Live! - Porthleven Art Lightshow - from 6:30pm on Sunday

Weather permitting you can watch the Porthleven Art Auction Lightshow live here.  On the evening anniversary of the storm, all the pieces of art that have been created for the auction will be projected onto the Porthleven clock tower for everyone to see.

iCatch - Stress-free IFCA & MMO shellfish returns!

Check out this unique tool developed by Graham Murt whose brother, Johnny is a shellfisherman from Padstow in Cornwall. The daily drudge of filling out both IFCA and MMO catch returns has now been reduced to almost zero - a few minutes on your mobile (iPhone or Android) and your catch returns are completed and sent off for the record books - keeping everyone happy. The app is not free - but when you see the price you will know it is a bargain - it will save you time, grief and aggravation - what price that!

This is a fantastic example of citizen science at its best - one man's problem solved by another - it just so happens they are brothers!

Here's how it Works

Here we’ll give you a run through of the various features/screens within the app and give a brief description of how they work in order to give you a better idea as to how the app works.

Shellfish Returns Screen

This is the main screen you see when launching the app and allows you to view all of your returns and add new returns at the touch of a button.

Monthly Return

On the monthly view, you get an overview of which days you’ve fished.  Clicking on a single day takes you to the Daily Catch screen and allows you to record the shellfish you caught.

Daily Catch Screen

On this screen you can record which species you caught for the day including the area fished, gear set and hauled. Potting, Netting, Scalloping and Trawling are all available as fishing methods on this screen.

Area Selection

No more time spent interpreting maps to work out the area code, simply tap on the map with your finger and the area code will be calculated for you.

Preview/Submit Screen

At the end of the month, you can preview your shellfish returns and submit them to the authorities in a matter of seconds.

IFCA/MMO Returns

Here you can see an example of a shellfish return form which the app generated and sent via email to the MMO.

If you need to, get more information or contact the app developer direct - remember this was developed for fishermen by someone who knows fishing!

Mapping fishing effort: Combining fishermen’s knowledge with satellite monitoring data in English waters

Just published! - bring on the day when fishermen can use mobile technology to easily record fishing effort for the purposes of managing effort and directing management by region for and with the MMO.

Fishing activities are complex and vary greatly across different ports, seasons and gear types. Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) are required in the UK only on vessels ≥12 m long (EC No. 1224/2009), which represent 15% of the UK fleet size (MMO, 2014). Prior to 2002, VMS were limited to vessels ≥15 m (10% of UK fleet size). As most fishing vessels are not required to carry VMS there is a paucity of data describing the spatial distribution and intensity of effort by smaller, generally “inshore” fishing vessels at the resolution required for setting Marine Protected Area (MPA) conservation objectives (Hinz et al., 2013).

For more info see the publisher's site here:

Fiersomely fresh #FishyFriday in Newlyn.

Yesterday morning was much the same as today as Doris part 1 hit the south west...

The fishiest beam trawler in the fleet plus two of the big ones put fish on the market this morning...

plenty of monk tails...

a handful of black bream...

while the toughest of the St Ives handliners braved storm force off-shore winds...

 to keep the nation supplied with mackerel...

the odd bass from the AA...

according to the James RH, maybe the answer is 82 not 42...

ever-popular gurnards all go down in the book as the head buyer goes head-to-head with the head auctioneer...

not a five but a 12 fingered star...

name that fish...

or this...

lemons are good value and mucho tasty at this time of year...

blown in through the market door...

as the day's cuttles wait for transport and their long journey abroad...

still in port sheltering form the weather, the Belgian beam trawler, Francine.

From Russia with love - well, Gdansk.

The Russian trawler, Nivenskoye from the Kalingrad based Fishing Company has steamed from Gdansk and is now heading south west off Cornwall to a destination unknown. Once the vessel is out of range of the shore-based AIS antennas the vessel's track can only be followed via satellite...

meanwhile, one of the world's most powerful tugs, the Abeille Bourbon has left her berth in Brest and is anchored in the lee of Ushant - presumably waiting on station in the event of any emergency cover that might occur as the severe storms predicted lash the western shipping...

she can be seen here showing off her huge power and sea-keeping abilities in this poor weather video.

Porthleven Art Auction lightshow

This coming Sunday, the 5th of February, on the evening anniversary of the storm that wrought so much havoc and damage inside Porthleven Harbour, all the pieces of art will be projected onto the iconic Porthleven clock tower for all to see. 

You will be able to see a livecast of the show here at 6:30pm on Sunday. Or yuou can bookmark a link to the this page to watch the livecast at the same time.

On that day three years ago, ten boats sank after successive huge waves smashed the timber baulks that normally protect the inner harbour from the effects of winter storms. The damage to boats and lost fishing gear meant that many of the boats were unable to fish again until repairs were made good and gear replaced.

Through the Gaps' contribution - 'Shattered'

It was Porthleven resident and Fishermen's Mission man Julian Waring who hit on the idea of salvaging the damaged timber baulks for the Cornish art and crafts community and others to create original and unique works of art to be auctioned in order that the mission might continue its work in Cornwall.  The range of people who then took up the creative challenge is not just restricted to local artists but includes well known names like chef Nathan Outlaw and poet laureate, Carol-Ann Duffy, Dame Judi Dench and other celebrities who have each produced a unique record to signify that day.


Other dates for your diary:

Art Exhibition: 5th – 10th March

Get a closer look at the amazing range of art that’s been created at Porthleven Old Lifeboat House Gallery – open 10.30am till 4.30pm.

Auction: 18th March from 4pm

Live at the Atlantic Inn in Porthleven on Saturday 18th, you can bid for your favourite piece, with all proceeds going directly to The Fishermen’s Mission. If you can’t make it to the event, you can bid online by following the link below.

Find out more about the auction and charity as a whole here.

The mornings are getting lighter.

Freshening breeze form the west...

modern crabber, built to carry hundreds of pots...

Rowse's latest addition to the fleet is up on the slip for below the waterline fitting out...

it's almost high water and the fleet are riding high...

signs of the main engine just fired up and on tick-over...

the Emma with a few new strings of pots ready for action.