of Swanage, and it's very own three day Folk Festival where else would you find classic sail boats like Moonfleet...

or Morris dancing in the sea!

Brixham Fishstock Festival 2016

Brixham Fishstock Festival 2016

Tackling the Threat Posed by Unlicensed Fishing

Responding to grassroots concerns from the quayside, the NFFO has joined forces with the MMO, IFCAs and the wider stakeholder community to get the message out to restaurants, shops and consumers that the trade in fish caught by unlicensed vessels is not a “victimless crime.”

Trade in fish caught by unlicensed vessels is not a “victimless crime”

A major information campaign was launched this week in Fishmongers Hall in London. The campaign is supported by the NFFO, the Angling Trust and the British Hospitality Association, who all share the same concerns.

 
The trade in fish from unlicensed vessels is illegal. But the sale of fish from this source is a significant and growing problem. This campaign is about ensuring that no one misunderstands what is at stake: this is an activity that does real harm. It is a growing problem which if not tackled will have serious consequences.

We have conservation measures in place to safeguard our fish stocks and where they are being circumvented by semi-professional fishermen operating from unlicensed vessels, it is not something that we can or should ignore

The quantities that are being caught and sold by unlicensed vessels are now significant and beyond anything that could reasonably be called recreational fishing. This campaign isn't the whole answer but the buyers of illegal fish must be made aware that they are aiding and abetting criminal behaviour that undermines attempts to manage fish stocks on a sustainable basis; and poses a direct threat to the livelihoods of genuine fishermen operating from licence vessels and subject to various controls.

High value species like bass and cod are being caught and sold illegally in increasing numbers to shops and restaurants. This undermines the market for genuine fishermen and because this backdoor fish goes unrecorded, it also threatens to undermine our efforts to manage these stocks sustainably.
A joint initiative with the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders should make businesses think twice before engaging in this illegal and damaging trade.

This information campaign is the first step towards eradicating an unwholesome trade. It is based on the premise that if the owners of the shops and restaurants who are currently buying backdoor fish are made aware that not only is it illegal but harmful; and that they also run the risk of prosecution, then they would have second thoughts.

There are other options available to tackle the problem, from putting bag limits on recreational catches of all affected species, to naming and shaming businesses successfully prosecuted for buying fish from unlicensed boats. But it is right to start with this information campaign in the belief that once these businesses know what is at stake, they will want to do the right thing. If they don't, they need to be aware that they could find themselves in court subject to exemplary penalties and the stigma associated with a Court appearance.

We are determine to stamp out this growing problem and the first step is to cut off the market for this illegal trade. Nobody is against someone catching a few fish for the pot. This is about semi-professional fishermen acting illegally, in ways that threaten fish stocks and undermine the livelihoods of genuine fishermen.

So you want to be fishermen?

Seafood Cornwall have just set out their 3 week Introduction to Commercial Fishing course from 3-21 October 2016. 

This free course is aimed at new entrants to the fishing industry who are at least 16 years old. The course consists of two weeks shore-based training (covering safety, gear and catch handling, net mending, rope work, navigation and boat handling) followed by one week of mandatory basic safety courses for fishermen (Sea Survival, Fire Fighting, First Aid, Health and Safety) as well as the Seafish Basic Fishing Vessel Stability course.

This introductory level course will suit both young people looking for a career at sea in the fishing industry as well as those looking for a change of career. The course aims to equip candidates with the basic skills and knowledge to commence work at sea in a safe and useful manner. It will be provided free of charge in Cornwall for a limited number of candidates via Seafood Cornwall Training Ltd.

If you have a regular circular that we can help get out to fishermen then please get in touch with us at the office on 01736 364324 or call my mobile on 07964 373708 or email on info@seafoodcornwalltraining.co.uk