Newlyn on a Monday morning in Seafood Week

More plant moved in to refurb the market building...

as the buyers move swiftly in to bid on the first sale of the morning...

on fish from boats like inshore trawler newby New Venture...

plenty of cuttles from the Resurgan and Cornishman...

along with a good selection of high quality flats...

like these brill...

while the inshore fleet trawled up a selection of rays...

John Dory...

the beam trawler selected out a good run of tub gurnard...

among continuing heavy landings of plaice...

more than enough to keep auctioneer Ian getting the best bids out of the buyers...

especially for top quality fish like this bass from the trawler, Millennia...

and a box of 'snakes' as small conger are referred to...

while this big shot of line caught bass...

caused Colin to wince as the price rose ever higher...

there were a few boxes of herring...

and a small number of squid...

alongside the re-sited grading machine...

just a few of Monday's monk haul...

now minus her port registration numbers on her bow the William Stevenson is nearly ready to make the passage to her new home in Bideford...

forklift action...

the Sapphire II's  derrick is now fully rigged and back in place...

deck lights blazing, the Cornishman is all set for sea again.

Algrie aground on Plymouth breakwater

All photos courtesy of James Baldry from Ultimate Shot, Devon based action photographers specialising in aviation and  emergency services images.

It might well be Sea food Week but it seems someone didn't see the breakwater! High and dry, the Newlyn beam trawler, Algrie rests with her bow several feet out of the water on Mount Batten breakwater, running aground after leaving Plymouth around 9:30pm on Saturday night...

despite attempts by the Plymouth lifeboat the boat remained firmly aground = seen here hours later at low water...

although she was successfully re-floated without any serious damage to the hull and able to make her way under her own steam back to Sutton Harbour for inspection. No-one was injured in the accident...

which was recorded for posterity on AIS tracking - these days a mandatory fitment on every vessel over 15m.  

Luckily the Algrie, which has not long returned from a major refit in Holland, was blessed with a shelterdecked stern - that may well have helped keep her safe and afloat by preventing any ingress of water as the tide fell and rose again before she was refloated and pulled clear at high water on Sunday morning.

On a local topographical note, Mount Batten Breakwater, (also referred to as Mount Batten Pier and Cattewater Breakwater) started in 1878 was completed in 1881 at a total cost of £20,000. It is 915 feet (279 metres) in length and the foundations are 20 feet (6 metres) below the low tide mark. The breakwater was promoted by the Cattewater Commissioners who were responsible for shipping in the area. During the air-station years the breakwater was closed to the public and used, for a period, to store flying boats. In 1995 the breakwater was refurbished and re-opened to the public.

The breakwater is a popular site for local anglers and for those watching ships using the Plymouth Sound. Boat in the Fastnet and Americas Cup, can also be viewed. In August each year, the breakwater is used for the British Firework Championships.

Weekend action and new boats in Newlyn

All hands on deck...

as the damaged port side derrick is maneuvered into place using two forklifts under watchful eyes of Steve...

and Roger...

when I nod my 'ead you 'it it!..

carefully does it...

one of the Scottish prawn trawlers, Vision III is back in town...

inshore trawler Still Waters showing off her combination bridles which account for her consistent good fishing on flats...

fan of the King or maybe just the name of a loved one...

the Lisa Marie is the latest addition to the port's fleet of cats...

while new inshore trawler, new by name too New Venture...

has a tidy working deck for an under 10m boat...

latest punt PZ21, rigged for mackerel, nets and pots...

and a very tidy FH300...

temporary refrigerated units to help deal with the market refurb.

Business of Fishing - training programmes for young recruits to the industry - we need them!

Have you caught the new #BusinessOfFishing film? Shot during the unique training course for the industry, this short film follows the Robertson family – fishermen from Gardenstown, Aberdeenshire – as they reflect on what fishing means to them personally, and as they embark on the Business of Fishing course to further their understanding of fisheries science and management. 

In the South West, anyone interested in a challenging but incredibly rewarding career at sea should head on down to Seafood Cornwall Training.

For more general information on training head read more about the training here.

Seafood week starts with #FishyFriday in Newlyn!

High water sees Tom put the Harvest Reaper 'up on the hard'...

a sure sign that work has bugun...

ripping out the fridge in the market...

and building a temporary wall to cut off the far end...

where the grading machine has been relocated...

always a better chance of seeing bass on the market as autumn approaches...

along with a better run of mackerel... 
  

the one beam trawler that landed filled up with plaice...

while the visiting Scottish prawn trawler looks like to have targeted cuttles this week...

even morkis are fair game these days making good money for bait...

along with a good run of scad, which makes great sashimi - and, as an oily fish,...

why not take up the Seafood Week challenge and eat at least two portions of fish over the next seven days...

the biggest trip for the day came from the netter, Karen of Ladram...

with a good shot of hake...

which kept the buyers bidding high...

not much to show for a 2am start for Barry who shot two nets for not much more than a few boxes of those ever-present dogfish...

Harvest moon hanging over Newlyn and the Vision III...

as the sun begins to spread a little light over the back of the Mount...

the big tide sees all the netting fleet tied up over the next few days until the next neap.

NLH - Releasing juveniles at Marazion in Mounts Bay, Cornwall.

Back at the Newlyn hatchery Chris explains some of the intricacies of raising juvenile lobsters...

and the process of removing eggs from a 'buried' female lobster who carries the eggs under her tail...

the juveniles are released having developed to such an extent that they are able to fend for themselves - though it's a cruel world out there and a huge number don't survive of course..

but the odds are significantly increased for lessening mortality rates through the NLH (National Lobster Hatchery) programme which has seen the number of lobsters increase significantly in the Bristol Channel.